I just knew it would come to this.  The insistence of state (and federal) government on restricting free speech and assembly has inevitably led to the ACLU hooking up with the Phelpsians. (h/t PageOneQ)

Missouri, like other states and the federal government, has passed a law restricting protests and pickets at funerals in response to community outrage over the Phelpsians presence at military funerals.  Fred and co. believe that God is killing soldiers because America has embraced homosexuality.  So he totes his "God Hates Fags" signs to military funerals.  Shock and awe ensue.  Never mind that he's been doing this for years to at the funerals of homosexuals and those who have died from AIDS.  No one was upset enough to pass a law curtailing civil rights then.  I guess faggots brought it on themselves.

The ACLU argues that the law restricts speech on content and is seeking an injunction so the protests can resume while the court considers the constitutionality issue.

Here's Phelpsian whackjob and daughter Shirley ...

"I told the nation, as each state went after these laws, that if the day came that they got in our way, that we would sue them," said Phelps's daughter Shirley L. Phelps-Roper, a spokeswoman for the church in Topeka, Kan. "At this hour, the wrath of God is pouring out on this country."

You aren't suing them, Shirley honey.  The ACLU is suing them on your behalf.  Because the ACLU respects your civil liberties.  The wrath of God sure does pick some interesting vehicles ....

I, too, think the law is unconstitutional.  Don't get me wrong -- its abhorrent that anyone would intrude on the grief of a family at the funeral of their loved one.  But as the Correspondents have said before, these laws are unconstitutional and passed in a grandstanding furor by legislators responsible for the deaths of these soldiers.  Rather than make the funeral a civil liberty free zone, how about reducing the number of funerals?  You know, ending the war.  Or improving health care access.  Investing in AIDS research. Mitigating poverty.  That sort of thing.

Why, oh why, do I hate freedom?

The youngest members of the Fred Phelps clan ...  h/t Good as You

h/t Republic of T and Curmudgeonly Crab

10 - You vigorously deny the existence of thousands of gods claimed by other religions, but feel outraged when someone denies the existence of yours.

9 - You feel insulted and "dehumanized" when scientists say that people evolved from other life forms, but you have no problem with the Biblical claim that we were created from dirt.

8 - You laugh at polytheists, but you have no problem believing in a Triune God.

7 - Your face turns purple when you hear of the "atrocities" attributed to Allah, but you don't even flinch when hearing about how God/Jehovah slaughtered all the babies of Egypt in "Exodus" and ordered the elimination of entire ethnic groups in "Joshua" including women, children, and trees!

6 - You laugh at Hindu beliefs that deify humans, and Greek claims about gods sleeping with women, but you have no problem believing that the Holy Spirit impregnated Mary, who then gave birth to a man-god who got killed, came back to life and then ascended into the sky.

5 - You are willing to spend your life looking for little loopholes in the scientifically established age of Earth (few billion years), but you find nothing wrong with believing dates recorded by Bronze Age tribesmen sitting in their tents and guessing that Earth is a few generations old.

4 - You believe that the entire population of this planet with the exception of those who share your beliefs -- though excluding those in all rival sects - will spend Eternity in an infinite Hell of Suffering. And yet consider your religion the most "tolerant" and "loving."

3 - While modern science, history, geology, biology, and physics have failed to convince you otherwise, some idiot rolling around on the floor speaking in "tongues" may be all the evidence you need to "prove" Christianity.

2 - You define 0.01% as a "high success rate" when it comes to answered prayers. You consider that to be evidence that prayer works. And you think that the remaining 99.99% FAILURE was simply the will of God.

1 - You actually know a lot less than many atheists and agnostics do about the Bible, Christianity, and church history - but still call yourself a Christian.

It has been awhile since we've run across some gay-themed letters to the editor in either the PG or the Trib.  Today, Amesh Adalja of Butler comes to our rescue with a little missive in the City Paper.  Adalja bemoans the hijacking of the Republican Party by the "cancerous growth" of the religious right.

The Republicans, increasingly suffused with the gospel of the Religious Right, have completely shattered any semblance of respect for individual rights to which they may stake claim.

Shout out to the non-hating Republicans in Butler County! Kudos for acknowledging that not all Republicans are, well, Rethuglicans.  Take back your party damnit!  Take back your churches, too! 

While we are on the topic of the City Paper, I must sadly note the demise of the "Rant" feature.  Editor Chris Potter discussed this decision on a recent appearance on the John McIntire show on KDKA (see McIntire blog www.macyapper.com).  Apparently, they got sick of rants about Pittsburgh drivers and the like. 

The CP archives indicate that there have been 287 rants.  Number 284 featured my personal anti-PennDOT ramblings.  And while we are on the topic, I must tell you that I am completely disillusioned with the political/citizens activist thing.  NO ONE was willing or able to stand up to PennDOT and the fact that I kept being pushy and obnoxious about wanting them to maintain their property made me person non gratis.  It was only when the All-Star game drew near that Mayor O'Connor's office helped.  But at least they helped not only get it cut, but a commitment to keep it cut. 

Back to the Rant.  I enjoyed it, but it certainly did seem a bit repetitive at times.  Now it would be GREAT if the City Paper would fill that space with the voice of a columnist who is not a white, heterosexual, middle-class man.  God Bless Marty, John and Chris and their progressive, nay liberal ideals.  But Pittsburgh's alternative culture is filled with a multitude of people of color, females, gays, working class, disabled, etc.  We have ideas, too!  Good ones.  Ideas with multisyllabic words.  Ideas festooned with purpose, meaning and a liberal dash of snarkery. 

For crying out loud ... you can't shake a stick in Pittsburgh without knocking over a white, middle-class, heterosexual writer/columnist or writer/columnist wanna be.  You want a fresh rant  -- give voice to the rest of us. 

h/t Shakespeare's Sister for the image.  Check out the full story from The House Blend.