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Louis Theroux vs Westboro Baptists

STFC said:
Crazy, crazy people. Very surprised that the only action against them by the public was a plastic drink cup being thrown from a moving car. Poor young lad whose head it bounced off wouldn't have had any idea why it happened.

I suspect that the police that kept them away from the funerals were there for their protection more than anything else. If they carry on abusing America's war dead then I'm sure some retribution will come their way.
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These folks live less than 100 miles from me. They often show up in town, holding their little signs. I think the fact that no one has offed them is proof that there is a general respect for the 1st amendment. Mostly when they come, the local authorities have organized their own rally opposing them, but completely removed physically. It helps draw those who'd take a shot at them away.
 
Kid_Eternity said:
Yep! I think they said something about donations. Someone said they give 10% of their wages and that there's a lot of well paid lawyers that are members etc. But still didn't get a sense of the number of people in that 'church' and how it all added it...probably dodgy financial dealings or something?
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Doing a few searches showed up allegations of possible fraudulent behaviours...
 
This isn't the only odd group to inhabit the area. The Maharishi set up shop in eastern Iowa and has pretty much sewn up the local government. He's the guy the Beatles hung out with for a while and then called him a fraud. He teaches a form of Hinduism that could best be called Hinduism-lite for a rather large fee. The city is called Maharishi Vedic City.

Ironically, there are also old order Amish and some Mennonites there too. So you'll see people walking around in white robes while dark clothed Amish roll by in their buggies.
 
LilMissHissyFit said:
Doing a few searches showed up allegations of possible fraudulent behaviours...
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Its been alleged that they've also vandalized graves. A female soldiers grave in Hastings, Nebraska was vandalized with mysogenist slogans, the gravestone overturned, etc.

Not to mention the alleged claims of sexual abuse of minors.
 
how they hell are these people not in prison! I can't see America taking anything but the msot dim view over the descration of a soldiers grave
 
is there anywhere to watch this online now its aired ? i missed it :( its a BBC show isnt it ?? i.e. public property, ? any ideas how i can get ahold of it guys ? :)
 
locutus12 said:
its a BBC show isnt it ?? i.e. public property, ?
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If the BBC shows a film, that doesn't make it public property. The BBC has a licence to show it once.

Not sure whether Theroux's pieces are produced by the BBC or by an independent - if the latter, and if they have any sense, they'll have licensed it to the Beeb in a similar fashion.
 
This film is way too important to ignore. Initially it reminded me of an HBO film but to my horror, it proved all too real.

I hope it's exported to other countries. Simply because it highlights the madness of extreme extremism. Something that is not just confined to the Middle East and its proponents of ongoing dogmatic fracas but something that is very much alive in the west.

Fuck religion.
 
pk said:
This Sunday at 9pm (I forget which channel) the unflappable Louis Theroux goes to see Phelps and crew, responsible for the God Hates Fags website, and whose members picket funerals of dead soldiers and gay men and women to draw attention to their twisted interpretation of the Bible.

I wonder if he'll ask Phelps about the well documented paedophile accusations, or the fact that many family members have fled the old man after years of abuse?
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Who is Louis Theroux? Let me guess; another british filmmaker getting ready to go all goggle-eyed at some more zany american weirdness.
 
Just gone partway through the thread. You people just lap this stuff up.

You realize what it is, don't you? It's the Daily Mail, US Edition. These documentaries that you love do the same cartoonish caricature of the US, that the Daily Mail does in your own country.

You knock the Daily Mail, but you're doing the same thing that its readers do every day.
 
Johnny Canuck2 said:
Just gone partway through the thread. You people just lap this stuff up.

You realize what it is, don't you? It's the Daily Mail, US Edition. These documentaries that you love do the same cartoonish caricature of the US, that the Daily Mail does in your own country.

You knock the Daily Mail, but you're doing the same thing that its readers do every day.
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For someone who's never heard of Theroux you're making some pretty fucking huge assumptions about his film-making.

For what it's worth he is very un-daily mail... His style is to approach contentious figures, in the UK and US and attempt to get inside what makes them tick. He's done it with everyone from the gambling industry, to white nationalists and the Hamiltons. He never claims that the people he meets are extrapolated to the wider world, he looks at extremes and tries to see things from their point of view. He's polite and unassuming (which is why he's so good at getting under their skin) and above all he shows both sides. In this particular film he shows the absolute disgust most Americans have for these people... A drink thrown at the Phelps' as they picket, the sharp contrasts between vile bastards spewing hate-filled shite at a funeral and the sadness of the ceremony itself.

No-one thinks America is populated by Westboro types and the film takes great pains to point out that there are very few of them... It's a look at a sad example of indoctrination and bigotry rather than any kind of attempt to comment on America as a whole.
 
Cid said:
For someone who's never heard of Theroux you're making some pretty fucking huge assumptions about his film-making.

For what it's worth he is very un-daily mail... His style is to approach contentious figures, in the UK and US and attempt to get inside what makes them tick. He's done it with everyone from the gambling industry, to white nationalists and the Hamiltons. He never claims that the people he meets are extrapolated to the wider world, he looks at extremes and tries to see things from their point of view. He's polite and unassuming (which is why he's so good at getting under their skin) and above all he shows both sides. In this particular film he shows the absolute disgust most Americans have for these people... A drink thrown at the Phelps' as they picket, the sharp contrasts between vile bastards spewing hate-filled shite at a funeral and the sadness of the ceremony itself.

No-one thinks America is populated by Westboro types and the film takes great pains to point out that there are very few of them... It's a look at a sad example of indoctrination and bigotry rather than any kind of attempt to comment on America as a whole.
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When I read that he's going after the god hates fags people, it seems he's just setting up a huge target to knock down, so all the british people can go tsk tsk.

I've seen a number of these british documentaries about the US. The one that springs to mind is Wrong Eyed Jesus. Can it get any more cartoon? Half the time, I expect the filmmaker to turn and make goggle eyes into the camera, as we watch the weird american antics.

Those people do exist, but the whole pastiche is much more nuanced.

If you want to puncture the balloon of american folly and prejudice, take a lesson from Borat.

These other things are just the Daily Mail, or the National Enquirer.
 
Cid said:
and the film takes great pains to point out that there are very few of them... It's a look at a sad example of indoctrination and bigotry rather than any kind of attempt to comment on America as a whole.
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These types of documentaries inevitably say that; then they proceed to focus their sole attention on the weirdest and most outlandish american behaviour they can find.

The problem is the power of the image. Yes, they can say, 'this isn't representative', but when you're bombarded with all these images of holy rollers, tongue talkers and snake handlers, the impression tends to stick.
 
Johnny the whole point in Theroux is that he focuses on the weirdest elements, quote from him (from Wiki);

Setting out to discover the genuinely odd in the most ordinary setting. To me, it's almost a privilege to be welcomed into these communities and to shine a light on them and, maybe, through my enthusiasm, to get people to reveal more of themselves than they may have intended. The show is laughing at me, adrift in their world, as much as at them. I don't have to play up that stuff. I'm not a matinee idol disguised as a nerd.
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He doesn't just do America anyway... And how can you possibly comment if you've never seen anything by him?
 
Johnny Canuck2 said:
These types of documentaries inevitably say that; then they proceed to focus their sole attention on the weirdest and most outlandish american behaviour they can find.

The problem is the power of the image. Yes, they can say, 'this isn't representative', but when you're bombarded with all these images of holy rollers, tongue talkers and snake handlers, the impression tends to stick.
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As it happens Johnny boy, we in Europe get bombarded every night of the week with programmes that depict the Seppoes as a bunch of swindling, self serving murderous corrupt cunts. It's called American TV. And our people are stupid enough to pay for it.

So never justify the Seppoes as having had 'bad press' they have been actively hawking this shit all over the world for years.
 
Rejoice Brothers and Sisters, the gospel is here...

Westboro feel the righteous hand upon them;


Meanwhile an Aussie flirts;


Cops hate Westboro Baptists;


Bikers hate Westboro Baptists too;


Louis Theroux's Prog (in seven parts) find the rest yourself sinners.


Amen! ;)
 
Johnny Canuck2 said:
These types of documentaries inevitably say that; then they proceed to focus their sole attention on the weirdest and most outlandish american behaviour they can find.

The problem is the power of the image. Yes, they can say, 'this isn't representative', but when you're bombarded with all these images of holy rollers, tongue talkers and snake handlers, the impression tends to stick.
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Seriously, if you don't know Louis Theroux, you don't know what you are talking about :)

His documentaries are quite, quite different, and are NOT only about Americans. Does anyone remember the one about Jimmy Savile? That was uncomfortable watching.

People who do watch/read Louis Theroux, know that he is dealing with oddities and extremes, and you miss the point somewhat in your posts on this thread.
 
Johnny Canuck2 said:
I've seen a number of these british documentaries about the US.
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Actually, the most precise and nuanced criticism of organisations like this comes from America itself

Whether this site is "funnier" or more "real" than this one is, I am sure, a cause for some concern...

It's only a matter of time before some *very* ugly things start happening if these people persist in picketing military funerals, using their stupid placards, and children as shields..
 
Johnny Canuck2 said:
When I read that he's going after the god hates fags people, it seems he's just setting up a huge target to knock down, so all the british people can go tsk tsk.

I've seen a number of these british documentaries about the US. The one that springs to mind is Wrong Eyed Jesus. Can it get any more cartoon? Half the time, I expect the filmmaker to turn and make goggle eyes into the camera, as we watch the weird american antics.

Those people do exist, but the whole pastiche is much more nuanced.

If you want to puncture the balloon of american folly and prejudice, take a lesson from Borat.

These other things are just the Daily Mail, or the National Enquirer.
Click to expand...

I suggest you watch it before judging it JC, because you've got the wrong end of the stick with this one. Especially if you think Borat does a better job than Theroux.

With 'Searching for Wrong Eyed Jesus' as other posters have pointed out, the view of America that is exported is as much a fantasy as anything else. At least these docus show the other side of America (it's dark heart) and the type of people who make and influence policy in the US...especially at the moment.
 
If anybody can get on to the Godhatesfags website, could they do me a favour and download the "open letter to england" and post it via P.M to me. It's a PDF and Websense is not letting it through. Cheers.:)
 
Not sure how to send attachments by PM, but I've posted a Rapidshare link, and the Direct link itself.


Hilarious - apparently I belong to a "raunchy group of pagans" - I'm sure the missus will welcome this development!

The more you read stuff like that though, you have to ask are they REALLY that deranged, or just taking the piss, or what ??
 
rhod said:
Not sure how to send attachments by PM, but I've posted a Rapidshare link, and the Direct link itself.


Hilarious - apparently I belong to a "raunchy group of pagans" - I'm sure the missus will welcome this development!

The more you read stuff like that though, you have to ask are they REALLY that deranged, or just taking the piss, or what ??
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I really do appreciate this, but websense blocks both rapidshare and the direct link. :( Bummer.
 
The wikipedia entry for the good Rev Phelps is very informative - I was intrigued by one section:

Because his activism has provoked opposition, some have speculated that Phelps might be an elaborate prankster or agent provocateur. Such speculation has come from conservatives who believe he is consciously trying to discredit social conservatives, and "some among the extreme-right have speculated that Phelps is a plant aimed at giving the anti-gay movement a bad name".
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Who knows?


Anyway, having thought about Theroux's approach to the interview, I do think he shot his bolt a bit soon by asking "how many children you have" - you could see instantly that Phelp's mental guard had shot up - I would have thought that Theoroux would have been better to discuss with him at length his views on the Bible, how times were different from when he was a kid, that sort of thing - and buttered him up a little before asking about about his own kids - a few of which have clearly made serious allegations, and would thus be a topic that Phelps would want to avoid with someone he has just shaken hands with with a camera crew.
 
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