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phelps' tactics seem to work at one level anyway: there is a debate about whether they are or are not political protest, and each move in the debate requires that you take his positions seriously enough to consider the question. post 15 gave the thread a way around this backhanded legitimation of this guy's politics simply by arguing that fred phelps does not get to define what kind of case this is, whether it is a first amendement or a simple harrassment matter.
but the debate has conceded phelps' point repeatedly, even if it is to deplore it.
strange that.
as for the question of fred phelps hero of political protest...this seems like infotainment from the far right's martyrdom machinery, the place that gave us the story of ruby ridge and other such legitimate-the-militia-movement type treats. i assume that problems encountered over a period of years by americans who operate from a left perspective would not count as political problems in that world, as americans who operate from the left are not americans at all. so its only when a rightwing extremist runs into trouble that "Big Questions" like the state of the right to protest in the us become Issues.
it makes me laugh.
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a gramophone its corrugated trumpet silver handle
spinning dog. such faithfulness it hear
it make you sick.
-kamau brathwaite
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