Ed Brayton is a journalist, commentator and speaker. He is the co-founder and president of 
To turn an already absurd situation even more absurd, now Fred Phelps and his merry band of bigots and ghouls wants their own sign at Washington's capitol rotunda:
Westboro Baptist Church has jumped into the fray over the atheist sign at Washington's Capitol building by requesting its own sign announcing that "Santa Claus will take you to hell."The Kansas-based church is infamous for its anti-gay agenda, including protesting at the funerals of soldiers killed in Iraq. Church leader Fred Phelps has claimed that soldiers' deaths are God's way to punish America for accepting gay rights.
In a letter faxed Wednesday to Gov. Chris Gregoire and state legislative officials, the church asked that its sign be placed next to the nativity display and the sign posted by atheist group Freedom From Religion.
Now this sign they may actually be able to keep out, only because Phelps is from Kansas and not Washington (FFRF got in almost certainly because it was actually submitted by someone from their Washington chapter). Unless Phelps has some nut locally who wants to submit the sign, the state may be able to deny that one on a content-neutral basis. Here's the actual sign. Frankly, I find it kind of amusing. I say put it up and give people a chuckle at just how ridiculous these people are.
Politics
Comments
Actually, I like the artwork. I never dreamed I could compliment a WBC sign, but there you go.
Posted by: MikeG | December 14, 2008 9:41 AM
"Just like the priests he'll rape em at night"
"You tell the children he is real, you know that's just a lie"
Did anybody else's irony meter flare up?
Posted by: beebeeo | December 14, 2008 9:51 AM
Is it just me, or have the Phelps vermin gotten even more insane since people kind of stopped paying attention to them?
Posted by: schism | December 14, 2008 9:57 AM
I think Dr. Seuss' family should sue westboro baptist church since their "santa" looks like the Grinch. Then again, it does look a bit like Fred.
Posted by: Marie | December 14, 2008 9:58 AM
I say put 'em all up, the zanier and crazier, the better. Then maybe people will keep their religious displays on their own property and not try to force the government to support their faith.
I hate to say it, but the sign is surprisingly good, and hey, it doesn't say "God Hates Fags," or "Kill Fags" once. Perhaps it's part of Fred's therapy?
Posted by: dogmeatib | December 14, 2008 10:04 AM
When he dies, I want to be first in line to dance on his grave and possibly put nasty substances on it. Seriously. I will actually buy a ticket to Topeka to do that.
Posted by: Katharine | December 14, 2008 10:06 AM
God's hate! The overriding theme of Phelps' message is hate, hate, hate. (Just like the Old Testament.)
Now he brings the rape of children into his message.
I believe that one's perception of god depends on one's feeling about the self. What must be going through a man's mind when he warns children that Santa Claus will rape them? Watch out, kids!
Posted by: Rodney | December 14, 2008 10:16 AM
I suspect, Katharine, that you could collect quite a crowd then and there just by promising to show up with a boombox and a loop of the chorus to "Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye".
Posted by: NJ | December 14, 2008 10:18 AM
Change a few words and you have the album insert for a song on an Iron Maiden album.
Posted by: DuWayne | December 14, 2008 10:19 AM
It will come as no surprise that they didn't make their own image. Here's a use of the picture from December of last year:
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=49093793
(Scroll WAY down, almost to the bottom.)
I don't know who owns it or if they gave permission for it's use, but somehow I doubt it.
Posted by: Michael Suttkus, II | December 14, 2008 10:22 AM
Wait, wait, wait! So Santa is the one responsible for the economy and dead soldiers. I thought it was the "fags".
I suppose I'll just have to work harder in the future.
Posted by: ponzo | December 14, 2008 10:40 AM
Michael Suttkus, II
Thanks for finding that. My irony meter melted since the image seems to be from a 2007 "Happy Holidays" card. Suck an egg Fred & Billo.
Posted by: Mike | December 14, 2008 10:43 AM
I love it, especially the Orc Santa. Note the pierced ear. I hope they do get that sign up at the Washington capitol rotunda. The more the merrier! And the Merrier Christmaser too!
Posted by: Adrienne | December 14, 2008 10:53 AM
That is of course because he is gay.
Posted by: Tulse | December 14, 2008 11:09 AM
UPDATE: Washington state put a moratorium on new displays on Friday. Good news: Freddie's sign didn't make the cut Bad news: The Festivus pole didn't either. :(
Seattle Times story
Posted by: Iason Ouabache | December 14, 2008 11:19 AM
Or I could have scrolled down and read Ed's next story. D'oh!
Posted by: Iason Ouabache | December 14, 2008 11:22 AM
I wonder if it was the part about child rape that got them excluded.
Posted by: Leni | December 14, 2008 11:46 AM
Westboro Baptist Church is an amazing example of the demented mindset that can develop in a small insular extremist group. The entire body of their rhetoric is negative. All their energy goes towards been against stuff. You never hear Phelps articulate anything positive. Even Hitler had a positive side to his vision. The Nazis always talked about creating a glorious new Aryan world. It was a very evil vision. But nevertheless it was designed to capture the imagination of Nazi followers. But Phelps seems to lack the ability to go in that direction. He just wants to be against as many things as possible. Fortunately this tendancy makes him much less of a threat than a Hitler type leader.
Posted by: Cheddar | December 14, 2008 12:32 PM
This man is so monumentally, breathtakingly sick. His mind is warped to a degree that would make Kafka shit his pants.
Posted by: Sadie Morrison | December 14, 2008 12:35 PM
@Michael Suttkus, @Mike:
I seem to recall seeing Evil Santa in ads for World of Warcraft a year or two ago. I'm not 100% sure, but I think the image is ©Blizzard Entertainment.
Posted by: Leonard | December 14, 2008 12:41 PM
I hear they're inbreds.
Posted by: Katharine | December 14, 2008 12:44 PM
Actually, it appears to be a Photobucket image (http://s238.photobucket.com/albums/ff41/jmcclain4/?action=view¤t=evilsanta.jpg). Relevant terms of use are:
By displaying or publishing ("posting") any Content on or through the Photobucket Services, you hereby grant to Photobucket and other users a non-exclusive, fully paid and royalty-free, worldwide, limited license to use, modify, delete from, add to, publicly perform, publicly display, reproduce and translate such Content, including without limitation distributing part or all of the Site in any media formats through any media channels, except Content marked "private" will not be distributed outside the Photobucket Services. Photobucket and/or other Users may copy, print or display publicly available Content outside of the Photobucket Services, including without limitation, via the Site or third party websites or applications (for example, services allowing Users to order prints of Content or t-shirts and similar items containing Content).
I went looking to see if there might be a "let's you and him fight" option, but as long as they have an account, it's legal use.
GOAM
Posted by: GOAM | December 14, 2008 1:03 PM
Sadie Morrison:
I think you mean, "Phelps his pants".
Ed:
I would like to see Fred "...on the atheist sign", I would like to see it so far up his ass he couldn't blink.
Posted by: democommie | December 14, 2008 1:06 PM
I wonder - when Freddie dies, will his Church protest his own funeral?
Posted by: Badger3k | December 14, 2008 1:25 PM
Behold! It's Bad Santa...
http://digitalart.org/art/40581/fantasy/bad-santa/
Posted by: EvilPoet | December 14, 2008 1:44 PM
Yeah, from now on, in addition to the FFRF-type sign, those of us in the reality-based community should get ready to put up a Festivus pole and a neopagan "Blessed Solstice" display, complete with lighted pentagram, anywhere there is a nativity scene in a public space.
Posted by: Adrienne | December 14, 2008 1:56 PM
I really hate these people. Some religious idiocy is tolerable, but there has always been something incredibly demented about picketing a soldier's funeral (or any funeral, really, but especially an American serviceman). I respect the Church's first amendment rights and all that, but if I met Fred Phelps, I think I'd kick the crap out of him and sleep very well that night.
I hope they get sued for copyright infringement, though. Wouldn't that be wonderful! It'd make for a very merry festivus!
Posted by: JStein | December 14, 2008 1:59 PM
http://scienceblogs.com/insolence/2008/12/santa_claus_will_take_you_to_hellthe_vid.php
Looks like Orac found the music video, this song is just tragic.
Posted by: Ramel | December 14, 2008 2:12 PM
Wow, that sign is the most unintentionally hilarious thing I've seen in a very long time. Love it! I think it should be displayed at the Capitol along with the others.
I won't do anything to desecrate Phelp's grave, but as a person born and raised in Kansas and having observed his crap for over a decade, I plan to picket his funeral if at all possible.
Posted by: Gretchen | December 14, 2008 2:18 PM
Now, I'm not trying to devalue the the deaths of our soldiers in Iraq (unlike this clown), but it seems that soldier deaths are a poor measure of god's punishment. While one is too many, the losses in Iraq are nothing compared to WW2, Vietnam, the Civil War, etc, conflicts from periods of time in which homosexuals had fewer rights than they do now. If I was the type to jump to wild conclusions based on random correlations, I might conclude that god was sheltering our troops to reward us for gay rights, and if we allowed gay marriage, no more soldiers would have to die.
I have no idea what to make about Santa Observance as cause of troop death. How would you track such a thing through time?
Posted by: JakeS | December 14, 2008 2:24 PM
I'd love to know what he was like a child.
Posted by: Bachalon | December 14, 2008 2:30 PM
I thought that the Santas on the sign were Mr Phelps dressed up as Santa.
Posted by: EricJuve | December 14, 2008 2:31 PM
In the music video, they show someone holding a sign saying "you will eat your children." What the hell is that all about?
And the obvious joy with which they consign people to hell is really creepy. Who would want to go to heaven if those folks are there?
Posted by: James Hanley | December 14, 2008 2:53 PM
I went looking to see if there might be a "let's you and him fight" option, but as long as they have an account, it's legal use.
No it isn't if the image doesn't "belong" to whoever posted it on Photobucket. You don't get to automatically void coopyright by violating copyright.
Anyone recognize the artist's signature?
(The chop of Aqualung as "Bad Santa" is exceedingly popular, isn't it?)
Posted by: Graculus | December 14, 2008 3:02 PM
Where did you grow up, Gretchen? I was born and raised in Wichita, but spent large parts of my childhood in Overland Park and I currently live in Lawrence.
Posted by: Sadie Morrison | December 14, 2008 3:29 PM
Bachalon: There's an unauthorized biography of Phelps, Addicted to Hate, which goes into his childhood among other things.
Posted by: ebohlman | December 14, 2008 3:46 PM
God hates "God hates fags"...
Posted by: PeteK | December 14, 2008 5:05 PM
Ramel -
Holy shit, that video is just fucking gross. I'm not one to characterize religious indoctrination as akin to child abuse, but these sick fuckers cross the line.
Posted by: DuWayne | December 14, 2008 5:27 PM
Good. Somebody needs to put up a display reminding people that it's all possible thanks to the ADF
Indeed.
Posted by: tincture | December 14, 2008 5:28 PM
I'm shaking my head in disbelief. This guy Phelps has a serious anger management problem, among other things.
Anne G
Posted by: Anne Gilbert | December 14, 2008 5:38 PM
The second link, provided by EvilPoet, shows the full picture, and it is marked as "Copyright Kerem Beyit" at Digital Art. Someone needs to check out their contract to see if he's okayed it's general use. I repeat the link since I'm too swamped to do it myself right now.
http://digitalart.org/art/40581/fantasy/bad-santa/
Posted by: Michael Suttkus, II | December 14, 2008 7:09 PM
Just lately I visited the "godhatesfags' website and I seriously though it was a Poe, a parody of fundies. I mean, nobody could be espousing that insane babble.
Ahh, they are indeed spouting this hateful babble.
Phelps is in it for the money... he may be a flaming bigot, but he doesn't believe his god schtick. I call fraud.
Posted by: kamaka | December 14, 2008 7:24 PM
I went to their web site and looked at the picketing schedule. They will be in Il. to picket KAM Isaiah Israel Temple and then they mentioned something about the reason for this can be found in The Fiddler on The Roof. Sounds like someone needs a reality check. I know that they have this music video but something about them bopping out of step with the music just given me a headache. If they could sing it might be ok, but they center stage Shir and that's just not a pretty sight.
Posted by: Marie | December 14, 2008 7:29 PM
Done!
I have sent Kerem Beyit a polite email informing him of the (possibly) copyright infringing billboard and linking to this page to show the Westboro Bapist Church's design.
The rest is up to him.
DINGO
Posted by: DingoJack | December 14, 2008 8:22 PM
Kerem Beyit has a very intriguing website, The Art of Kerem Beyit.
Posted by: Ex-drone | December 14, 2008 9:51 PM
Agreed. Phelps hides behind the Christian god, but his real god is hatred.
Posted by: Sadie Morrison | December 14, 2008 10:21 PM
Ex-drone - A nice site I agree. That's where I found his email address.
You gotta love the fundies, they choose a young Turkish man's 'evil' rendition of Santa. Firstly 'Santa' is an American business' version of an ancient Gothic myth*, and secondly, Mr Beyit is quite likely to be a Muslim. What, couldn't they find a nice Christian artist? The more I think about this the more risible it becomes. - DJ
*Indeed if this image was painted in a medieval style, surrounded by a pointed archway, and the typeface was of a 'blackletter' variety, it could be described as being 'a Gothic image, surrounded by Gothic Architecture, painted in a Gothic style, representing a Gothic Mythos, over a Gothic typeface. Goths will love it!
Posted by: DingoJack | December 14, 2008 10:23 PM
I liked the artist's web site too.
DJ -
Did you go over to Respectful Insolence to view the fucking video these cretins put together? Seriously fucking sick people. Did I mention the video involves children? Or that these are seriously sick people?
Posted by: DuWayne | December 14, 2008 11:43 PM
Maybe they should try this. Could be less of a copyright issue. - :) DJ
Posted by: DingoJack | December 15, 2008 12:30 AM
Perhaps this will satisfy these fundies. Or how about this? - DJ
Posted by: DingoJack | December 15, 2008 1:56 AM
Wow priest rape children that's disgusting
Posted by: xdwing | December 15, 2008 11:24 AM
Anytime I see something about WBC, I feel obligated to plug my friend Joe's website.
http://www.godhatesshrimp.com/
Posted by: LightningRose | December 15, 2008 3:43 PM
Mr Teatime comes to mind ...
Perhaps ironic since Mr Teatime tried to inhumane the Hogfather. By controlling children's beliefs. Using ancient magic.
Posted by: blf | December 16, 2008 1:39 AM
I have posted this on a later thread (if you read it there ignore it here), but the post here is just for completeness.
However to re-cap and update, I send a polite email to the artist whose work was pilfered for the Westboro Baptist Church's Anti-Santa billboard, informing him of the possible infringement of his copyright. He send me an email back which I produce verbatim below:
So how about it? Any pro bono Intellectual Property Lawyers out there, willing to give Westboro a really good scare? Oh go on! I won't ask for anything else for Xmas! -DJ
"Be afraid, be very, very afraid Phelps, down here Dingos eat Santas for brekkie." :)
Posted by: DingoJack | December 16, 2008 9:02 AM
I don't mind the content of the sign. I only ask that someone please teach these people how to properly use typography? I mean, ouch!
Posted by: Gauldar | December 16, 2008 12:46 PM