THE FBI HAS SOME 'SPLAININ' TO DO

From the AP:

The FBI said Wednesday that members of an anti-gay fundamentalist group participated in the bureau's training of police officers and FBI agents — a move the bureau says it will take steps to remedy in the future.

The bureau extended the invitations to Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kan., for training this spring at two bureau facilities in Virginia: Quantico and Manassas.

Westboro has stirred widespread outrage with raucous demonstrations at the funerals of U.S. military service members. The group contends God is punishing the military for the nation's tolerance of homosexuality.

Why Westboro Baptist Church? Why use a hate group to train FBI and police officers? The lawyers in the Phelps family know the laws, and they sue if the authorities don't follow the rules. Could that be the reason? Or does the group help to train officers to keep cool in the face of hateful behavior? Who knows?

H/T to Timothy Kincaid at Box Turtle Bulletin.

THE PHELPS GANG RIDES AGAIN

From Pink News:

Fred Phelps' gang will picket Elizabeth Edwards' funeral service, because:

She was a supporter of gay rights and in 2008, while her husband was running for the presidency, declared that she believed in legalising gay marriage.
....

The church...released a statement condemning her for having fertility treatment and for questioning her faith after her 16-year-old son Wade was killed in an accident.

Westboro Baptist Church needs a name-change to Westboro Church of Stony Hearts or Westboro Church of No Mercy.