I'll never understand people. Allow me to jump up on my soap box for a minute.

[bootson]

Okay. So, I'm sure everyone has heard about the mine explosion in Montcoal. It really is a tragedy. It's not the first time it's happened...there was an explosion at my dad's mine a few years back but that happened (very luckily) on a holiday when there was hardly anyone working and no one was near the sections of the plow that blew. It's just...horrible. It's what happens, it's the risk every miner takes everyday, a risk we all knew my mom took and my dad still takes....and yet, it's such a tragedy. This is horrible and I can't even begin to really process it. My thoughts and sympathies are with every single family affected, with every person directly or indirectly hurt because of this.

And...it's so close to home. It's RIGHT there. My sister and her husband went to a wake last night (the funeral is today) for a man that has been best friends with my brother in law since they were about 2 years old. A boy I played t-ball with was killed. It wasn't just the explosion, it was the methane....they never knew what was happening until it was too late. I can't even....I don't know.

I do know....that people protesting? It's ridiculous. Have a video:

I'm all for free speech. I'm all for protesting things. You can protest hurting the earth with mining (but you better be using forms of energy so as to avoid being a hypocrite or you're no better than what you're bitching about), you can protest mining conditions and federal mine safety laws. BUT no one deserves to die. No one. People are trying to make a living and that's what you do in WV...we don't have a whole hell of a lot else here, okay? Go ahead and protest, but do NOT make the fact that all these people died just trying to make a living trivial. Also, if you can't take the heat, stay out of the kitchen. All I'm saying.

WEll, that and it's Westboro....and they'll protest anything just to get a rise out of people. Which I'll never understand. What do those people approve of? Anything?

Comments

[charlietinpants.livejournal.com]

How awful. I felt slightly sick watching this. I mean, it's okay to protest for something you really feel about and I respect that. I'm all for free speech too but shouldn't have some level of sensitivity for the families of the people who've died? Thank God for Dead Miners?

This doesn't come close to being okay with me.

Thanks for sharing this bb.

[bootson.livejournal.com]

That's exactly how I felt. My mom came home last night and had me look it up because one of her friends told me about it and we ended up talking about it for like an hour. It's just ridiculous. I mean, I don't understand. Plus, if you watch videos of them....they run if you actually confront them. I dont' mean assault; I mean attempt to have an honest communication of ideas with them. They want to preach, be followed, and not deal with anyone else. Which is quite cowardly, if you ask me.

[charlietinpants.livejournal.com]

NARROW-MINDED PFTTT. It's like prostesting for the sake of prostesting- what's their point? Do they want to influence people, convey their views or are they just doing it for show, and to be heard?

Really. It all seems kind of pointless then if they're not willing to even argue out their point.

[bootson.livejournal.com]

THey protest EVERYTHING, too. Homosexuality, soldiers, miners (which doesn't make any sense to me, but even my Psych degree didn't teach me how to really figure out this kind of crazy), and about a million other groups. I think it all somehow, one way or another, ties back into their hate of anyone who isnt' straight...even if the connections don't exactly make sense.

They don't debate one on one....I think they're just doing it to be heard. They want to influence people that way I guess....but looking like an idiot has never made me, personally, want to follow anything.

[babykid528.livejournal.com]

They approve of the idea of someone punching one of them so they can bring a nice big lawsuit. Assholes. I know it's not possible to go "Free speech! (Except for assholes!)"

Though I'm beginning to think Free Speech is much less a right than it is a privilege... does that mean I'm a dictator? Idk.

<333333333333333

*BIG HUGS*

[bootson.livejournal.com]

You know, you're right. It is a privilege....even now. If you make threats, you're liable to get arrested. If you say certain things about political figures, you're probably going to end up in jail. I think the same should go for certain protests.

Maybe that's childish. "Say what you want unless it pisses me off" but whatever. I just don't think protesting after ANY tragedy is okay...at all.

<33333 Thanks, bb!

[babykid528.livejournal.com]

Whenever I think of them I remember how they wanted to protest Heath Ledger's funeral because he was in Brokeback Mountain... they have NO moral center, which is hilarious because they claim they're speaking for God.

Maybe that's childish. "Say what you want unless it pisses me off" but whatever.

Half my time on facebook is me resisting the urge to report groups that are homophobic, sexist and/or racist. I constantly have to remind myself that they have free speech. So long as they aren't calling for hate crimes to be committed, I can't ask that they be closed down just because they offend me, even if I think their words alone are hate crimes. /grumble

[bootson.livejournal.com]

I had actually forgotten about that until now.

OH! I just got to talking to my brother in law and apparently there was basically a brawl at Bub's funeral today because they showed up to protest. Some miners found out they were going to be protesting, showed up, and a state trooper was there. He went up and talked to the miners...said basically "Well, I have a call so...I'm not going to be around. You do what you have to do. I never saw you." And this was at the grave site. Apparently some protester had already been escoted OUT of the actual funeral at the funeral home. Like, really. This is all these people have to do with their time? Honestly?

Oh I know the feeling. I see groups and people saying things on facebook and it's all I can do not to launch a whole fucking campaign to get people banned. Personally, I think hate speak should be considered a hate crime. It causes emotional damages....

[babykid528.livejournal.com]

What the fuck... I won't be surprised if I end up having to face these assholes at some point in my life as an attorney...

It's true. I really hate facebook a majority of the time anymore. *sighs*

[blaze-villain.livejournal.com]

I just want to say I hate those fucking people. They are a disgrace.

[bootson.livejournal.com]

Got it in one. I completely agree. Everything they say abotu everyone is disgraceful, disrespectful and uncalled for. And I'm not very religious but I can't see how they can even use the bible to justify half of their things.

I'm sort of with what a woman from Fox News said to them during an interview once (and me agreeing with anything from Fox News is sort of apocolyptic) "If you don't like America and you don't like anything about it...get out."

[blaze-villain.livejournal.com]

Seriously. Get the fuck out. Move to the Middle East where they hate us anyway.

[bootson.livejournal.com]

Seriously.

[bbuttercup.livejournal.com]

They would probably melt away if they didn't receive any attention and were actively shunned by the media. There really is no reasoning with them as they're the worst kind of extremists.

[bootson.livejournal.com]

You're probably right. But I don't really think completely ignoring them would make them go away. I think it would cause them to do more...because they need to attention to force out their "message" or what not. I just don't understand them and I don't even want to try....and that's not very like me.

[bbuttercup.livejournal.com]

I wonder what they'd do if people just stood quietly, totally silent, in a group with signs that had Bible versus that contradict their hate, signs that their children would read.

And the funny thing is, the wrath and hell-fire version of the Bible he likes to spew from, the Old Testament? says that he and his family literally don't have a chance in Hades of getting into the Kingdom. I guess that's what happens when you through out baby Jesus :o)

[bootson.livejournal.com]

If I'm ever personally confronted with these people...or in an area where I know they'll be....I'm going to get a fuck ton of people to do that. And seriously...it will be totally silent. Maybe we'll play, like, "Jesus Loves Me" sung by Sunday school children or something...but yeah, there will be no heckling or yelling.

See, I'm not very religious. I used to be able to find nearly any verse in the Bible from memory...I can't now and I honestly don't want to try but yes. The New Testament...if you want to believe in the Old you have to take the New.

Mostly...I just want someone to carry signs around them that just say "Don't Hate" and "We Love You Even If You're Crazy" and "Love Thy Brother, Bitches"....well maybe not that last one, but it's what I'd be saying on the inside.

And maybe I need sleep....