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From: "a425couple" <a425cou...@hotmail.com>
Newsgroups: rec.autos.sport.f1
Subject: Re: The septic nutters will be outin force (Westboro)
Date: Thu, 15 Nov 2012 10:36:36 -0800
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"Sla#s" <p...@knot-slatts.net> wrote in message...
> Noj wrote:
>> http://www.pitpass.com/47893-Church-group-targets-Austin-GP
> For any folk unaware of the toxic group of hate mongers calling themselves 
> the Westboro Baptist Church, be aware that many of them are lawyers and 
> much of their income is from very successfully suing people who attack 
> them.
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westboro_Baptist_Church
> So if you are visiting the track don't feed the trolls!
> Slatts

Yes, quite correct & valid.
For quite a bit of time, I was the senior commander dealing
with many "protest" type gatherings.

Interestingly, I was able to find that the "Westboro" * group
was 'thorny' ** but not too bad. ***
They were quite internally self disciplined.  They were intelligent
and informed enough.
So, the main problems were more, the "counter-protest"
citizens & groups that gathered.

* Let me be clear to the less informed,
although this group uses the word "Baptist" in their name,
no broader implications from that word, should be drawn.

** As to "thorny", yes, they were very well informed and
understanding about how far they could push their issues & points.
And VERY good at successfully pushing everyone's
"hot buttons".

*** As to "bad", they had rather despicable messages,
and posters, and inflamatory speech,
but, in the bottom line, I can not recall any case where
their followers, and my officers, fought or injured each other.

So, when I did my homework properly, and told them
"that is private property, the representative of the owner
does not want you there, and if any of your members enter it,
I will cause them to be arrested and booked.  I have
considerable confidence they will be prosecuted and
I think will probably be convicted.
They understood.

And, this is totally opposite of my experiences with,
say animal rights groups.
They routinely had individuals get carried away & go violent.