Phelps under fire for changing lyrics to popular song

A Topeka church known for picketing soldiers' funerals is accused by a music company of violating copyright laws with a video parody of the 1980s song, We Are the World.

But an attorney for Westboro Baptist Church says the parody, God Hates the World, is protected under First Amendment guarantees of freedom of speech and religious expression. The church intends to keep the video posted on its Web site.

Phelps' video

Topeka's Rev. Fred Phelps is under fire for changing the lyrics to a popular song written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie. Listen to the fractured version of the lyrics on a Westboro Baptist Church-affiliated Web site, TheSignoftheTimes.net.

It's the latest incident bringing attention to the church and the Rev. Fred Phelps Sr., and their ongoing campaign against homosexuality.

The church argues that soldiers' deaths in Iraq and Afghanistan are God's punishment for the U.S. tolerating homosexuality.

Warner/Chappel Music in Los Angeles views the video as infringing on its copyright for We Are the World. The song raised money for famine relief that led to a video featuring some of American music's biggest stars.


Comments

Note: ktka.com does not necessarily condone the comments here, nor vouch for the factual claims made therein. Nor do we review every post.

May. 18, 2007 at 2:34 p.m.OZ (anonymous)

(This comment was removed by the site staff.)

May. 18, 2007 at 4:59 p.m. (Suggest removal)preeves (anonymous)

The above comment is totally false. Fred Phelps is a man addicted to hate, and him and his goons in no way represent true Kansans. Kansas is not bigoted, dumb, or hateful. It's completely unjust to call us "KKKLANSANS". If you actually remembered your history class right, Kansas was a abolishinist state. Quit posting about things you obviously have no knoweledge of.

May. 18, 2007 at 8:12 p.m. (Suggest removal)cstaylor68 (anonymous)

No one in Kansas thinks Fred Phelps is a godly man, He is a well known hate spouting misquoting farce who tries incessantly to use the bible wrongly-for his own agenda. But to no avail. No one listens to him and some of his own children have left him. He is nothing. He will disappear into the annals of time as one who never left anything as a legacy on this earth and im pretty sure nothing will be of him in heaven either.

May. 20, 2007 at 2:26 p.m. (Suggest removal)OZ (anonymous)

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The main difference between Fred Phelps and most KKKLANSANS is, Fred is NOT a HYPOCRITE; most KKKLANSANS are BIGOTS, see Kansas Constitutional Amendment Article 16 A and B.
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KKKLANSAS, the STATE of HATE, IS as DUMB and BIGOTED as you think!
THE FACT IS, FRED PHELPS REPRESENTS THE IGNORANCE AND BIGOTRY THAT IS KKKLANSAS.

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And to the CENSORS at 49;
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"Don't regard yourself as a guardian of freedom unless you respect and preserve the rights of people you disagree with."
--Dr. Gerard K. O'Neill
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And...
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."The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing."
--Albert Einstein
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"They who would give up an essential liberty for temporary security, deserve neither liberty or security."
--Benjamin Franklin

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"People place their hand on the bible and swear to uphold the Constitution.
They don't put their hand on the Constitution and swear to uphold the bible."
--Jamie Raskin
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"Paramount among the responsibilities of a free press is the duty to prevent any part of the government from deceiving the people."
--Hugo Black, Supreme Court Justice
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"If I'm fighting for freedom here, and I go home and I'm opressed, what does that mean?"
--Pv2 Frederick Phoenix, MP, US Army
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49 you PROVE MY POINT about KLANSANS being IGNORANT BIGOTS, Your CENSORSHIP is the QUINTESSENTIAL EVIDENCE.
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May. 20, 2007 at 5:05 p.m. (Suggest removal)OZ (anonymous)

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May. 18, 2007 at 4:59 p.m. (Suggest removal)preeves (anonymous)

The above comment is totally false. Fred Phelps is a man addicted to hate, and him and his goons in no way represent true Kansans. Kansas is not bigoted, dumb, or hateful. It's completely unjust to call us "KKKLANSANS". If you actually remembered your history class right, Kansas was a abolishinist state. Quit posting about things you obviously have no knoweledge of.
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The above comment was written by a brainwashed lemming apologist who, I have no doubt, voted FOR the last Kansas Constitutional Amendment, Article A and B, the FRED PHELPS AMENDMENT, the AMENDMENT OF BIGOTRY.
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Proving that YOU are no different than FRED PHELPS.
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The main difference between Fred Phelps and most KKKLANSANS is, Fred is NOT a HYPOCRITE; most KKKLANSANS are BIGOTS, see Kansas Constitutional Amendment Article 16 A and B.
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KKKLANSAS, the STATE of HATE, IS as DUMB and BIGOTED as you think!
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THE FACT IS, FRED PHELPS REPRESENTS THE IGNORANCE AND BIGOTRY THAT IS KKKLANSAS.

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May. 21, 2007 at 1:41 p.m. (Suggest removal)OZ (anonymous)

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Brownback, Huckabee Court Gay Marriage Foes
by The Associated Press

Posted: May 20, 2007

(Orlando, Florida) Longshot Republican presidential candidates Sam Brownback and Mike Huckabee were well received by a socially conservative group who applauded their anti-abortion, anti-gay marriage and pro-faith messages Saturday night.

Neither candidate mentioned topics like the Iraq war, taxes and health care during speeches in front of a Florida Family Policy Council dinner, instead sticking with a strong message on values. They received rave reviews from attendees, including Sen. Mel Martinez of Florida, who also serves as the Republican National Committee general chairman.
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This is what I mean by KKKLANSANS being Ignorant, BIGOTED HYPOCRITES.
Between this BS of the RADICAL X-TIAN BIGOTED HYPOCRITES and the way the KKKLANSANS voted on the latest KKKLANSAS Constitutional Amendment; Article 16 A and B, passing in 104 out of 105 Hypocritical, Ignorant HILLBILLY counties in KKKLANSAS

These "things" are the major issues if you're an IGNORANT, BIGOTED HYPOCRITICAL Radical X-TIAN EXTREMIST KKKLANSAN.

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KKKLANSAS, the STATE of HATE, IS as DUMB and BIGOTED as you think!

These are the Radical X-TIAN EXTREMISTS "family values" at work; Meanwhile, the Radical X-TIAN EXTREMIST, the IDIOT DUBYA, has KILLED 3,422 with his LIES that started an ILLEGAL WAR, costing $8 BILLION American Taxpayer Dollars a MONTH!

These are the RADICAL X-TIAN EXTREMISTS "family values."
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The "BUYBULL" contains 6 admonishments to homosexuals, and 362 admonishments to heterosexuals.
This doesn't mean that "god" doesn't love heterosexuals; or does it?
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Let's hear all the HATE SPEECH from the RADICAL IGNORANT BIGOTED republiSCUM CONservative X-TIAN EXTREMIST LUNATICS!

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