Do You Think a Group That Practices Harassment Like the Westboro Baptist Church Should be Tax-Exempt

[lauriemann]

I started a White House Petition 14 days ago to tell the IRS to investigate the tax-exempt status of the Westboro Baptist Church. Since then, 72,000 people have signed it. A person named Ralph W from Maine was number 72,000. It'll be online another 2 weeks, and I hope to reach 100,000 signers by then. https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/

Comments

Probably...but...

[lauriemann]

Since it got over 25,000 signatures, someone from the White House petition page has got to, at least, respond to it. That's something.

Frankly, it's interesting that the most-signed petition at the White House Petition page was to declare WBC a hate group, and the second most-signed was one from 12/14 to launch gun control legislation.

[debgeisler]

I don't think any religious group should be tax exempt.

With that said, as much as WBC appalls me, I believe that limiting someone's right to free speech (via financial disincentives) is a poor choice. When we begin to erode the First Amendment for some, we destroy its efficacy for all.

[lauriemann]

They're not about free speech, they're about harassment