When members of the hate-driven Westboro Baptist Church were challenged to take their loud-mouthed protest ways to Iraq and protest something worth standing up against, they agreed to go. Perhaps someone who could read — perhaps the same person who makes their signs — could have clued them in to the inadvisability of this particular road trip. But no one seems to have been available.
Comedian Adam Hills took the opportunity afforded him on his show The Last Leg to invite members of Westboro Baptist to stop threatening to protest at the funeral of beloved comedian Robin Williams, and instead go shout down the people who are actually killing Christians — the terrorists of ISIS in Iraq.
“If you really believe in standing up to those threatening the Christian way of life, Westboro Baptist Church, how about putting your money where your mouth is, taking a direct flight to Iraq,” he said.
Hills even offered to buy first class tickets for the Westboro picketers to get them to Iraq. Presumably, the trip would have been one way.
The group accepted the challenge. That must mean they found a fax number for somewhere inside Iraq so they could announce their intent to come make a scene.
Show us plane tickets! @religiouscritic: WBC to picket Robin Williams' funeral. Adam Hills shares view on subject
https://t.co/6r3hJMtxgT
— Westboro Baptist (@WBCSays) August 19, 2014
But then Hills backed out on the offer, and came up with a way to “really piss off a bigot.”
This is why I'm not sending @WBCSays to Iraq. Spread love not hate. Game over. #adamhills #westborobaptistchurch http://t.co/Vf0IjLPF7f
— Adam Hills (@adamhillscomedy) August 23, 2014
So even if Westboro members were willing to go get their heads removed in Iraq, it looks like we’ll have to endure them for a while longer. Unless, of course, someone else would be willing to pay for their tickets.
Not everyone is willing to put up with the Westboro nonsense. Back in 2008, when Westboro members claimed they were going to Canada to protest at a funeral there, the Canadian government responded by barring church members from entering their country. The UK has also barred them from entry.