Time to Open Another Envelope

Yes, Dear Readers, it's time once again to present the award first suggested some months ago by Faithful Reader Chrissy. Her original suggestion, and my original intent, was to make this a weekly award ... and there's certainly no shortage of candidates (I could make 535 weekly awards just by going down the Congressional roster); however, I find that I get so aggravated when I consider the range of potential awardees that it puts me into a bad mood and I spend the rest of the day having to calm down and stop spluttering.

So ...

Having said all that, I am proud pleased grudgingly moved to present the latest Ass Clown of the Week award:

This week, we are making a group presentation - to the leader and members of the Westboro Baptist Church for their latest disgusting outrage: planning to travel to Norway to picket at the funerals of people murdered by right-wing extremist Anders Breivik.

The Westboro Baptist Church - a bizarre fringe sect whose membership consists of less than 100 people, most of whom are members of a single extended family - has made itself notorious for its core belief that terrible things happen (soldiers killed in battle, mass murders, natural disasters, etc) because God is punishing those victims for happening to live in, be connected to, or somehow represent a government, country, or organization that accepts homosexuality as a lifestyle. The so-called "church" attracts attention far out of proportion to its level of membership or support of its beliefs by its hateful practice of using funerals and memorial services as venues to present its in-your-face message of hatred. Here's an example:

Lately it's been difficult to find any individual or group that exemplifies the need for the Ass Clown of the Week Award more than the GOP, but the Westboro Baptist Church has made a very strong come-from-behind showing to earn this week's symbol of utter disgust.

You go, WBC! I just wish you'd go somewhere else. And I have a suggestion where that might be.

Have a good day. Monday will come soon enough. More thoughts then.

Bilbo