Westboro Baptist Church Plans To Protest Joe Paterno's Funeral

Shortly after Joe Paterno's death was announced Sunday, the daughter of Westboro Baptist Church Pastor Fred Phelps announced via Twitter that members plan to picket his funeral, the Star-Ledger reports.

The exact details of the protest remain unclear, as Phelps has yet to announce when and where members plan to meet.

According to the Patriot News, the church also threatened to protest outside Beaver Stadium last November during the Penn State-Nebraska game in condemnation of Paterno, whom they referred to as "the Pope of Happy Valley."

In addition to announcing the protest plans, Phelps also posted dozens of Tweets condemning Paterno and Penn State and responding to users' comments on the Church's protest plans.

Margie Phelps tweeted:

"Penn State Penn Rape" rings in Joe Paterno's ears in hell.He partook of sin for fame & fortune. Worth NOTHING to him now.#PicketFuneral

— MargiePhelps (@MargieJPhelps) January 22, 2012

Joe Paterno is dead. WBC will picket his funeral.He's in hell.Don't partake of your neighbor's sin! @espn @bleacherreport #GodH8sPennRape

— MargiePhelps (@MargieJPhelps) January 22, 2012

Services for Paterno will be held throughout the week starting with a public viewing at 1 p.m., Tuesday at the Pasquerilla Spiritual on Penn State's campus, NBC Sports reported. There will be another viewing at 8 a.m., Wednesday morning, followed by a private funeral service at 2 p.m. and a family funeral procession at 3 p.m.

Lastly, a public memorial service will take place at 2 p.m. on Thursday at Penn State's 16,000 seat basketball arena, The Jordan Center. Penn State reported overwhelming demand for tickets to the memorial service which were distributed free of charge, the Washington Post reports.

It remains to be seen whether members of Westboro Baptist Church will follow through on their protest plans.

The planned Paterno protest is sure to be one of many protests the Westboro Baptist Church will schedule this year. Check out the slideshow below for past protests.

LOOK: Westboro Baptist Church's Past Protests

Loading Slideshow

• Matthew Shepard

  The Westboro Baptist Church first gained national notice at the <a href="http://billingsgazette.com/news/state-and-regional/wyoming/article_fa10936e-cb5b-5170-afd8-e7eaa0a43aa8.html" target="_hplink">funeral of Matthew Shepard</a> who had been robbed, brutally beaten and left to die in Laramie, Wyoming.

• Steve Jobs

  The Westboro Baptist Church threatened to picket <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/06/westboro-baptist-church-steve-jobs-funeral_n_998032.html" target="_hplink">Steve Jobs' funeral</a> but called it off when the memorial service was held privately.

• Elizabeth Edwards

  The Westboro Baptist Church picketed Elizabeth Edwards' funeral after she <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/12/09/elizabeth-edwards-funeral-westboro-baptist-church_n_794333.html" target="_hplink">died of cancer</a>.

• Matthew Snyder

  The Westboro Baptist Church protested Lance Cpl. Matthew Snyder after he had died serving his country in Iraq. The protest of the hate group went all the way to <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/03/29/father-of-dead-marine-ord_n_517614.html" target="_hplink">the Supreme Court</a>.

• Norway Shootings

  While it is not clear that the hate group ever got there they declared their intent in this charming YouTube Video staring the head hater himself who tells the people of Norway -- <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PC3K9ZoU7So" target="_hplink">God Sent the Shooter</a>. Read more about it <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/08/04/westboro-baptists-church-norway_n_917388.html" target="_hplink">here</a>.

• Illinois Holocaust Museum

  The Westboro Baptist Church protested the Illinois Holocaust Museum <a href="http://skokie.patch.com/articles/update-westboro-baptist-church-protest-at-holocaust-museum" target="_hplink">on the eve of Rosh Hashanah</a>

• Tuscon Shootings

  The Westboro Baptist Church picketed the funerals of victims of Tucson shootings. They agreed not to picket the 9 year old Christina Taylor Green i<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/12/westboro-baptist-church-arizona-funerals_n_808088.html" target="_hplink">n exchange for air time</a> on a local radio show.

• Michael Jackson

  Westboro Baptist Church picketed the funeral of recording artist Michael Jackson. Members of Westboro have also recorded a song titled "<a href="http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2422138213120376038" target="_hplink">God Hates the World</a>," an adaptation of Jackson's charity single, "We Are the World."

• President Obama Joplin, Missouri after the Tornado

  The Westboro Baptist Church protested in tornado devastated Joplin, Missouri <a href="http://articles.latimes.com/2011/may/29/nation/la-na-obama-joplin-missouri-20110530" target="_hplink">when President Obama visited</a>.

• Foo Fighters Fight Back

  Read more about it <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/09/18/foo-fighters-westboro-baptist-church_n_968395.html" target="_hplink">The Foo Fighters vs. Westboro</a>.

Comments

[Kristin Roberts]

02:58 AM on 07/09/2012

i would delighted if the wbc picketed my funeral .

[Kristin Roberts]

02:55 AM on 07/09/2012

pope paterno was a child rapist-enabler .
therefore, anything short of a hand grenade
being tossed into his casket is okay with me.

[Ed438]

07:57 PM on 07/07/2012

The WBC is not worth anyone's hate!

Let it go, or block them which has been done effectively on several occasions. No one should be protesting anyone's funeral. If I was at Phreddie's funeral, I would be celebrating it and not protesting it! No really!

The current law is on their side. If the lawmakers called it what it actually is, harassment, rather than "free speech", that would be a different matter. Till then, just ignore them. Or:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-h3Wl5wVns

[Paul R Calnan Sr]

08:19 PM on 02/16/2012

WBC = hateful, homophobic, hypocrites!

[dollydimple62]

07:40 PM on 06/04/2012

I agree whole heatedly

[bradhshickoh]

07:30 PM on 02/10/2012

These People are the worst of the worst. They are so full of hate, I don't think there is any hope for them. What does the Baptist Churches say about them? Here where I live they say they are definately not Baptists. This sounds like another Gang like Jim Jones had. They will all end in a mass suicide!!

[dbrett480]

01:55 PM on 02/09/2012

This might be the only WBC protest I agree with.

[aspertame2]

11:51 PM on 01/31/2012

Well, I guess if there was anything that could cause me to think more charitably of the late Mr. Paterno, this would be it.

(Coming soon: WBC pickets veterinarian of evil godless sick spaniel puppy.)

[incorrigible]

12:39 AM on 01/27/2012

this church is just the worst

[Zariana]

06:18 PM on 01/26/2012

"Members of the Westboro Baptist Church"

Can you just call a spade a spade and just say "Members of Phelps' extended family"? Yes, folks, if you didn't know...well it is just that bizarre.

[kahunacook]

04:15 PM on 01/26/2012

The WBC is nothing more than a hate group The Southern Poverty Law Center has them designated as such. This cult has nothing to do with respect to a God or higher being/power. They are only about intolerance. The emotional impact they have on grieving families should be classified as a hate crime.

[RockyMissouri]

12:20 PM on 01/28/2012

I totally agree! They are a family of cons/lawyers, who are hoping to provoke people into hurting them....then, they will SUE YOU.! See...? They are NOTHING about gods' love, or anything to do with religion...at all. They are only about the hate.

[dvmweb1984]

03:21 PM on 01/26/2012

The taboos that were not spoken of in the past are revealed for all to see. You can't keep a lid on them anymore. Those darn pedophile spoil everything don't they!

[orbo]

11:50 AM on 01/26/2012

Birthers!

[josiahfelicia]

11:15 AM on 01/26/2012

I would love the see JoPa's defensive line use these freaks as practice dummies.

[ByThePowerOfGrayskull]

01:04 PM on 01/26/2012

No jury in the land would convict the defensive line if they did.

[Albert Jenkin]

10:41 AM on 01/26/2012

How dare they speak ill of Football? Don't they know it is the State Religion of Texas?

How dare they call themselves Christian? They offend Agnostics and Atheists, believers and non-believers alike, their doctrine is hatred of humanity, not love of any God.

[DaBUU]

10:40 AM on 01/26/2012

Bizzaro day when i wake up and agree with something Margie Phelps and Fidel Castro say. I generally find both sickening, but they hit a couple things on the head today.