We claim (truthfully) that we are all about respect – we don’t think of ourselves as reactionaries. To us, the only think worse than being called a protestor is being called a counter-protestor.

But there is no denying that our founding inspiration and ongoing motivation comes from that group I call “our friends from Westboro.”

So we struggle to deny our mixed emotions as it becomes apparent that Fred Phelps and his despicable family are soon to be pushed out of the way. On Halloween, 2007 a jury ordered them to pay some $11 million to the family of a Marine whose funeral they picketed in March of last year.

Over the last two years, they have picketed some 300 such military funerals but this was the very first civil suit against them. Here is the math:

300 funerals

times

$11 million per funeral

yields

$3.3 billion

Fred, Shirley, Rebekah, Margie; prepare yourselves. The end is near.

Update, May 21, 2008 (seven months post-verdict)

The award has been reduced to $5 million, but now the last impediment to collection is gone. The court will now begin the process of taking $5 million from Shirley, her father, her sister and her church, and giving that $5 million to Albert Snyder, father of a fallen Marine.