Westboro Baptist Church Doxxed?

I won’t link to it this directly, so you will just have to trust me on my reportage.  I have seen a purported doxxing* of the Westboro Baptist Church.  It contains a list of many purported members, their purported addresses, phone numbers, emails, etc.  And it purports to have been done by the hacker group Anonymous.

I am saying this very precisely.  I don't know if the info is genuine and I don't know whether Anonymous really is involved.  But what I see purports to be 1) their info and 2) done by Anonymous.

This is apparently done in retaliation for the Westboro’s recent threat to picket the funerals in Newtown, to pile onto the grief this family already feels their additional ugliness.  Apparently they missed the whole “love your neighbor” portion of Jesus teachings, or even the concept of loving the sinner and hating the sin.  (Which is not to imply any of these children or their families have sinned, but if you are twisted enough to believe that—as these Westboro idiots do—that still doesn’t justify this ugliness.)

I have zero sympathy for the Westboro Baptist Church, but this is still wrong.  And moreover, one should be extremely concerned that this information might not even be accurate.  Whoever did this is someone who openly associates with a criminal hacker group.  And you are going to trust their word, their research?  Even if the doxxers are telling the truth as far as they know, the information might be out of date.  People move.  Phone numbers get ditched and reassigned.  You have to trust their honesty and their diligence, and I trust neither.  So let me say as clearly as possible, don’t go find the information, and don’t actually act on it.

If you want to do something about the Westboro idiots, let me suggest two things.  First, model yourself after the conduct of these kind people who peacefully blocked the Westboro protests in the past:

This morning in La Plata, Md., the hate group’s parade of absurdity received quite a response: More than a thousand counter-demonstrators showed up early, established themselves on the rights-of-way around the church, and prevented the “God Hates Fags” crowd from getting anywhere near the funeral of Marine Lance Cpl. Terry Honeycutt.

A few minutes ago, I called Holly Smith, one of the organizers of the counter-demonstration. I was surprised to hear no shouting or noise in the background. “American flags as far as the eye can see,” she told me. And the Westboro crowd? “They are up at a gas station probably a mile up the road, because they couldn’t get any closer,” she said. “We’re in the shoulder for probably ten deep for at least 300 yards.”

There are tens of millions of people who live within reasonable driving distance of Newtown, Connecticut.  This template is not difficult to follow.  Find out when the funerals are, and show up, and form a cordon to keep the Westboro idiots far, far away.  Be peaceful, be loving, and be in their way.  Call it passive (and lawful) resistance, which has a long and honored tradition in this country.

And of course do not engaged in violence or property damage, or even disobey any police officers.  Just stand in their way and lock arms and say, “you shall not pass.”

The second suggestion is that when one of these Westboro idiots passes on, we picket their funeral.  Give them a taste of their medicine.

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* Doxxing is the publication of personal information, embarrassing documents, etc. of another person in an effort to harass that person.  It is derived from “documents” becoming “docs” and then the phonetic “dox.”

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My wife and I have lost our jobs due to the harassment of convicted terrorist Brett Kimberlin, including an attempt to get us killed and to frame me for a crime carrying a sentence of up to ten years.  I know that claim sounds fantastic, but if you read starting here, you will see absolute proof of these claims using documentary and video evidence.  If you would like to help in the fight to hold Mr. Kimberlin accountable, please hit the Blogger’s Defense Team button on the right.  And thank you.

Follow me at Twitter @aaronworthing, mostly for snark and site updates.  And you can purchase my book (or borrow it for free if you have Amazon Prime), Archangel: A Novel of Alternate, Recent History here.  And you can read a little more about my novel, here.

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Disclaimer:

I have accused some people, particularly Brett Kimberlin, of reprehensible conduct.  In some cases, the conduct is even criminal.  In all cases, the only justice I want is through the appropriate legal process—such as the criminal justice system.  I do not want to see vigilante violence against any person or any threat of such violence.  This kind of conduct is not only morally wrong, but it is counter-productive.

In the particular case of Brett Kimberlin, I do not want you to even contact him.  Do not call him.  Do not write him a letter.  Do not write him an email.  Do not text-message him.  Do not engage in any kind of directed communication.  I say this in part because under Maryland law, that can quickly become harassment and I don’t want that to happen to him.

And for that matter, don’t go on his property.  Don’t sneak around and try to photograph him.  Frankly try not to even be within his field of vision.  Your behavior could quickly cross the line into harassment in that way too (not to mention trespass and other concerns).

And do not contact his organizations, either.  And most of all, leave his family alone.

The only exception to all that is that if you are reporting on this, there is of course nothing wrong with contacting him for things like his official response to any stories you might report.  And even then if he tells you to stop contacting him, obey that request.  That this is a key element in making out a harassment claim under Maryland law—that a person asks you to stop and you refuse.

And let me say something else.  In my heart of hearts, I don’t believe that any person supporting me has done any of the above.  But if any of you have, stop it, and if you haven’t don’t start.