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Title: Ozzie Osbourne Rips Phelps Clan for Appropriating His Song
Source:
edgeboston.com
URL Source: http://www.edgeboston.com/index.php ... ws&sc=&sc2=news&sc3=&id=111358
Published: Oct 8, 2010
Author: Kilian Melloy
Post Date: 2010-10-08 19:56:15 by Ferret Mike
Keywords: None
Views: 6418
Comments: 10
Ozzy Osbourne expressed his displeasure with an anti-gay church that demonstrates outside of the funerals of fallen U. S. soldiers after they picketed the funeral of a fellow musician, Ronnie James Dio. Osbourne and Dio had both belonged to the group Black Sabbath. The Westboro Baptist Church earned Osborne’s wrath anew after singing his song "Crazy Train" on the steps before the U.S, Supreme Court. The church has a case before the court, stemming from a street preaching action in which Westboro picketed the funeral of a U.S. servicemember killed in action in Iraq. The father of the fallen soldier, Marine Lance Cpl. Matthew Snyder, sued Westboro for "intentional infliction of emotional distress," and won a huge settlement against the church. But the case has been appealed to the Supreme Court--hence the church’s appearance on the court’s steps, where Westboro congregants substituted their own lyrics, singing, "You’re going straight to hell on your crazy train," reported E! on Oct. 7. Such musical appropriation is not new to Westboro. The church has created its own versions of other songs and posted videos at YouTube, such as a parody of David Bowie’s "Fame" that the group recast as "Shame." "I am sickened and disgusted by the use of ’Crazy Train’ to promote messages of hate and evil by a ’church,’ " Osbourne said. Towleroad reported on Oct. 8 that in June, Osbourne slammed the church for their picketing of Dio’s funeral. "I thought it was in such bad taste that those people had those banners about Ronnie James Dio," the rocker told radio program Rockline, going on to add, "They say that we’re the anti-christ. Well, what makes them any better?" Constitutional scholars doubt that the court will be able to rule against the church, which has asserted that its actions are protected under the First Amendment. But for sheer bite, Osbourne may have met his match: one prominent member of the church, Shirley Phelps-Roper, daughter of Westboro leader Rev. Fred Phelps, has not waited for a verdict before launching a Westboro-style volley at the justices. "The make-up of this court is unique-six Catholics and three Jews," she said, reported Georgetown blog Vox Populi on Oct. 8. Phelps-Roper added that "priests rape children and the Jews killed Jesus." Kilian Melloy reviews media, conducts interviews, and writes commentary for EDGEBoston, where
Ozzy Osbourne
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#2. To: Ferret Mike (#0)
(Edited)
I had no idea that Ronnie James Dio had passed away. He was a great singer.
He was, and it's too bad there are people in this country who can't respect the sanctity of a funeral. As for the parodies, I would not be surprised if there is copyright action taken against Westboro Baptist to get them to cease and desist on putting them out. Even if they only serve to show what jerks the Phelps people are.
These Westboro people are the scum of the earth. Still, I respect their right to be the scums of the earth.
Same here. Besides, their exercise of free speech is doing exactly what the First Amendment is regulated by; making the world hate them in a united fashion when the motive is abuse, hatred and attention whoring.
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#3. To: jwpegler (#2)
#4. To: Ferret Mike (#3)
#5. To: jwpegler (#4)
Replies to Comment # 5.
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