• tempest@lemmy.ca
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    22
    ·
    4 days ago

    I don’t think he is dead.

    That photo of him with the newspaper is probably real as well.

    I think he’s had a stroke. Probably with it enough to sit up and gesture but very likely can’t talk or feed himself.

    Doesn’t really matter though he should be gone regardless.

      • Random Dent@lemmy.ml
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        5
        ·
        4 days ago

        Funnily enough, that may have actually kind-of happened to Fred Phelps. He didn’t have a stroke AFAIK, but some of his family remembers claim that not long before he died and when he was kind of losing his marbles he’d go over to the building owned by protestors across the street and chat with them, and said they were good people. He was excommunicated from the church right before he died so there might be something to it lol.

        • Cethin@lemmy.zip
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          2
          ·
          3 days ago

          I know it’s unpopular here, but this is why I always comment that we need to try to work with people who have bad pasts, who are putting in the effort to make up for it. Your past doesn’t define you. People who have done horrible things can end up being the most helpful allies when they realize they fucked things up before. If even Fred Phelps can realize his mistakes, anyone can.

          Obviously people actively doing harm should not be granted the same respect. People who realize their past is bad should though.