Yesterday, Flip Benham was found guilty of stalking North Carolina doctors who perform abortions. But don’t worry, fans of right-wing nuts, ol’ Flip won’t be going to jail. Better luck next time, justice system.
Rev. Flip Benham has been in the Charlotte area — Concord, to be exact — for a few years now, as leader of Operation Save America, a conservative Christian extremist group that hates abortion, homosexuality and pretty much anything that has to do with sex whatsoever. As you probably remember, Benham shows up with his gang at gay events to kvetch, kondemn and kounsel. [Get it?] They picket abortion clinics. More controversially, they picket doctors’ residences. And, oh yeah, Benham distributed “Wanted” posters for abortion doctors, listing the docs’ names and home addresses. Now, in view of the nasty tone of many anti-abortion demonstrations, not to mention the anti-abortion movement’s documented tendency to attract violent, armed nuts, Benham’s “Wanted” posters were rightly seen as threatening. He was arrested for misdemeanor stalking of the doctors and violation of a state law against residential picketing, and, as noted above, was found guilty. His sentence? Two years probation. To which we react with a big “That’s it?!”
Threaten doctors by distributing posters of them with “Wanted” at the top in big letters, and list their home addresses, and all Benham gets is probation? As a friend (and occasional unpaid “research assistant” — thanks, M) succinctly put it in an e-mail this morning, “Wait until someone gets killed.” That, in a nutshell, was what I was going to spend another 100 words or so saying, but now I don’t have to. As a special bonus for readers of this blog entry, here is a slightly different version of a previously published, satirical list, titled “Rev. Flip Benham’s Daily To-do List:”
6 a.m.: Rise and shine. Have lots of hate mongering and protesting to do.
7 a.m.: Breakfast: one boiled egg, prune juice and toast — no butter (which is so obviously a tool of the devil.)
8 a.m.: Scour newspaper in search of something to be offended by — literary clubs, PG-13 movies, brassiere ads, etc.
10 a.m.: Update website www.youwillallburninhell.com.
12 noon: Lunch w/Jesus.
1 p.m.: Internet Porn Hour, aka Stalking the Evil-doers.
2 p.m.: Distribute abortion doctor “Wanted” posters. Hmm, should I include the names and addresses of gun shops, too?
4 p.m.: Practice penmanship — write “God hates fags” and “Muslims suck” 100 times each.
5 p.m.: Buy a gross of throat lozenges — plan to do a lot of street-corner yelling this weekend.
6 p.m.: Dinner. Scream at all the uppity newswomen on TV who should be at home having babies and cooking my pot roast.
11 p.m.: Pray for the strength to hate another day.
11:30 p.m.: Dream of berating scared, young pregnant women.
This article appears in Nov 9-15, 2010.
[Comment removed.]
Wow, Mr. Grooms, we’re so clever aren’t we? We spell 3 words in a row with a K so OBVIOUSLY that must mean Flip Benham’s a racist too! And, oh yeah, the “Wanted” posters didn’t have the home addresses. I guess research isn’t required for a prestigious paper like Creative Loafing – one of laughable commentary, middle school humour and vulgarity that people wouldn’t even pay a nickel to pick up. To call the “Wanted” posters “threatening” proves to me that you haven’t even seen one. And you react with a “That’s it?” So much for open-minded, free speech that you liberals LOVE to claim you’re for. Free speech, as long as it’s what we agree with, right Johnny boy?
John Grooms Daily To-do list:
6 a.m.: Rise and shine. Come out from my mother’s basement and ask her for some Toaster Strudels.
7 a.m.: Yummy, mommy. That was good. Now leave me alone while I watch Star Wars again.
8 a.m.: Scour real newspapers to make sure my ideas fit in line with the real journalists.
10 a.m.: Blog.
12 noon: Blog.
1 p.m.: Internet Porn Hour, aka The Only Action I’ll Ever Get.
2 p.m.: Go to Starbucks and have meaningful conversation with like-minded individuals who also don’t have real jobs and still live with their mothers.
4 p.m.: MySpace, check. Facebook, check. Twitter, check. Aww it’s good to have “friends”
5 p.m.: Pick up a gross of Creative Loafing’s so advertisers will continue to keep us a float. I Will move out of my mother’s basement. I Will move out of my mother’s basement.
6 p.m.: Mom’s famous chicken pot pie. Hold back the tears when I realize I’ll never be an uppity newswoman.
11 p.m.: Look in mirror. I’m good enough, I’m smart enough, and doggone it people pretend they like me.
11:30 p.m.: Dream of actually becoming a respected, news-worthy journalist one day.
What a sorry piece of trash this ‘K.Wilson’ whore is. Ma’am, you are nothing but a sorry white racist. It figures one of you right wing psychos from Ballantyne (or Concord probably in this case) jumps in here to defend a radical hatemongering bigot like Flipper Benham!
This man has spread hatred and discrimination while going under the guise of a reverend! What vile blasphomy. Thank God Almighty that he was arrested and found guilty as hell!
You attack Mr. Grooms, but he is absolutely right. The penalty was too light here and this disgusting man should have served jail time.
I’m glad that this ‘man’ has now seen that he is not above the law. Now all we can hope for is that he does one single thing to violate that probation he’s got, and they’ll sling his anti-gay hateful self right into the damn county lock up. I can’t wait for that day.
Now, why don’t you go back to your OSA/Flip Benham shrine and get the Jonestown sequel ready for production. You make me sick and may God have mercy on your lying, trashy souls.
Dear Rosa,
I can see you’re upset. I didn’t mean to put your son John in his place like that. He won’t move out of your basement any time soon, I promise.
I don’t think you understand the definition of racist. The definition of racist is the prejudice that members of one race are intrinsically superior to members of other races. Let me catch you up to speed. The article you read, or had your son read to you, is about abortion and about a man exposing the sin of two abortionists. Do you know what abortion is? Abortion is the killing of a defenseless baby – nothing related to race.
Do you kiss your Priest with that mouth? You offended Creative Loafing by calling me a whore. Whore’s are just very loving people – Ask Creative Loafing – that’s who keeps them a float.
Not sure you understand the definition of blasphemy either. Not quite sure you know which God Almighty to thank either considering your language, your accusations and obviously the side you’re on.
The penalty was too light for freedom of speech? Help us all.
May God save you from your wretched sin Rosa, or is this actually John?
Wow! “K.Wilson” or actually ‘The Reverend Flip’ in all probability from the way it sounds, is picking nothing but a fight here.
Rosa is a long time poster on these boards and has spoken out all along against people who violate civil rights and hate gays and minorities. She wins automatically because you’ve just proven that you either are Flip Benham, or an angry white republican from South Charlotte!
Rosa: You know I always stand up for you and I think you hit the nail right on the head with this one.
As for K.Wilson-Flip-Angrey Soccer Mom: This case had NOTHING to do with Freedom of Speech. You/he/it is a stalker and a potential threat to the safety of others. Guilty. Period.
God bless you Mark. All I will say to you Miss Wilson, or Flip Benham (convicted stalker and hatemonger) is I hope you burn on the Lake of Fire for all eternity because of the pain you have caused to wonderful gay people all over this country.
Lastly, Mr. Grooms is not my son. He is a great man and journalist, however. If Flip was your son, Miss Wilson, then I guess he would be a true ‘son of a bitch’. Forgive me Lord for saying that, but I believe it to be true.
Jail is only one more protest away Flip. Anita Bryant would be damned proud.
K Wilson’s response to John Grooms seemed a little too defensive (not to mention rabid and immature) and sure enough, a quick internet search reveals that this is almost certainly the same “K Wilson” who’s a coworker of Flip Benham and maybe also his wife/sister/cousin/mistress for all I know. Interesting that she doesn’t believe in full disclosure of the facts.
http://www.operationsaveamerica.org/443.htm
http://www.operationsaveamerica.org/715.htm
http://www.wcnc.com/news/local/Pro-life-group-rallies-outside-Concord-high-school-72658762.html
Ms. Wilson, as a fellow Christian I can tell you that it’s not too late to turn away from men like Flip who view women as second class citizens and assert your own independence, realizing that women are able to make their own decisions, and that it’s not saintly to demonize, terrorize, and bully other women. God bless.
Hilarious Kristin, these people have never read a comment from someone who would not awaken a sleeping baby and slaughter it in the womb. It’s so funny to hear them preach to others about hate.
Rosa, great journalist do not work for Creative Lofting. This has 7 Responses by 3 people. NO ONE READS CREATIVE LOAFING. We pick it up to find out when the Christmas play is downtown. Ooops! I said Christmas, I guess now you hope I BURN IN HELL!!!!
Way to go Kristin! It’s fun to make liberals run to mommie basement crying isn’t it.
Amazing to see how many of the Flip Benham supporters are just as psychotic and out of control as he is.
No need to reply to these people. They are brainwashed and in the business of doing the same.
Attack the paper, attack the writer, and attack liberals too?!! Feel all that Christian love!
Maybe I’m slow, but this is what I don’t understand – Where does this story have anything to do about people who are gay? Is that the only argument that you people have when someone stands up to you against abortion? Can’t you people just admit that you are for the killling of babies? Calling K Wilson immature? Didn’t she do exactly what John Grooms did?
And all this cussing by Rosa and then thanking God??
Psalms 10:7 His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and fraud: under his tongue is mischief and vanity.
And Christopher, you claim to be a Christian but make an accusation as if K Wilson and Flip Benham are having an affair. Do you know this to be true? You called her his mistress.
Proverbs 3:30
“Do not accuse a man for no reason, when he has done you no harm.”
Proverbs 11:9
“The hypocrite with his mouth destroys his neighbor, but through knowledge the righteous will be delivered.”
1 Peter 3:11
“Turn away from evil and do good. Search for peace, and work to maintain it.”
Psalms 35:20 “For they speak not peace: but they devise deceitful matters against them.”
Mike – It is closed minded ignorance to claim anyone with a difference of opinion than yours is psychotic and brainwashed. How will you ever grow if you block anyone out who doesn’t think or believe the way you do?
We can confirm that the last post was by Mr. Benham. Only Flip would quote passages from the holy book when there is no need. We will pray for his soul. -Rev. Jimmy Lee Farnsworth
I don’t know Flip Benham but I know you are no Reverand to state there is no need for Bible verses.
i love how the person screaming that someone else is a “hate monger” is the one who called the other woman a “whore”. Classic!!
I don’t know that to be true, George (or likely K Wilson under a nom de plume), so that’s why I said wife OR sister OR cousin OR mistress “for all I know.”
And anyone can quote Bible verses, but living them is the important thing.
And you’re right, matt, NO ONE READS CREATIVE LOAFING. That’s why they’ve managed to be in business here for over 20 years.
Please do not bother going on and on with this cult. It is a malicious and corrupt sect posing as organized religion so they can be tax exempt. They feed from lawsuits they file claiming freedom of speech violations. Their now convicted leader will only put forth an effort if he thinks the press will be there or he can put on a show. They are in the business of attempting to ruin lives.
This is true blasphemy and we are now seeing the beginning of the law and the public saying ‘enough’. All this gibberish is all coming from them, under the lie of being another person. Hopefully God will, in fact, have some mercy on them. Maybe…..
NO ONE READS CREATIVE LOAFING. Everyone on her is saying everyone else is the same person. WHY??? Because even PRO-Creative Loafing people know this many people could not have read the stupid paper. They’ve managed to be in business here for over 20 years because people like Mr.Grooms pick it up and call the ”girls” in the back or find out where the partys at. You people just hate anything Christian. Sorry we are not giong anywhere. We have managed to be in business for over 2000 years.
May damnation fall upon these republican cult members known as the OSA. I have never seen such a display of hatred by so called ‘Christians’. No wonder you are full of hate and non-acceptance. The real truth is, “matt”, or Flip/K.Wilson/any other made up identity you are using: WE are the ones who aren’t going anywhere. Flip is going to jail the next time he protests and violates his probation. A reverend on probation for stalking……doctors! Lord, have MERCY!