In the second half of season 1, Brand added the segment "Totally Unacceptable Opinion", which featured people from hate groups such as the Westboro Baptist Church, and Brand argued with them about their controversial beliefs, then brought out some of the types of people whom they hate (for example, a group of homosexuals) for a debate.
Lyrically the band is known for progressive political themes, speaking out against conservatives, gun rights advocates, and the Westboro Baptist Church among others, as well as for darker, country influenced songs about fear, loss, and death in modern America.
In January 2011, after the attempted assassination of Arizona Representative Gabrielle Giffords (see 2011 Tucson shooting ), KXXT National Talk Show Host Steve Sanchez of The Steve Sanchez Show offered 30 minutes of airtime to Westboro Baptist Church in exchange for the Church agreeing not to protest at the funeral of 9 year old Christina Green who was killed during the assassination attempt.
On March 10, 2006, members of the Westboro Baptist Church picketed the funeral of Matthew A. Snyder who had been killed in the Iraq War.
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The Southern Poverty Law Center has designated several Christian groups as hate groups, including the American Family Association, the Family Research Council, Abiding Truth Ministries, American Vision, the Chalcedon Foundation, the Dove World Outreach Center the Traditional Values Coalition, and now the Westboro Baptist Church.
On October 6, 2006, Gallagher convinced the controversial Topeka, Kansas-based Westboro Baptist Church to appear on air with an hour of air time in exchange for not picketing a funeral for victims from the Amish school shooting near Nickel Mines, Pennsylvania.
Ten members of Fred Phelps' Westboro Baptist Church came from Topeka, Kansas to protest the show, the actors, and director, Douglas J. Graves.