The Phelps family, or the Westboro Baptist church as they like to be called, has expanded their hatred of gays to include President Obama,Jews, and frankly.. everyone! Recent experiences show that while they’ve had the upper hand, by terrorizing families of gay soldiers in their most vulnerable time, Drag queens and other protestors who are more frequently attending their demonstrations actually frighten them!
Okay, so who wants to be the first to tell Fred and Shirley Phelps that Jesus was Jewish? While I hesitated to post this vile video produced by the despicable group themselves, it speaks much more quickly than I could in giving you a full picture of what the little incestuous family from Topeka, Kansas does, and has been doing for far too long. They first came to be widely known after lauding the unspeakable hate crime of gay teen, Matthew Sheppard.
There is a bright side, however. Father Fred, daughter Shirley, and the clan…many of whom are young children and babies who should be removed from this cult, have finally branched out too far in their most hated lists! Their focus is not only on Gays, but includes everyone else, so much so that they can – and do, stand at street corners shouting "God hates you" without knowing a thing about the occupant, other than that they’re not part of the family! Gays, Muslims, Catholics, President Obama, sinners – (a nebulous concept at best), and now Jews, who have brought them to more wide-spread attention recently. So brazen are they that they protested in front of the Holocaust Museum as well as schools and synagogues with their Hitler-like hate hyperbole!
I promised a bright side. Media attention has brought out counter protestors. We’ve discovered that like any school yard bully, they’re brave and loud when harassing a fallen soldier’s grieving family, but quickly leave a trail of dust behind when faced with a crowd of people protesting them! Perhaps two of the most amusing videos involve the pink Winnebago full of gay men that Michael Moore drove to meet the Phelps family flea circus in Topeka. The friendly young men, and the sing-along seemed to quiet the elder Phelps and caused him to remember he had other things to do. The same was the case in Seattle this summer when gays and drag queens welcomed the family. More and more college campus invasions by the Phelps clan are met by students and people from the community, rather than leaving them to scream their mantras of hate. Instead, we’re treated to the vision of them turning tail and leaving town much sooner than planned!
Protestors are disappointed that the Phelps clan leaves instantly, giving them no "face time" when word hits them that there will be a counter-protest! People of good intention and a desire for justice are accomplishing a small but vital victory, where our laws had been ineffectual.
In closing, please forgive my posting this assault on all people of good conscience, but if it brings attention to even one who was unaware of them, it will have been worthwhile. If it is rumored that Westboro is due to be near you, please remember they hate most of all, peace, justice, love, a sense of humor, music, tolerance , and a large mirror held up to face them…now put on your glad rags and plan to make a short day of it!