Keeping cockroaches away from funerals is a good idea
Here's a photo from Coretta Scott King's funeral:
CAPTION: A dozen members of the anti-gay Westboro Baptist Church from Kansas protested at Coretta Scott King’s funeral on Feb. 7, saying her advocacy for gay rights meant she was doomed to hell. (Photo by Dyana Bagby)
FrontPageMag.com has an essay -- The "God Hates Fags" Left -- about Fred Phelps, the career bigot behind the above signs. Contrary to the popular assumption that he has to be an official member of the "ascendant Republican theocracy," Phelps actually has a long career as a Democratic activist and plain old crook.
several states are now considering legislation banning demonstrations at funerals. He is their main and probably only target.
He is Pastor Fred Phelps of the Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kansas. And his "God Hates Fags" theme has earned him an unending stream of media attention over the last 15 years.
Media have commonly described Phelps as a "Baptist pastor" and "anti-gay activist," with the implication that he was simply a more aggressive component of the Religious Right. Nation magazine included Phelps in a profile about the "The Radical Right After 9/11."
Phelps celebrated the 9/11 attacks and the more recent al-Qaeda strikes in London as the just recompense of Western decadence. He supported Saddam Hussein and has been appreciative to Fidel Castro. Phelps is probably more appropriately described in psychiatric than political terms. But his political roots are in the Democratic Party, having run for office in Kansas five times, and actively supported Al Gore in 1988 and 1992 before turning against him.
More careful media coverage acknowledges that Phelps’ ostensibly Baptist church is "unaffiliated" and comprised of only his family members, whose compound of houses is assembled around the church and its swimming pool used for baptisms.
Phelps, now age 76, has demonstrated outside the Bush Ranch in Crawford, Texas. He has demonstrated against conservative religious activists James Dobson, Jerry Falwell, and Pat Robertson. He has demonstrated against the Southern Baptist Convention. His targets span the full political and theological spectrum. Anyone who does not share his insistence that God reserves a special hatred for homosexuals is worthy of the Phelps treatment.
Very amusing essay. The whole thing is worth reading, and if you enjoy it, Agenda Bender has more on the man's former career of selling stolen candy (no, really) to children.
Perhaps I lived in Berkeley too long, but I spotted this guy as an agent provocateur long ago, and frankly, at this point he's so tired that he'd be little more than a target for ridicule were it not for the fact that he harrasses grief-stricken people when they're most vulnerable, and there's nothing funny about that.
I'm as much of a free speech champion as anyone, but I have no problem with time, place and manner restrictions, especially at funerals.
Cockroaches scurry away from the light, so I think the more information is made public about Phelps, the better.
Too many people take him seriously.
There's only one thing which still puzzles me about Phelps, and that's whether he's he a mere demagogue or whether he actually believes the nonsense he spouts. Not all agents provocateur are demagogues, and while I'd find it reassuring to discover that Phelps was taking money from GLAAD or some other group under the table, it is theoretically possible that he's a true believer. I doubt it, though.
(I happen to think true believers are more dangerous than demagogues, but that's another topic.)
posted by Eric on 02.09.06 at 12:13 PM
Comments
I think Phelps probably helps gay people gain acceptance. Even other kind of nutty gay bashers like Dobson, Falwell and Robertson likely want to distance themselves from a loon like Phelps, and people that don't like us much may be more sympathetic when they see the kind of hatred and abuse these people spew.
I don't generally favor limiting free speech either, but don't we traditionally have some limits on "fighting words" meant to provoke someone to violence?
Curt · February 9, 2006 1:54 PM
Phelps is no more "left" than Lyndon LaRouche (who also pretends to be a Democrat). As you admit, he dumped Gore, and he's very close to Falwell and Robertson in the following way:
Phelps celebrated the 9/11 attacks and the more recent al-Qaeda strikes in London as the just recompense of Western decadence.
"Fighting words" are not protected speech, neither are actions that create a "clear and present danger" of disorder or violence. Also, public authorities are known to help accomodate "private" events such as funeral processions. IMHO, banning demonstrations at or near funerals would be no more repressive than banning public nudity or defecation.
I'm not sure that he is on the political right or the left, and I doubt he knows or cares.
He loves Castro, he shotgunned a dog in front of a child, his church is a walled cult, and he hates Scandinavians more than almost anyone except the homos.
I guess you could call him either far right or far left, but I'm just glad nobody will ever confuse him for a centrist.
The one time I saw the Phelps clan in person, it was at a huge concert in DC for gay rights called Equality Rocks. They were in a fenced-off area on the way into the stadium, so nearly everyone had to walk past them and their signs. All that any of us did was wave, blow kisses, etc. They can't be for real.
Lori: He was disbarred many years ago over a petty misuse of funds. Word around Topeka (where I live) has it that the Bar was looking for a reason to take his license. A couple of his male children are also trained as lawyers (after he forced them to be).
You really should check out Eric's Wiki link. It is largely based on the work of two Topeka Capital-Journal reporters, and gives you an insight into what we Kansans have known for many years.
BTW I have a post on Phelps and the bill Kansas is considering barring protesting at funerals with this date on my site. It contains both Eric's link and another to a book written by the same reporters.
Phelps is neither "right" nor "left". He is unto himself. I guess it should have been no surprise that they showed up in Atlanta, how could we expect different from military funeral protestors?
Despite their shortcomings, have Falwell and Robertson ever called for evil to befall "sinners"? Pointing out the "sin" and "wages of sin" (ham-handed, immodest and alarmist as they may be) is quite different from what Phelps and his followers does. They curse those they find fault with (which seems to be everybody)...Pure evil.
American Mother · February 9, 2006 11:26 PM
Would do the world a lot of good were some district attorney to strictly apply verbal assault charges against Mr. Phelps.
The Anti-Idiotarian Rottweiler
Don?t bang your head!
I think Phelps probably helps gay people gain acceptance. Even other kind of nutty gay bashers like Dobson, Falwell and Robertson likely want to distance themselves from a loon like Phelps, and people that don't like us much may be more sympathetic when they see the kind of hatred and abuse these people spew.
I don't generally favor limiting free speech either, but don't we traditionally have some limits on "fighting words" meant to provoke someone to violence?