Fred Phelps, founder and leader of Westboro Baptist Church has died, according to family. Hopefully, his family will be able to bury their dead father without the horrible, nasty protests that the Phelps family has inflicted on others.
Phelps rose to fame (or infamy) for his decades-long work of “opposing the homosexual lifestyle of soul-damning, nation-destroying filth,” according to the church Web site. He expressed that opposition by picketing the funerals of military servicemen and women who in his view had been killed in wartime by a vengeful God punishing the United States for its increasing acceptance of gay rights. Many a grieving family had to put a loved one to rest within view of Phelps and others holding signs saying, “Thank God for Dead Soldiers,” “Thank God for 9/11” and his signature slogan, “God hates fags.”
Phelps and his family have ultimately probably done more to help advance gay rights than any other single factor. Americans seriously hate haters. It’s in our national DNA. Phelps went after mining disaster victims, veterans, those killed in the line of duty, and children’s funerals to display their message condemning the gay life style by saying the death(s) was God’s wrath. The not-so-right Reverend Phelps had better hope he was wrong as he goes to meet his maker. He might just find the pearly gates not so hospitable.
I expect a new rash of jokes to spring up. Please deposit them here.
