Former Westboro Baptist Boss Fred Phelps is Finally Dead
Happy days are here again. The Rev. Fred Phelps Sr., who founded a Kansas church widely known for its protests at military funerals and anti-gay sentiments, has died according to his son Tim Phelps and KSN sister station Kansas First News.
Phelps, 84, was being cared for in a Shawnee County facility, Westboro Baptist Church spokesman Steve Drain said Sunday.
Members of the Westboro church, based in Topeka, frequently protest at funerals of soldiers with signs containing messages such as “Thank God for dead soldiers,” and “Thank God for 9/11,” claiming the deaths are God’s punishment for American immorality and tolerance of homosexuality and abortion.
Westboro Baptist, a small group made mostly of Phelps’ extended family, inspired a federal law and laws in numerous states limiting picketing at funerals. But in a major free-speech ruling in 2011, the U.S. Supreme Court held that the church and its members couldn’t be sued for monetary damages for inflicting pain on grieving families under the First Amendment.
The Southern Poverty Law Center, a civil-rights nonprofit group, has called Westboro Baptist Church a hate group.
Many thanks to KSN.com for story contributions.
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So…when is Cheney gonna go?
ah Gretchen. The question for the ages. His is the number one I will gloat over when he kicks off.
Dick(head) Cheney is a cyborg. Didn’t you know that? His heart has been replaced with a turbine pump and his conscience was going to be replaced but they couldn’t find it.
The fact is his own family may have loved him but they had a poor way of showing it. They kicked him out of the church and shunned him, suspecting he was gay himself, as a result of his alleged “softening” toward gays.
No remember, these clowns don’t think death gets you into heaven, apparently you just become vapor and go on up without dying. His death goes against all they believe in. There are only about 20 or 25 of them left and they don’t have him as their front anymore.
I’m sorry, but I just can’t find it within myself to rejoice in a man’s death. And yet, I despise everything for which he stood and fought! My wish that we could have changed his attitude, without his dying, is silly and pointless. It wasn’t gonna happen. But I still can’t clap at his funeral (not that I could have anyway; I live nowhere near there… but you get the point.) I do think that he was disturbed man, and just as I don’t believe in harassing or trying the mentally handicapped, I just can’t celebrate his death. But I can celebrate the fact that he won’t be out there to protest the deaths of those that served our country (in good faith). RIP, Fred. I hope that you can find peace that you are unable to achieve in life (not that I have any expectation that there is anything else, but that’s a whole different topic…)
You are a better person than I am Marsha, a way better person, because I am very happy he is dead. He is part of a group of people I will not hold back my dislike for them, when they push off this mortal coil.
I am also happy he is dead. The world is a better place and the fact is some people would have done mankind a favor by never being born. Nothing personal Marsha, on the contrary, I respect your position.
At least you didn’t go with a Farklike headline something along the lines of…oooh I dunno, Champagne corks to pop all over America tonight 🙂
Oh man! I like that!
Oh I have more and have seen more today that would work in all kinds of ways. Phelps thought he was going to be raptures, nope craptured he’s going in a different direction. Cue Moms Mabley, Fred Phelps is dead. Heaven got less appealing today, Phelps has died, Out of evil cometh good Phelps is gone and on and on. Hardly anyone in the gay community and those who support them are upset about this and I include my own self in this.
Actually I’ve been considering moving from the more serious format, you know formal, stiff and proper, to something a little more bold, brash, and exciting. What do you think? What does everyone think? Headlines are a good first step.
You know me, I send you stuff with my own take on it sometimes a few words intro, sometimes more or sometimes no comment is necessary 🙂 Do what you want.
Well said Marsha. As vile as I found his message and methods, he was still loved by family who mourn his passing. I won’t revel in their pain. I hope they all find peace. May their hate and bigotry and offensive ways pass with him.
I’ll say to you what I said to Marsha, you guys are seriously way better people than I am at this moment in time.
Is it wrong I am smiling? Also too, I’ll just leave this here
Was it Mark Twain that said something like, “I could not attend the funeral but I did send a letter expressing my approval of it.”
Mother nature loves a good joke. It’s the UN international day of happiness today and spring has sprung also too Fred is dead. Nope, won’t be holding my tongue on this one out of respect for any family.
Love that quote!