Is the Westboro Baptist Church Coming to Marquette?
Yes, these are the Pastor Fred Phelps folks, whose motto is “God Hates Fags.”
Listed among events on their website, are these two:
We aren’t keen on the gay lobby exploiting Matthew Shepard’s death to promote a gay agenda far beyond the legitimate one of protecting the lives, liberty and property of every American. And indeed, one of the two killers turned state’s evidence and got life in prison (rather than execution), and the other escaped the death penalty only due to a last minute deal brokered by Shepard’s family. We favor the death penalty, and would have been happy to see both executed.
But of course, such nuances are beyond the ken of the Phelps crowd.
In fact, the Phelps crowd are a huge boon to the gay lobby, promoting the stereotype that anybody who opposes the gay political agenda must be evil and intolerant. In a sense, they are the mirror image of the gays at the Folsom Stree Fair, who promote a stereotype of gays as degenerate.
The chief lesson to be taken from the antics of Phelps and his followers is that a tiny, insignificant group of people can, by being utterly outrageous, come to actually seem important. Partly it’s because they fit the liberal template: people who oppose the gay lobby must be bigots. But partly it’s part of a bigger problem with politics and the media in America.
We wouldn’t want a media cabal to be able to decide that these folks are freaks who should be ignored, since we fear the other things an effective media cabal would do.
And yes, we understand the irony of the fact that we are blogging about them, in spite of saying they are insignificant. The truth is they have become significant as a media phenomenon.
Phelp’s folks, of course, have a right to picket whatever events they want (but not on Marquette property, rather on nearby public streets).
But we expect that they won’t show up. That would be far and away the best outcome.
[Update, March 1:]
As we predicted, the Westboro folks did not show up.
Listed among events on their website, are these two:
Weasler Auditorium in Milwaukee, WI March 1, 2011 6:15 PM - 7:00 PMWe frankly doubt they will show up. It’s unlikely their merry band of bigots actually has the organizational capacity to demonstrate in every location on their schedule.
WBC will picket the fag pimp Judy Shepard as she lectures the youth of this nation -- teaching them that God lied when He said “thou shalt not lie with mankind as with woman kind, it is abomination” (Lev. 18:22).
Halfaer Theatre in Milwaukee, WI March 6, 2011 1:45 PM - 2:30
PMWBC will picket The Laramie Project production at the Halfaer Theatre. Listen up! These people are promoting soul-damning sin! Sodomy is an abomination to God (Lev. 18:22).
We aren’t keen on the gay lobby exploiting Matthew Shepard’s death to promote a gay agenda far beyond the legitimate one of protecting the lives, liberty and property of every American. And indeed, one of the two killers turned state’s evidence and got life in prison (rather than execution), and the other escaped the death penalty only due to a last minute deal brokered by Shepard’s family. We favor the death penalty, and would have been happy to see both executed.
But of course, such nuances are beyond the ken of the Phelps crowd.
In fact, the Phelps crowd are a huge boon to the gay lobby, promoting the stereotype that anybody who opposes the gay political agenda must be evil and intolerant. In a sense, they are the mirror image of the gays at the Folsom Stree Fair, who promote a stereotype of gays as degenerate.
The chief lesson to be taken from the antics of Phelps and his followers is that a tiny, insignificant group of people can, by being utterly outrageous, come to actually seem important. Partly it’s because they fit the liberal template: people who oppose the gay lobby must be bigots. But partly it’s part of a bigger problem with politics and the media in America.
We wouldn’t want a media cabal to be able to decide that these folks are freaks who should be ignored, since we fear the other things an effective media cabal would do.
And yes, we understand the irony of the fact that we are blogging about them, in spite of saying they are insignificant. The truth is they have become significant as a media phenomenon.
Phelp’s folks, of course, have a right to picket whatever events they want (but not on Marquette property, rather on nearby public streets).
But we expect that they won’t show up. That would be far and away the best outcome.
[Update, March 1:]
As we predicted, the Westboro folks did not show up.
Labels: Fred Phelps, Homophobia, Westboro Baptist Church
posted by John McAdams at 7:02 PM
5 Comments:
"We favor the death penalty..."
Not very Catholic of you. By admitting such publicly, don't you risk being denied Communion?
don't you risk being denied Communion?
Well . . . since I'm not Catholic, no.
It's also the case that the Church has been clear that the death penalty is not inherently immoral. It's a matter of prudential judgment.
The opposition of people like John Paul II was based on the notion that nations could adequately protect their citizens without it.
But a new generation of studies showing large deterrent effects of the death penalty on murders changes that.
Busted! Guilty as charged.
Busted! Guilty as charged
Huh??!!
I'm guilty of assuming you were Catholic. Confusing you with Prof. McAdams perhaps. You're both in my RSS reader.
Post a Comment
<< Home