Update: Boise Hate Monument

I am pasted the text of an email I sent to two of my friends this morning:

Hi Guys,

This morning, I've contacted the Ada County Human Rights Task force via email, and I've spoken to the ACLU by phone, in addition to email. The ACLU being the super groovy place that it is, transferred me and let me talk directly to one of their staff lawyers, and here's the deal:

The monument is not in a place where it is "officially being considered" by the city, so Fox local news basically just lied about that. What is going on is, there are some religious groups that are rallying over the Ten Commandments monument that is in Julia Davis park. They are rallying to protect or defend the monument I guess, but the Ten Commandments monument is under no threat of any kind. No one is suing for its removal, nothing is going on, but they are rallying anyway. Just goes to further my opinion that if you left a fundamentalist Christian in a room alone with himself for long enough, he'd kick his own ass. :)

Anyway, the monument of hate, as I choose to call it (the matthew sheperd bashing momument), is actually being sponsored and proposed by none other than Fred Phelps. Now, of course this is a truly wicked, wicked man, but I was actually relived to hear this. (By the way, for anyone who is unfamiliar with Phelps, just go to godhatesfags.com). The reason I was relieved is because Phelps is so clearly identified as a bigoted hate extremist that no city in their right mind would ever actually approve a monument proposal of his!

The ACLU lawyer told me that all that has happened now is that Phelps heard about that the 10 Commandments monument was allowed in the Park, and now wants to place his monument there, under the argument that is one religious point of view is allowed in a public square, all religious views should be allowed without discrimination. The funny thing about this is, he is totally right. That is why religion and the state should STAY SEPARATE and why the state shouldn't endorse ANY religious view in the public square, because once you endorse one, quite honestly you have to allow them all, otherwise it truly is discriminatory.

Anyway, I digress. The Lawyer told me that there was an article in the paper this morning in which some council members said this monument would be approved "over their dead bodies" and the ACLU feels that there is no real threat of the monument proposal ever getting anyway, however they are monitoring it.

Now, here's where it gets worse - on December 14th, there will be a rally in the park by Ten Commandment monument supporters. Find and dandy, they have a right to assemble, and I don't really have any passionate problem with that. HOWEVER, Fred Phelps people will be there TOO demonstrating with the "God Hates Fags" and "Burn in Hell, QUEER" picket signs...

The have a right to protest, however I also have a right not to sit on my ass and silently take it. Last year, Phelps people were here and you know what happened? A bunch of people from the Ada County Human Rights Task force all wore "wings" with a five foot wingspan and stood hand in hand in a line in front of the Phelps protester, obscuring them from the cameras and from passers by! To me that's the most beautiful kind of counter there could possible be.

On December 14th, the same day as the Fred Phelps god hates fags rally, there will be alternative peace rally at near by Ann Frank memorial -- I plan to be there. I plan to resist Fred Phelps hateful garbage not just with my mouth, but with my fucking body.

Andrew

DU'ers from Washington can come on over to protest.

The outcome seems unclear still, but in the end, I do not think that hate monument will be there in the end.

i had to do a triple take.

...start getting the word out here and see who can possible come attend rallys against these guys.

And that is something that needs to be painted on signs at any rally against him. Just paint a big 50 foot sign saying "who is the author of hatred, evil and destruction? Satan, not God.. Phelps worships Satan as he panders in hate and destruction, masquerading as a christian pretender".

Seems Phelps is Satan's right hand boy here on earth, stirring up malevolence and all things which are anathema to God/Jesus/Holy Spirit/Christian teaching.

Does he even pay taxes?

I'd like to see Phelps and Company meet up with a group of all gay cops in riot gear and on horseback.

Out of curiosity, how many supporters does Phelps actually have?

He is from Kansas and goes protesting a lot in New England. He brings his family and there is a sizable group there to accompany him there.

I knew about the family members, but was under the impression they were the sum total of his support.

I don't believe that his church has many people in it from outside the extended family.

LOL, what an image THAT would be! They'd sure find out in a hurry that those "fags", as they insist on calling them, ain't exactly the sissy wussies they make them out to be!

This has been done elsewhere when Phelps spews his bile. Set up a fundraiser for a gay rights organization where people pledge a dollar (or whatever) for every minute Phelps speaks.

Phelps is a windy little troll, so your $1/minute contribution could easily run into the hundreds of dollars.

It's interesting how the "Westboro Baptist Church" serves as a perfect face for anti-lesbian/gay bigotry. Also, by taking this action, he actually endangers the continuing presence of "ten commandments" monuments around the country. Of course, we cannot endorse one religious expression without giving play to others as well. In this way, Phelps is a perfect spokesman, unwittingly, for those who support the constitutional establishment clause.

.

seeing a Phelps rally and not rushing up to beat someone down, wrong as that may be. That is one evil bastard.

Sheer numbers dictate this. And our cheerleader Prez? He is suspect too.

and this Phelps guy? He seems like some twisted soul, perhaps a closet pervie too?

I jus luv it. The persistant ignoramus gigantus.

He has to be. No sane person goes as far as he does. The guy MUST have fantasies of fellatio and/or anal sex. His ENTIRE perspective as an American xtian is how much of an effect sodomy has on society.

He should get a serious case of lead poisoning.