When you talk about Fred Phelps, don't just talk about how he protested at the funeral of Matthew Shepherd.
Make sure you also mention the fact that he protested at the funeral of Mister Rogers.
Yes,
THAT Mister Rogers.
Fred Phelps says Mister Rogers blew-up the spaceshuttle.
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Fred Rogers, who entertained children on public televison for 35 years, died after on February 27 after a bout with stomach cancer. He was 74. In memory of his life-long contribution to children's education, the Adventist Review Online presents a tribute to Mr. Roger that first appeared on the website in April, 2000. --Editors
Anyone with kids and a television set knows Fred Rogers. Three generations of children have grown up with "Mister Rogers" the friendly sweater-and-sneakers-clad grownup who talks frankly about feelings and invites them to be part of his TV "neighborhood." What is less widely known is that Fred Rogers is a Presbyterian minister, ordained in 1962 by Pittsburgh Presbytery.
More:
http://www.adventistreview.org/2003-1509/story5.htmlGod, Buggery, and Mister Rogers
by Ralph R. Reiland (May 15, 2003)
Summary: A few carloads of religious fundamentalists were swarming recently outside Heinz Hall in Pittsburgh to reveal the will of God regarding Mister Rogers' Neighborhood and a few other devilish things. And so, to understand what was bugging this traveling circus, I had to go to the demonstration to see what was making these insects tick.
Here's what George Bernard Shaw said about religious fundamentalists: "There are scores of human insects who are ready at a moment's notice to reveal the will of God on every possible subject."
<snip>
A daughter of Rev. Phelps, Rebekah Phelps Davis, was waving two large posters when I walked over to ask her why she hated Fred Rogers. "GOD HATES FAGS" said one of her posters. The other said "ROGERS IN HELL" and contained a large photo of Rogers with a pink triangle aimed at his forehead, the badge that men thought to be sexually deviant were forced to wear in the Nazi concentration camps.
"Why Rogers," I asked, "of all people?" Ms. Davis had a quick answer: "He had the bully pulpit for 30 years and he did nothing to talk about this message." Mr. Rogers, in short, had plenty of chances to do some gay-bashing with pre-schoolers and he tossed it all away.
Apparently, it was the same with the astronauts who perished aboard space shuttle Columbia. Standing next to Rebekah Phelps Davis was a high school sophomore, Rebekah Phelps Roper. "THANK GOD FOR SEPTEMBER 11" said the poster she was waving. "I'm Rev. Phelps' granddaughter," she explained, and then went on to tell me the reason for the Columbia explosion: "Nothing happens that isn't God's will. NASA supports fags. They said it. Those astronauts had a bully pulpit and they didn't use it. They said nothing about this message."
More:
http://www.capmag.com/article.asp?ID=2783
Here is a .PDF file from Fred Phelps to announce their anti-mister-rogers campaign:
http://www.godhatesfags.com/fliers/mar2003/Mr_Rogers_Memorial_3-24-2003.pdf