In life, Fred Phelps Sr., headed the notorious Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kansas, and was considered by many as the “most hated man in America.” It was not, however, Phelps’ political and religious beliefs which earned him this dubious distinction. For instance, many conservatives hold a profound hatred towards the LGBT community, and similarly greet feminism with much vitriol, and none of them have glean the public’s wrath the way Fred Phelps did. Indeed, so prevalent are these beliefs among many conservative Americans, that even in this day-and-age, the Republican Party sees it fit to nominate candidates who believes destructive weather patterns and autism in children are simply God’s punishment for legalized abortions and gay rights in America. Susanne Atanus, the recent winner of GOP primary in IL-9, is a startling example of just how sheer crazy the Republican base has become in many areas. And while Atanus certainly won’t win the general election in November, and while many Republicans will purposely distance themselves from her, the fact that she won speaks volumes of where many Republican primary voters stand...and where they stand really isn’t that far from Fred Phelps. What made Phelps different, and indeed what makes the tiny Westboro Baptist Church (WBC) unique (it’s worth keeping in mind that the Westboro Baptist has an active membership of just 40 members) was and remains their eagerness to picket the funerals of so many Americans. Particularly those of our slain war heroes (and I intentionally use the word “heroes” to describe our brothers and sisters in uniform, as while I may not agree with the pretenses under which they are fighting, the vast majority of them, like my brother, have willingly placed their lives on the line and have served this nation admirably, and with great dignity. And I am more than happy to defend the merits of their service with anyone who feels differently).
Without question, it was Phelps' persistent picketing of funerals, an act which so shocked this nation by its utter disregard for one of society’s most sacred cultural mores, which propelled Phelps to the media’s limelight and earned him the ire of a nation. As awareness of Phelps’ heinous disregard for the dignity of human life and death grew, I like many American’s I was glad see so many communities rally against Phelps and the WBC by forming human chains around the churches and burial sites so to better allow the survivors of the recently deceased a chance to grieve and remember their loved. Like many of you, I was equally gleeful to see the “Equality House” open next to the Westboro Baptist Church, and likewise read of the local community’s outpouring of support for it and its cause. And like many, when I learned of Phelps’ death last Wednesday, I didn’t really know how to feel. I truthfully can say that I was not glad to hear of his death (I don’t believe the death of another human being should be joyous occasion).. At the same time, I wasn’t exactly sad that Phelps was dead, and part of me felt that the world was better off without him. And in the days since, like many of you, I was also concerned about how the nation, and in particular, how we on the left would respond. I worried, perhaps a bit cynically about the optics of liberal activists and LGBT supporters picketing Phelps’ funeral. This is not to say that such an act wouldn’t be poetic justice, but in general, I believe picketing Phelps’ funeral would bring us down to his deprived level. It would mean traveling the lowest of low roads. And I believe we are far better than that.
And that’s why I’ve been proud to see so many individuals across this nation displaying a surprising amount of empathy towards Phelps’ family and his followers at the WBC. After all, we all know the pain of losing a loved one (and even an a-hole like Phelps was loved by someone). To extend this courtesy to Phelps’ family, his loved ones, and supporters - a courtesy which he himself refused to extend to so many others - is truly a remarkable and noble response by the American public. It is, in my opinion, a perfect and bold demonstration as to the power of love and acceptance. It is a brave act befitting the people of this nation, and a lesson I hope many learn from.