Page 20
-
A requiem on the death of Fred Phelps
Fred Phelps is dead. Many will celebrate, and many will make comments about picketing his funeral in an eye-for-an-eye retaliation. I will not be among them. I do not respect Fred Phelps, nor do I forgive the pain he inflicted, but I value him. I value what he contributed to the struggle for LGBT equality. I am grateful that because of his presence, millions woke up to understand homophobia better and to confront it…
-
Westboro Baptist Church founder Fred Phelps dead at 84
TOPEKA, Kan. — Anti-gay extremist Fred Phelps, founder of the Westboro Baptist Church and the “Gods Hate Fags” fundamentalist movement, has died, according to his son, Timothy Phelps. He was 84.
-
Westboro ‘elders’ ex-communicated Fred Phelps in church power struggle
The Westboro Baptist Church on Sunday responded to media inquiries regarding news reports that founder Fred Phelps was on his death bed, and that he was “ex-communicated” from the church last August.
-
Fred Phelps may be dying, but the LGBT community should let him go quietly
A few years ago I asked Judy Shepard how she felt about Fred Phelps, the founder of the infamous Westboro Baptist Church which had picketed the funeral of her son Matthew in what was to become the seminal event that put Westboro into the national spotlight. Her answer surprised me. “Oh we love Freddy,” she replied. “If it wasn’t for him there would be no Matthew Shepard.” Judy’s answer to my question illustrates the truth about Fred Phelps…
-
Report: Fred Phelps, founder of Westboro Baptist Church, near death
TOPEKA, Kan. — Anti-gay extremist Fred Phelps, founder of the Westboro Baptist Church and the “Gods Hate Fags” fundamentalist movement, is near death in a local hospice, according to a Facebook post Saturday night by his son Nathan Phelps.
-
Judge upholds Mo. law limiting time, distance of funeral protests
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — A federal judge has upheld a Missouri law requiring protesters to stay at least a football-field length away from funeral sites, beginning an hour before they start until an hour after the services end.
-
Kansas delays further action on religious freedom protections until next year
TOPEKA, Kan. — Kansas lawmakers will not consider enacting new legal protections this year for those who oppose same-sex marriage on religious grounds, but will debate the issue again in 2015, the state Senate’s top leader said Thursday.
-
Kansas reopens debate on religious freedom for those opposed to gay unions
TOPEKA, Kan. — Legislators are reopening a debate on whether Kansas should enact special legal protections for people, groups and businesses opposing same-sex marriage for religious reasons.
-
Gay rights supporters in Kansas seek new anti-bias laws
TOPEKA, Kan. — Having won a key legislative fight with social conservatives in Kansas, gay rights advocates aren’t content with simply blocking a measure they said would have encouraged businesses and government workers to refuse to serve gays and lesbians in the name of religious freedom.
-
Religious freedom bills: The latest effort to counter advances in marriage equality
WASHINGTON – Religious freedom bills in more than a dozen state legislatures this year mark the latest effort by opponents of same-sex marriage to counter the growing public acceptance of marriage equality, and the momentum of federal court rulings striking down state gay marriage bans.