# God Hates Phelps Enablers **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [May 18, 2004, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-hates-phelps-enablers/245714 "2004-05-18T04:24:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Briny\_Deep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/briny_deep/32/17188_2.png) [@Briny\_Deep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Briny_Deep)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2004, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-hates-phelps-enablers/245714/1 "2004-05-18T04:24:26Z")
This is becoming a theme of mine on these boards; forvive me: I’m so sick of the press enabling Fred Phelps and his tiny, nasty gang by covering them wherever they appear. This article from BBC featured a picture of “detractors” of the Massachusetts gay marriages: [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/3723519.stm](http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/3723519.stm) as if the Phelps crew were some sort of legitimate opposition. I have no objection to coverage of reasoned opposition to gay marriage but I don’t think Phelps’s spewings are worthy of any reportage at all. In fact I wish any mention of Phelps on these boards were Godwinized (after I get my two cents’ worth in, of course). And I don’t even know for sure if the picture in the article is of actual Phelps people. But the phrase on the signs, “Fag enablers,” is indication enough for me. To summarize: the Phelps gang are _loonies_. They are not the voice of the opposition; they are merely the voice of the insane. **Stop giving them free press!** Ignore them. Thank you. ---
**Author:** ![Tobio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e68b1a/32.png) [@Tobio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tobio)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2004, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-hates-phelps-enablers/245714/2 "2004-05-18T05:07:13Z")
> [@masonite](#): > > They are not the voice of the opposition. Yes, they are. Some of the “opposition” may be able to wipe the rabid spittle from their lips before speaking to news crews, but they are all full of the same vile hatred. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2004, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-hates-phelps-enablers/245714/3 "2004-05-18T06:38:11Z")
This whole gay marriage thing is getting out of hand. I don’t think most of the people who are opposed to it are full of “vile hatred,” nor are they “monsters” or many of the other names people are flinging at them. I know lots of people opposed to gay marriage and they’re just like any other group of people. You have your shitstains but a great majority of them are good people. Do I agree with their views? No. Do I think they have a right to them? Hell yes. Re: the OP: Someone else would be just as pissed if it _wasn’t_ being covered by the news. ---
**Author:** ![iampunha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/74df32/32.png) [@iampunha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iampunha)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2004, 7:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-hates-phelps-enablers/245714/4 "2004-05-18T07:32:29Z")
**masonite** , thanks for letting me know those folks were there. I wouldn’t have known otherwise. ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2004, 7:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-hates-phelps-enablers/245714/5 "2004-05-18T07:42:35Z")
> [@Cisco](#): > > This whole gay marriage thing is getting out of hand. Yeah, it makes you wish people weren’t so insistent about keeping it illegal and making a big deal out of it. ---
**Author:** ![Reepicheep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ed655f/32.png) [@Reepicheep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reepicheep)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2004, 7:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-hates-phelps-enablers/245714/6 "2004-05-18T07:42:46Z")
> [@masonite](#): > > This is becoming a theme of mine on these boards; forvive me: > > I’m so sick of the press enabling Fred Phelps and his tiny, nasty gang by covering them wherever they appear. This article from BBC featured a picture of “detractors” of the Massachusetts gay marriages: [BBC NEWS | Americas | Gay marriages meet frosty silence](http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/3723519.stm) as if the Phelps crew were some sort of legitimate opposition. > > I have no objection to coverage of reasoned opposition to gay marriage but I don’t think Phelps’s spewings are worthy of any reportage at all. In fact I wish any mention of Phelps on these boards were Godwinized (after I get my two cents’ worth in, of course). > > And I don’t even know for sure if the picture in the article is of actual Phelps people. But the phrase on the signs, “Fag enablers,” is indication enough for me. > > To summarize: the Phelps gang are _loonies_. They are not the voice of the opposition; they are merely the voice of the insane. **Stop giving them free press!** Ignore them. Thank you. The same way the media covers the Klan doing dumb shit they cover Phelps doing dumb shit. I think its useful. I was able to protest him in Nyack because I knew he was coming. Same way I was able to protest the Klan 2 years ago when they marched in DC. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2004, 8:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-hates-phelps-enablers/245714/7 "2004-05-18T08:08:18Z")
> [@Otto](#): > > Yeah, it makes you wish people weren’t so insistent about keeping it illegal and making a big deal out of it. :dubious: You may be saying that condescendingly but I agree with you. ---
**Author:** ![Briny\_Deep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/briny_deep/32/17188_2.png) [@Briny\_Deep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Briny_Deep)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2004, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-hates-phelps-enablers/245714/8 "2004-05-18T13:09:19Z")
> [@iampunha](#): > > **masonite** , thanks for letting me know those folks were there. I wouldn’t have known otherwise. :smack: Actually I’m having second thoughts about this thread. Maybe it’s a good thing that the ONLY protesters a lot of media outlets talk about, are the insane pure-evil protesters like Phelps. Sort of robs everybody else (on the opposition) of legitimacy. Hmmmm… ---
**Author:** ![gobear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8dc957/32.png) [@gobear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gobear)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2004, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-hates-phelps-enablers/245714/9 "2004-05-18T13:23:02Z")
I don’t mind the Phelps family–they’re just one small cult with an obvious family history of mental illness. No, what gravels my gizzard are the group of African-American pastors who are actively campaigning against gay marriage. WTF do they think they are? First, it’s grossly hypocritical of them to compalin abotu “activist judges” recognizing the civil rights of an oppressed group on the 50th anniversary of another group of “activist judges” ending segregation in public schools. Moreover, they must be intensely stupid not to realize that they are allied with the same political elements that despise black people and use them to terrify white voters into voting for their party. The black ministers I saw on channel 7 last night should ask themselves if there is any reason for them to be allied with the far right on any issue. ---
**Author:** ![Excalibre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/898d66/32.png) [@Excalibre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Excalibre)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2004, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-hates-phelps-enablers/245714/10 "2004-05-18T14:02:06Z")
> [@Tobio](#): > > Yes, they are. > Some of the “opposition” may be able to wipe the rabid spittle from their lips before speaking to news crews, but they are all full of the same vile hatred. Nah. Some of them really believe what they’re saying. (Well, I suppose Phelps really does seem to believe that “God Hates Fags” - but then, this only really started when he needed some way to control his cultlike church.) Some people really believe it’s wrong, and that gay people are destined to hell, and we’re not doing the queers any favors by sanctioning marriage. Of course, those people are wrong, but their hearts are in the right place. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2004, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-hates-phelps-enablers/245714/11 "2004-05-18T14:11:58Z")
Well, if people know exactly how widespread Phred is (which isnt necessarily omnipresent, sometimes it’s toned down a bit,) you can plan for the inevitable instances in which they cross the line and do illegal things. After all, most protesters in the US, of all political persuasions, are not given to physical harassment. ---
**Author:** ![black\_rabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f19dbf/32.png) [@black\_rabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/black_rabbit)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2004, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-hates-phelps-enablers/245714/12 "2004-05-18T14:20:14Z")
> [@gobear](#): > > I don’t mind the Phelps family–they’re just one small cult with an obvious family history of mental illness. No, what gravels my gizzard are the group of African-American pastors who are actively campaigning against gay marriage. Tell me about it. I live in Cincinnati, and the local Black Minister’s Conference actively campaigned for the amendment that enshrined discrimination against homosexuals in the city charter. In the years after that fiasco, it kinda seemed like the two communities were making some headway in finding common ground. Then, when the leadership of the local Stonewall group voted to support the coalition of civil rights groups that were leading the boycott of Downtown after the April 01 riots, the membership promptly kicked them out for a new set of leaders who would be more open to concerns of the gentrifying class. Since then, there’s been a low level, but nasty, slugfest going on between the power players on both sides. Nobody’s been particularly innocent. As a guy who’s neither black nor gay, but still concerned about oppression against _everybody_, I just kinda have to shake my head. I can understand some of the resentment in the African American community that so many people are mobilizing in support of gay marriage to the exclusion of so many other legitimate civil rights issues; on the other hand, it’s hard for the gay community to reach out when the a significant segment of the African American “leadership,” such as it is, steadfastly refuses to address the serious problem of homophobia among their flock. It’d be nice if we all could get together and kick the shit outta the purebred bigots who actually _run_ this town. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2004, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-hates-phelps-enablers/245714/13 "2004-05-18T14:28:58Z")
> [@gobear](#): > > The black ministers I saw on channel 7 last night should ask themselves if there is any reason for them to be allied with the far right on any issue. Not to shit on your parade, or really even defend these people, but do you think someone should stand against an issue they believe in just because a party that they aren’t alligned with also believes in it? I don’t like how parties have become more important that issues or individuals to so many people. ---
**Author:** ![gobear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8dc957/32.png) [@gobear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gobear)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2004, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-hates-phelps-enablers/245714/14 "2004-05-18T14:57:23Z")
> [@Cisco](#): > > Not to shit on your parade, or really even defend these people, but do you think someone should stand against an issue they believe in just because a party that they aren’t alligned with also believes in it? > > I don’t like how parties have become more important that issues or individuals to so many people. I don;t think that merely being a member of a minority group should prevent one from having conservative views; however, there are limits. If Stormfront endorsed a position that I supported, I’d have to rethink any view would make Nazis my allies. Similarly, the black ministers are allying themselves with the exact same people who have opposed civil rights for black people and who use black faces to inflame white passions at the voting booth. In addition, they (at least on the local ABC affiliate) were decrying the exact same tactics that were used to gain their rights 50 years ago to the day! If black ministers don’t approve of the principle of judicial review, then I suggest that they renounce their rights as citizens granted them by the same courts and haul themselves back to the cotton fields. ---
**Author:** ![spectrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9fc29f/32.png) [@spectrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spectrum)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2004, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-hates-phelps-enablers/245714/15 "2004-05-18T15:21:03Z")
> [@Cisco](#): > > This whole gay marriage thing is getting out of hand. I don’t think most of the people who are opposed to it are full of “vile hatred,” nor are they “monsters” or many of the other names people are flinging at them. Let’s put Cisco in the wayback machine: “This whole blacks voting thing is getting out of hand. I don’t think most people who are opposed to it are full of “vile hatred,” nor are they “monsters” or many of the other names people are flinging at them.” > [@](#): > > I know lots of people opposed to gay marriage and they’re just like any other group of people. You have your shitstains but a great majority of them are good people. You cannot be a good person and support fundamental discrimination at the same time. The only potential “good people” who are “opposed” to gay marriage are those who have no real problem with the idea, but are just a bit leery of such a change – ie, those who can easily convert to the only legitimate position in short order. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2004, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-hates-phelps-enablers/245714/16 "2004-05-18T17:12:12Z")
> [@masonite](#): > > :smack: > > Actually I’m having second thoughts about this thread. Maybe it’s a good thing that the ONLY protesters a lot of media outlets talk about, are the insane pure-evil protesters like Phelps. Sort of robs everybody else (on the opposition) of legitimacy. Hmmmm… I was going to say more or less the same thing. Fred is so far out, he’s ultimatly doing more harm to his cause than good. Let him be the face of opposition to gay marriage. It’ll help show how fundamentally stupid such a position is. ---
**Author:** ![Briny\_Deep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/briny_deep/32/17188_2.png) [@Briny\_Deep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Briny_Deep)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2004, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-hates-phelps-enablers/245714/17 "2004-05-18T17:27:08Z")
> [@gobear](#): > > If Stormfront endorsed a position that I supported, I’d have to rethink any view would make Nazis my allies. But they (SF) must support views you also support, nuts as they are on the racial issue. I’m sure they believe things fall downward, for example, and they probably support lots of common laws we all support, such as don’t steal - don’t murder - etc. If you found yourself in agreement w/ SF on a complex political issue, I see your concern, but where do you draw that line? You can’t disagree with EVERYTHING a hated group says; it leads to insanity. (I know; I tried it with Bush&Co. and it didn’t work.) 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![MysteryFellow63427](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e4f/32.png) [@MysteryFellow63427](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MysteryFellow63427)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2004, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-hates-phelps-enablers/245714/18 "2004-05-18T17:35:37Z")
> [@Cisco](#): > > This whole gay marriage thing is getting out of hand. You’ve been getting some flak for this statement, so could you clarify it? Did you mean the gay marriage issue at large, or the treatment the issue was getting on the boards? (I personally assumed the latter.) ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2004, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-hates-phelps-enablers/245714/19 "2004-05-18T17:59:13Z")
**gobear** , I’m so used to you referring to reasonable people who oppose homosexual marriage as gay-hating bigots that I’ve lost any will to protest anymore. I guess it makes it easier to go about your life if you can convince yourself that everyone who disagrees with you is filled with seething rage and hatred. But do you have any cites to support your assertion that these people are also black-hating racists? I just think it’s weird that out of all the hundreds of people I personally know who believe that homosexual behavior is wrong, I haven’t met any whom I know to actually hate - or even dislike - homosexuals (as if you could lump them all together). But on top of that, the thought that they are racist is laughable. A good number of them are minorites themselvs (and are offended that the homosexual marriage debate has disguised itself as a ‘civil rights’ issue). So, unless you have actual _evidence_ that people who oppose homosexual marriage want to send all the black people back to the cotton farm – shut your pie hole. ---
**Author:** ![Weirddave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/919ad9/32.png) [@Weirddave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weirddave)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2004, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-hates-phelps-enablers/245714/20 "2004-05-18T18:10:02Z")
> [@Skammer](#): > > A good number of them are minorites themselvs (and are offended that the homosexual marriage debate has disguised itself as a ‘civil rights’ issue). A group of people is being descriminated against because of an innate physical characteristic. Could you tell me how in sweet Jesus’ name this _isn’t_ a civil rights issue? When your minority friends were being descriminated against ( or more likely, their parents and grandparents ) because of their innate physical characterists, it sure as hell was a civil rights issue, what has changed? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-hates-phelps-enablers/245714.md?page=2)