# The Phelps Family - an Article **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 31, 2007, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-phelps-family-an-article/398188 "2007-03-31T05:30:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2007, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-phelps-family-an-article/398188/1 "2007-03-31T05:30:37Z")
I’m not sure where to put this: things about the Phelps usually end up in the pit but I’m not pitting anything, and I don’t have anything to debate or ask, but on the other hand I’m not sure this is Mundane or Pointless. Anyway, found this story, apparently a leader for an upcoming BBC documentary, on the Phelps. It’s a bit short but quite fascinating. > **[Louis Theroux meets the Phelps - America's most hated family](https://www.theguardian.com/media/2007/mar/31/tvandradio.usnews)** > > Louis Theroux on the subject of the first show in his new BBC2 series, the Phelps - the most hated family in America. ---
**Author:** ![SnakesCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4af34b/32.png) [@SnakesCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SnakesCatLady)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2007, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-phelps-family-an-article/398188/2 "2007-03-31T05:42:53Z")
If they limited themselves to picketing anything other than funerals, I could probably ignore them - or pity them. As it is - I can honestly say I hate them, and I very seldom use the word “hate”. If someone offends me, or irritates me, I just try to erase them from my world. If I use the word “hate” it means I would happily see the person/persons I have directed that word to dead. Painfully, slowly and painfuly, dead. I don’t like feeling that way. Other that the P clan there is only one living human person I hate. I feel sorry for the younger ones, and hope there is some chance for them to have a normal life. “11 children”? Guess she’s busy breeding the next generation of P-clan. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2007, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-phelps-family-an-article/398188/3 "2007-03-31T11:53:19Z")
It would be interesting to see that documentary. I wish there was a way I could get a tape of it. Being as I live in Topeka I see and hear a lot about them. Back in the early 90’s we did a lot of counter-picketing against them, and part of my email address speaks to that. The first three letters, “chw” stand for the words “crop headed whore”. It’s what Fred used to call us counterpicketing women who cut their hair. A film student at the University of Kansas made a documentary title “Fall From Grace”. It was shown here at the public library, and also got several recent showings in Austin, Texas at a music/film festival, South by Southwest. An amazing work, if you ever get a chance to see it please watch. **Princhester** , if you see the BBC show let us know what you think, will you? ---
**Author:** ![user\_hostile](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/user_hostile/32/474_2.png) [@user\_hostile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/user_hostile)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2007, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-phelps-family-an-article/398188/4 "2007-03-31T16:04:05Z")
Type in the following into Google or some other search engine. Addicted to Hate: The Fred Phelps Story The title sounds like a crappy dime-store novel doesn’t it? After reading through the article, however, hating Phelps just wasn’t worth the effort; instead it left me with pity for him and his family–they’ve totally wasted their lives pursuing a lie ☹ 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2007, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-phelps-family-an-article/398188/5 "2007-03-31T19:01:17Z")
Here’s another interesting article: [Inside world’s most evil sect](http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2001320029-2007140814,00.html). Here’s the scariest part: > [@](#): > > Yet Louis does get friendly with the family, even going bowling with them. He admits: “They’ve made a life that in many ways is appealing. It was easy to become desensitised to what they were doing.” His point was chillingly proved by another documentary maker — Steve Drain — who joined the cult after making a film about them, despite having held liberal views. :eek: 😕 :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Girl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7bcc69/32.png) [@Mighty\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Girl)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2007, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-phelps-family-an-article/398188/6 "2007-03-31T20:01:11Z")
Think for a second: what will happen when a gay child is born into their sect? What will happen when that child is old enough to understand what he is? :eek: ---
**Author:** ![appleciders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85f322/32.png) [@appleciders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/appleciders)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2007, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-phelps-family-an-article/398188/7 "2007-03-31T20:05:27Z")
That kid will either leave (several Phelps family members have) or will repress those feelings for fear of being exiled. ---
**Author:** ![lavenderviolet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/cdc98d/32.png) [@lavenderviolet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lavenderviolet)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2007, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-phelps-family-an-article/398188/8 "2007-03-31T20:13:06Z")
I’ve always viewed the Phelps as being the real life equivalent of an Internet troll, and therefore not really worth all the attention they get. It’s pretty easy to see that they love the publicity and drama their over-the-top antics generate. Why keep feeding into their desire for attention? Yes, of course I think their behavior is horrible (and I’m sure that if I died in some news-worthy way, they would be picketing my funeral to announce that I too am some sort of fag-loving whore that is going to hell). I just don’t think the incoherent ranting of some crazy old man who has absolutely no political power and alienates almost everyone he meets really poses a threat. There are legitimate threats from religious extremists out there, but this craziness isn’t even worth taking seriously. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2007, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-phelps-family-an-article/398188/9 "2007-03-31T20:16:29Z")
Everyone agrees the Phelps family is dead serous about what they do. They believe they are the only chosen people and everyone else is going to hell. ---
**Author:** ![SnakesCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4af34b/32.png) [@SnakesCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SnakesCatLady)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2007, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-phelps-family-an-article/398188/10 "2007-03-31T20:33:42Z")
I don’t take them seriously - I think they are idiots. But the way they have chosen to proclaim their idiocy bothers me. I would probably in up in jail if these wahoos showed up at the funeral of someone I loved. These people are the extreme version of why I turned away from Christianity - they read the Bible and take only the hateful, spiteful bits, while rejecting what is good and loving. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2007, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-phelps-family-an-article/398188/11 "2007-03-31T22:07:37Z")
[QUOTE=lavenderviolet] I’ve always viewed the Phelps as being the real life equivalent of an Internet troll, and therefore not really worth all the attention they get. It’s pretty easy to see that they love the publicity and drama their over-the-top antics generate. Why keep feeding into their desire for attention? [/QUOTE] I don’t think you appreciate just how scary the Phelpses can be in person. For example, Maya Angelou was so frightened by an [encounter with the Phelpses](http://www.apologeticsindex.org/112-fred-phelps) that she cancelled a speaking engagement: > [@](#): > > In 1994 Phelps earned national attention for his violent verbal confrontation with poet Maya Angelou, forcing her to cancel a speaking engagement at Emporia State University. He attacked her because she had spoken at a public function with President Bill Clinton. Phelps believed in retaliating against anyone associated with President Bill Clinton because he believed Clinton was pro-gays. I believe that Ms Angelou said at the time that she would not return to Kansas. Doesn’t need very many events like that and your state is getting a pretty bad rep for people planning business conventions, to take just one example. ---
**Author:** ![WolfpackJeep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpackjeep/32/2921_2.png) [@WolfpackJeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WolfpackJeep)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2007, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-phelps-family-an-article/398188/12 "2007-03-31T23:12:41Z")
I wonder if anyone will picket Fred’s funeral when he dies. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2007, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-phelps-family-an-article/398188/13 "2007-04-01T03:46:20Z")
[QUOTE=Jeep’s Phoenix] I wonder if anyone will picket Fred’s funeral when he dies. [/QUOTE] Someone’s gonna have to show me how to do cartwheels. But unfortunately, his hatred will outlive him. ---
**Author:** ![Kythereia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e8c25b/32.png) [@Kythereia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kythereia)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2007, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-phelps-family-an-article/398188/14 "2007-04-01T04:18:04Z")
[QUOTE=Jeep’s Phoenix] I wonder if anyone will picket Fred’s funeral when he dies. [/QUOTE] I would _love_ to. I’d have sparkly markers on my sign and sequins and Christmas lights and _everything_. ---
**Author:** ![Rayne\_Man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/df705f/32.png) [@Rayne\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rayne_Man)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2007, 7:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-phelps-family-an-article/398188/15 "2007-04-01T07:07:44Z")
Here is a [BBC article](http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/6507971.stm) about the programme. There is also an on-line clip on the BBC site , but it might not be available outside the UK. ---
**Author:** ![Rayne\_Man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/df705f/32.png) [@Rayne\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rayne_Man)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2007, 9:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-phelps-family-an-article/398188/16 "2007-04-01T09:16:31Z")
This [link](http://www.bbc.co.uk/tv/) to the clips may or may not work outside the UK. It’s worth a try. ---
**Author:** ![WolfpackJeep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpackjeep/32/2921_2.png) [@WolfpackJeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WolfpackJeep)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2007, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-phelps-family-an-article/398188/17 "2007-04-01T15:36:30Z")
[QUOTE=Kythereia] I would _love_ to. I’d have sparkly markers on my sign and sequins and Christmas lights and _everything_. [/QUOTE] After giving it some thought, I think Michael Moore should roll out the Sodom-mobile for the event. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2007, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-phelps-family-an-article/398188/18 "2007-04-01T17:34:02Z")
I think they really jumped the shark when they picketed the funeral of _Fred Rogers_. That’s righ, Mister-freaking-Rogers. Of course, given that Rogers was a much beloved person here in his native Pittsburgh, they had plenty of counter protestors, including, I’m told, several former and current Pittsburgh Steelers, surrounding them and singing songs from _Mister Rogers’s Neighborhood_.