Scarcely has news of Elizabeth Taylor's death spread across the world and a viciously anti-gay US church is planning to protest at her funeral. The minute Westboro Baptist Church, which has disgusted many with its pickets outside the funerals of US soldiers with signs reading "God Hates Fags", has now turned its sights on the tireless AIDS campaigner and friend to the gay community. Margie Phelps, daughter of Westboro Pastor Fred Phelps, has taken to Twitter to say “Her whoredoms enabled filthy fags! She now answers for her gr8 sin in hell! #WBC will picket funeral!” Earlier this month, the Supreme Court, with a majority of 8 to 1 ruled the group should be allowed to picket funerals by relying on their First Amendment rights to free speech. However, if they show at Taylor's funeral they are likely to be met with glbt rights supporters and fans of the late actress in a hushed counter-protest, with rumblings of such a response already beginning in the blogosphere. In the past counter-protesters have lined up and turned their backs on the group or encircled them in a ring, explaining that they want to symbolically shield the community. Earlier this month the son of Fred Phelps claimed that his father beat his family until they bled. Nate Phelps, who has been estranged from his family for more than 30 years, is writing a book about his experiences growing up in the Kansas church.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Thursday, 24th March 2011 - 2:03pm