We have to be able to do something!! (GLBT issues alert)

[southerngirlwriter]

I check Fred Phelps's web site occasionally (mostly to remind myself of what we're up against; it prevents complacency.)

Him and his band of haters are due to be in SF to protest the gay marriages on February 22-23.

What can we do? I have no money to hop a plane to SF, but there has to be something we can do!!! Ideas? I am seething with rage over these jackasses!! :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr:

[Pale Blue Dot]

1. Remember: They're losing and they know it.

They are pinning all of their hopes on a constitutional amendment that will never get ratified in all 50 states. They know that they have no fight against the current, correct, Constitution.

It's going to be OK. :-)

[southerngirlwriter]

3. It just makes me want to

:puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke:

What's happening in SF is so beautiful; these hatemongers are horrifying!!!! :grr: :grr: :grr:

[Pale Blue Dot]

7. It IS beautiful, what's happening in SF.

It's giving me hope, and making me believe again in the power of love. I don't think Phelps or anyone else will be able to beat that.

[Duncan Grant]

10. It's a wonderful time to be here.

So many people from my workplace have married over the last few days. The only thing people complain about is that they didn't have time to sign-up for a bridal registry (great presents, don't ya know...). :evilgrin:

My husband and I are thinking about going on Tuesday (we had a big wedding in August 2002 and we have our DP documents in order).

:7 More to come...

[southerngirlwriter]

11. Please tell!

Would love to hear a wedding story from SF!! :D

[tishaLA]

16. I feel like marriage entitles one to a set of

All Clad, so I can see how the lack of a bridal registery sucks. On such short notice, ya can't even get a good set of towels.

[Lisa0825]

17. Yes, it is really beautiful!!!!

I saw a former coworker today who is gay. It was so nice to talk to him after not seeinghim for about 6 months. He was BEAMING when we talked about how great the events in SF are! And I totally made his day when I told him about the rumors about Rick Perry!LMAO!

Those couples in SF have done more to make me believe in love again than I ever thought anything could.... I am a 35 yr old straight divorced woman, and I figured it would never happen for me again... but to see their happy faces on the news.... it was so moving.... it made me want to be on love again.

:loveya:

[Bronco69]

2. They will probably be ignored.

phelps and his incestuous gang protest at my church at least twice a year. Their protest signs are VERY graphic (two stick figures having anal sex) and the media doesn't like having those images on the screen. they might get a small mention, but that's probably about it.

[Bertha Venation]

19. wait a minute bronco

I despise what they do as much as anyone, maybe more. But unless you have proof don't throw words like "incestuous" around, bud. Please.

[Bronco69]

23. No way, Bertha.

I've heard way too many stories and the religious extremists taught us a few years ago with President Clinton that you only need allegations to make something true. I'm just playing by the rules that they've established, bud. :-)

[Bertha Venation]

4. He'll be barfing hatred all over love on MY BIRTHDAY!

damn his squinty, rheumy little pricky eyes!

I've been where his band of haters was picketing three time, J. I'll tell about those times some other time -- gotta go now. I'm a slave to "Third Watch."

:loveya:

[southerngirlwriter]

5. Please tell!

As soon as your show is over. :)

[Bertha Venation]

20. Okay, I'm telling.

The first one was at an interfaith service where I sang w/ a GLBT/friendly chorus. The pastor walked out to invite the picketers to join us inside for the service (after all, there is only one god, no?). He came back and he was white as a ghost. He wouldn't say what they said to him. They chanted ugly things during the service, loudly enough to be heard inside. When the service was over and everyone was hugging on each other and chatting, then leaving, they shouted thing like "God hates fags" and "God is not in this church."

The second was at the concert during the Millenium March celebration in DC in 2000. They were outside RFK Stadium yelling at people as we went in for the concert. I was shaking as we passed them, but Mrs. V. held my hand and told me just to ignore them.

The third and last time I confronted these clansmen was at a Soulforce demonstration outside the Presbyterian USA convention in Long Beach, CA, in June '00. That one was the hardest because I was alone (scores of other protesters were there, but I was with no one I knew) and we were very close to them.

The part of that protest I remember best: We stood in a large circle, holding hands, facing out, in silent protest as the church members filed into the convention hall. Many people stopped to ask why we were doing this; some stopped to thank us; some hugged us -- complete strangers. Some prayed with us. We stood in that circle, in silent prayer and meditation -- and the clanners screamed at us things like "Why did God destroy Sodom & Gomorrah?" They were furious that we wouldn't reply. Utterly clueless, they were.

They ARE completely clueless. They are the scratch & sniff armpit, the bargain basement of the homophobic religious clans. They can't even carry Jerry Falwell's briefcase -- compared to them, I have a little respect for Falwell. That's how bad they are.

[southerngirlwriter]

21. I envy you your maturity and dignity.

I'd have beat him up -- even though he's a pitiful, old man. I'd have kicked his ass.

[Bertha Venation]

22. LOL neither maturity nor dignity: it was terror

Soulforce bases its actions on the teachings of King and Gandhi -- complete non-violence. To have started something, even to have spoken back harshly, would've been to destroy Soulforce's statement.

One of the things I like about the group is that they hold training sessions for all protest volunteers before the events. I love that group. I'm no longer involved but I believe in their mission. Any GLBT or friendly folks who believe gay folk ought not be turned away from houses of worship: Soulforce is a worthy cause.

But the terror wasn't from fear of mucking up the cause: I was just terrified of confronting the enemy. I had all I could do to stand there with them picketing less than five feet away from me, with a couple of them stopping to look into my eyes every now and then, without my knees buckling. :scared:

[Duncan Grant]

6. Avoid toxic waste.

Consider the sage advice of Glenda when you encounter Fred:

"You have no power here. Begone, before someone drops a house on you!"

That always cheers me up a bit...

:hi:

[Slice]

8. Not much you can do

Fred Phelps is a dirty old man.

I personally think that he is gay himself. He shouldn't be ashamed for being gay, and should just come out and acknowledge it, and apologize to the Shephard family for what he has done to them.

[BlackVelvetElvis]

12. I remember reading that Phelps physically abused his kids

Google it. Something should show up.
Big surprise.
I agree with every thing you said Slice. Now's not the time to be passive though. I'm tired of my humanity being used as a pawn to mobilize the right wing.

[southerngirlwriter]

13. the stories I've read (from very credible sources)

were beyond horrifying.

[burrowowl]

9. If some gay people got

married in Bernalillo NM, it shows that times they are are a changing!

[Bundbuster]

14. Just let him show America

At the end of the day, I think nutjobs like Phelps putting their hatred on display to America helps our cause. How can ANYONE who isn't already a confirmed bigot watch and hear his sickness without being adversely affected? I think he wins more converts to the side of tolerence than to the dark side.

[BlackVelvetElvis]

15. You know what needs to be done about Phelps?

A network new expose. Reading about him in the newspaper, seeing him on tv in tiny bits (nothing but soundbites) are way different than something more far reaching. Investigate the insanity, the hatred and expose Phelps abusive background. I think that would be way more powerful.

[Obamarama]

18. I think this weekend is the big "Bear" event in SF...

For those of you who aren't gay or know much about the "shocking" (Laura Bush's words, not mine) lives of gay folks, there's what's called a "Bear Community."

Essentially it's big, burly, beefy hairy guys who like other big, burly, beefy hairy guys. I'm not a "bear" nor do I get into the "bear culture" but let me tell you...some of these guys make the average NFL linebacker look like a wimp.

Their big SF based event (I believe it's called "Bear Rendevous")is this weekend.

Maybe a bunch of the bears can go over and whip Fred's ass? Now that would be a sight to behold. I can just see it on NBC Dateline now:

When Bears Attack: Fur Flies At Anti-Gay Marriage Protest