From kevyn@KSUVM.KSU.EDUWed Jul 12 16:39:51 1995
Date: Wed, 12 Jul 1995 16:07:17 -0500
From: Kevyn Jacobs <kevyn@KSUVM.KSU.EDU>
To: KQN@casti.com
Subject: PHELPS TO PICKET SAN DIEGO PRIDE


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     * Copyright (c) 1995 Rex Wockner and affiliates. *
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             PHELPS TO PICKET SAN DIEGO PRIDE
                    Organizers Shocked
               Police Will Not Add Officers
                      by Rex Wockner

        Vociferous anti-gay activist the Rev. Fred Phelps and
several of his followers will picket San Diego's gay-pride parade
Saturday, July 15, Phelps said in a telephone interview.

        "We'll have 20 to 25 (protesters)," Phelps said. "The police are
going to provide us a place where they can secure our safety."

        Phelps and members of his Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kan.,
are notorious for picketing the funerals of people who have died of AIDS,
including famed gay journalist Randy Shilts and gay MTV "Real World" star
Pedro Zamoro.

        Most of the members of the church are also members of Phelps'
extended family.

        Phelps is set apart from ordinary anti-gay picketers by the
ferocity of his press releases and picket signs. Standard placards
include: "God Hates Fags," "Shilts in Hell" and "Fag God = Rectum."

        He has provoked violence in other cities from gays who could
not restrain their anger.

        In his press release announcing the picket of Zamoro's
funeral, Phelps wrote: "Another filthy fag has died of AIDS and
split hell wide open! ... He declared war on God & nature and
lost. ... Fags have only TWO so-called gay rights: AIDS & HELL!"

        Announcing the picket of Shilts' funeral, Phelps wrote, "The
fag-dominated entertainment and media worlds are making a hero of
this gerbil-mongering moron, and touting his anal-copulating
lifestyle as a glorious thing to be emulated by American youth."

        The faxed announcement of Phelps' visit to San Diego reads:
"WESTBORO BAPTIST CHURCH WILL PICKET THE FILTHY FAG PARADE IN SAN DIEGO ON
JULY 15. ... THE QUEER LIFESTYLE LEADS INTO THE JAWS OF DEATH, AIDS,
SYPHILIS, GONORRHEA AND OTHER SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASES, HEPATITIS,
HERPES, AMOEBIASIS, GAY BOWEL SYNDROME AND OTHER ENTERIC DISEASES, DAMAGE
TO THE ANUS, RECTUM AND OTHER ORGANS, SADISM, TORTURE, BONDAGE, PAIN, GANG
SEX, ALCOHOLISM, DRUG ABUSE, FISTING, GOLDEN SHOWERS, RIMMING, SCAT, QUEER
BARS AND BATHHOUSES, SODOMY, PEDOPHILIA, VIOLENCE, EARLY DEATH. ... FAGS
ARE DEAD WHILE THEY LIVE."

        Phelps' clan picketed San Francisco's gay parade June 17.

        "The police held the crowd at bay for one hour and 25
minutes after the start of the parade," Phelps said. "We were
there for two-and-a-half hours before. There were so many people
that it was about as good before. Last time we were there, at
Shilts' funeral, the police didn't have enough manpower."

        San Diego Police gay-community liaison Matt Weathersby said
Phelps should not expect any special protection here.

        "We got one of their lovely fliers -- they contacted us
about a week ago," Weathersby said. "They informed us what
happened in San Francisco. I understand there was damned near a
riot up there. We don't afford any special protection to anyone.
We'll have a protest zone set up. If they want to set up in that
zone, that's fine. If they decide to go off walking down the
street, we will not send a contingent of officers flanking them.
They don't have a right to walk off anywhere and expect law
enforcement to accommodate them, because we don't have the
manpower. Quote me. Tell the gay community: 'Don't let the
bastard win.'"

        Informed of Phelps' plans by this reporter, San Diego Pride
Executive Director Brenda Schumacher said: "Oh my god. You're
kidding. That changes things a little bit."

        Hearing typing on a keyboard, Schumacher continued: "Oh, are
you quoting me? It doesn't change a thing. We're completely
ready. Our community knows how to respond to the fundies. We have
met with the city and the police. We have solid plans in place.

        "Phelps will demonstrate why we do need to take to the
streets," Schumacher said. "His impact will be educational. On
this day when our community is out feeling good about ourselves,
his vile hatred will have very little impact on the joy we're
feeling. I encourage the community not to ... create a situation
that would reflect poorly on our community. We can rise above
that kind of animosity."

                          == end ==

Westboro Baptist Church: (913) 273-0325