Ir al contenido

Diferencia entre revisiones de «Fred Phelps»

De Wikipedia, la enciclopedia libre
Explorar historial interactivamente
← Ir a diferencia anteriorIr a siguiente diferencia →
Contenido eliminado Contenido añadido
VisualWikitexto
→‎Sitios críticos a Phelps: ya no es destacado en en:
Página reemplazada por «Es un maricon de mierda repirimido que en secreto tiene orgias homosexuales con jack chick , y le lame la mierda de la polla.».
Línea 1: Línea 1:
Es un maricon de mierda repirimido que en secreto tiene orgias homosexuales con jack chick , y le lame la mierda de la polla.
[[Archivo:Fred Phelps on his pulpit.jpg|frame|Fred Phelps, c. 2001]]

'''Fred Waldron Phelps''' (nacido el [[13 de noviembre]] de [[1929]]) es el líder de la [[Iglesia Bautista Westboro]] (''Westboro Baptist Church''), un grupo religioso [[ideología de odio|de odio]] que tiene sede en la casa de Fred en [[Topeka]], [[Kansas]] y que opera independientemente de cualquier otra iglesia [[bautismo|bautista]] u organización religiosa. Phelps es conocido por predicar que [[Dios]] odia a los [[homosexualidad|homosexuales]] y que les castigará al igual que a cualquier persona que esté insuficientemente en contra de los homosexuales (a los que dentro de su iglesia se llama despectivamente "fag enabler", es decir, "permitidor de [[maricón|maricas]]").

Phelps ha ganado atención en los Estados Unidos por interrumpir funerales de militares que murieron en [[Iraq]], organizar protestas contra el gobierno estadounidense, los soldados fallecidos, y sus familias. Él afirma que tales muertes, igual que otros sucesos trágicos como los [[atentados del 11 de septiembre]] y el [[huracán Katrina]] son causados por Dios debido a su odio a los homosexuales y la tolerancia de ellos por parte de Estados Unidos. Además de interrumpir funerales, él y sus seguidores frecuentemente organizan [[piquete]]s en varios acontecimientos, especialmente desfiles de [[orgullo gay]] y reuniones prominentes políticas, e incluso inauguraciones de nuevas [[cafetería]]s [[Starbucks]], razonando que es su deber sagrado compartir su punto de vista con otros. Ante las críticas, los seguidores de Phelps afirman que sus acciones son justificadas de acuerdo a la [[Primera enmienda de la constitución de Estados Unidos de América|primera enmienda]] de la [[Constitución de los Estados Unidos de América|constitución estadounidense]]. El presidente [[George Walker Bush|Bush]] firmó el [[Respect for America's Fallen Heroes Act]] ("Acta de respeto por los héroes fallecidos de Estados Unidos") en respuesta al arruinamiento de funerales militares de parte de Phelps y sus seguidores.<ref name="heroes">{{Cita noticia
|nombre= Nedra
|apellido= Pickler
|url = http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/30/AR2006053000134.html
|título= Bush Says U.S. Must Honor War Dead
|obra= [[The Washington Post]]
|editorial= [[Associated Press]]
|fecha=
|fechaacceso= 2006-06-09
}}</ref>

Phelps se describe a sí mismo como un predicador tenaz que cree que la homosexualidad y la aceptación de la misma han destinado a la mayoría del mundo a condenación eterna. Su grupo consiste en poco menos de 100 miembros, 90 de los cuales son parientes de Phelps por sangre o matrimonio, aunque su hija Shirley afirma que sólo el 80% son parientes.<ref name="fox">{{Cita noticia
|autor= Sean Hannity and Alan Colmes interviewing Shirley Phelps Roper
|url = http://www.break.com/index/hannityloon.html
|título= Crazy Woman On Hannity & Colmes
|obra= Hannity & Colmes
|editorial= FOX News (hosted at break.com)
|fecha= 2006-05-05
|fechaacceso= 2006-06-08
}}</ref>
El grupo se basa en una teología esencialmente antihomosexual y muchas de sus actividades provienen del [[mantra]] "Dios odia a los maricones", que es también el nombre de la página web del grupo. Activistas de [[derecho gay]] y [[cristianismo|cristianos]] de virtualmente todas las confesiones, le han denunciado como un productor de [[propaganda]] [[homofobia|homofóbica]] y palabras de odio que provocan violencia.

Phelps llamó la atención de la prensa en 1998 cuando él y otros congregantes de Westboro organizaron un piquete durante el funeral de la víctima homosexual de asesinato [[Matthew Shepard]], presentando un sermón lleno de obscenidades (enfocándose especialmente en descripciones gráficas de actos sexuales homosexuales) e informando a los dolientes que Shepard había ido al infierno y que ellos también acabarían en el mismo lugar.

Phelps también ha sido denunciado por la [[Liga Antidifamación]](''Anti-Defamation League'') por sus frecuentes comentarios antijudíos.<ref>[http://www.adl.org/special_reports/wbc/wbc_on_jews.asp Fred Phelps and the Westboro Baptist Church: In Their Own Words] Denuncia en el sitio de la Liga (en inglés)</ref> Por lo que muchos estadounidenses identifican claramente a su iglesia como homofóbica, antisemita y racista, tal como concluye el Instituto Rick A. Ross.<ref>[http://www.rickross.com/reference/westboro/westboro1.html ADL report says homophobic 'church' espouses anti-semitism, racism] Referencias en el sitio del Instituto (en ingles)</ref>

== Antecedentes (1929-1989) ==
=== Adolescencia ===
[[Archivo:Phelpses.JPG|thumb|250px|La foto más antigua de Fred Phelps; a la edad de dos años está con su hermana menor, Martha-Jean. La sombra en la foto es la de Fred Wade Phelps, el padre de Fred, quien sacó la foto.]]

Fred Phelps nació en [[Meridian]], [[Misisipi (estado)|Misisipi]] en 1929, el primero de dos hijos; su hermana, Martha Jean, era un año menor. Su padre, Fred Wade Phelps, fue un detective privado empleado por la línea de ferrocarriles del área, su trabajo era prevenir que los pasajeros viajaran en los trenes ilegalmente. Fred recuerda que muchas veces su padre llegaba a casa "con sangre hasta los hombros". La madre de Fred, Catherine Phelps, se quedaba en casa cuidando a los hijos. Todos en la familia eran miembros devotos de la [[Iglesia Metodista Episcopal del Sur]]. Catherine murió de cáncer de la garganta a la edad de veintiocho, cuando Phelps tenía ocho años. Ésta fue su primera experiencia significativa y una que parece haberle afectado enormemente. Uno de los únicos recuerdos que tiene Phelps sobre su madre es que, como era la única mujer en su calle que tenía un instrumento musical (un piano), solía colocarlo en el frente de la casa, abrir todas las ventanas y puertas, y tocarlo para satisfacer a los vecinos. Catherine fue una ciudadana sumamente destacada de Meridian, el alcalde (quien también fue el portador del féretro), un miembro del ayuntamiento de la ciudad, dos jueces, y todos los miembros de la fuerza policial de Meridian asistieron a su funeral.<ref name="addict3">Fry, Steven, John Michael Bell, and Joe Taschler. ''Addicted to Hate''. Chapter 3: "God's Left Hook", 1994.</ref>

Poco después de la muerte de su madre, su tía abuela materna, Irene Jordan, se mudó con la familia y llegó a ser como una segunda madre para Phelps; ella murió en un accidente automovilístico en 1950, poco antes del vigésimo primer cumpleaños de Fred.<ref name="addict3" />

Tanto amigos como enemigos recuerdan al joven Phelps como un muchacho astuto y callado; los colegas que han sido entrevistados parecen estar unánimemente de acuerdo en que Phelps fue considerablemente popular en la [[escuela secundaria]], a pesar de que no era muy sociable (cosa que el mismo Phelps acepta). Sus amigos también recuerdan que Phelps tenía una clara tendencia de ser prepotente y arrogante. Como lo confiesa Phelps, nunca salió con chicas ni tuvo ningún interés en miembros del sexo opuesto. Fue un integrante de la banda escolar (tocó la [[Corneta (música)|corneta]]), del equipo de [[atletismo]] (se especializó en [[carreras de vallas]]), y trabajó como un reportero del periódico de su escuela. Además [[boxeo|boxeó]] durante sus años de escuela secundaria. Ganó el campeonato [[Golden Gloves]] de su estado dos veces, ambas por knockout. En el anuario escolar de su año de graduación, sus compañeros de clase postularon que él sería un boxeador profesional.<ref name="addict3" />

=== Conversión ===
Durante su adolescencia, los padres de Phelps le habían criado para ingresarse en el servicio militar; al graduarse (con un sexto lugar entre más de 200 estudiantes), fue admitido en la academia militar [[West Point]], pero como se graduó temprano, a los dieciséis años, tendría que esperar un año antes de empezar las clases.<ref name="addict3" /> Phelps se quedó en Meridian durante el periodo de espera. Se hizo amigo de otro muchacho, John Capron, con quien pasó la mayoría del tiempo. Fred le presentó a John a su hermana Marta-Jean, con quien finalmente se casaría John.<ref name="addict3" />

En la primavera o verano de 1946, Phelps y Capron asistieron a un oficio religioso en la ''Iglesia Metodista East End'' de Meridian. Según amigos de Phelps y Capron, éstos estuvieron más interesados en el sermón que cualquier otro presente; Joe Clay Hamilton, un colega de la escuela de Fred, recordaría años después: "Los dos aprendieron religión. Phelps y Capron se emocionaron mucho sobre la religión. No podían distinguir la realidad de idealismo".<ref name="addict3" />

El sermón al que Phelps atribuye su "despertar" a su teología actual es uno que se considera relativamente manso y sin ninguna agresión obvia: Cristo invitando a todo hombre a entrar en el servicio de Dios, comparando a Dios y la vida eterna con un hombre rico que organiza un gran banquete e invita a todos a cenar con él (pero la mayoría rechaza la invitación). Después del sermón, Phelps, según B.H. McAllister, el pastor [[bautista]] que finalmente [[ordenación|ordenaría]] a Phelps como ministro, se convirtió en un fanático religioso, lleno de enojo y odio apasionado, y desarrolló tendencias excéntricas. McAllister recordó en una entrevista con el ''[[Topeka Capital Journal]]'' en 1993, que hubo dificultades para la ordenación pastoral de Phelps:
{{cita|''Phelps consideraba que la iglesia era más que un lugar de culto, para él, la membresía en la congregación correspondía directamente con la membresía en el Cuerpo de Cristo. Aunque Phelps cedió esta idea para ser ordenado, durante cuarenta años, su familia y seguidores en Topeka han sido controlados por su amenaza que, si se salen de su congregación, deben tener su permiso. Además, deben unirse a una congregación que él apruebe. De otra manera, el pastor Phelps saca la temida misiva ordenando que la oveja perdida sea "entregada a Satanás para la destrucción de la piel"''|Entrevista a B.H. McAllister en el Topeka Capital Journal<ref name="mcinterview">McAllister, B.H. Personal interview conducted by Topeka Capital Journal. 1993. ''Addicted to Hate'', Chapter 3</ref>}}

La hermana de Fred recordó el cambio de su hermano como uno bastante brusco:
{{cita|''Fred, bendito sea su corazón, simplemente se pasó. Si no lo aceptabas, te lo iba a imponer a la fuerza.''|Entrevista a Martha Jean Capron en el Topeka Capital Journal.<ref name="interviewsis">Capron, Martha Jean. Personal interview conducted by Topeka Capital Journal. 1993. Reprinted in ''Addicted to Hate'', Chapter 3</ref>}}

=== Separación de familiares ===
En enero de 1947, Phelps se retiró de West Point antes de ir a una sola clase, decisión que Martha-Jean recuerda que dejó a su padre completamente inconsolable. El mismo año, Fred Wade Phelps volvió a casarse, esta vez con una señora divorciada de treinta y nueve años llamada Olive Briggs (Fred tenía cincuenta y siete entonces). El hijo dejó de hablar con su padre, citando prohibiciones bíblicas sobre el matrimonio con divorciados. También rompió contacto con su hermana por apoyar la decisión de su padre al casarse con Briggs. La hermana de Olive contó en una entrevista con el ''Topeka Capital Journal'' en 1994:
{{cita|''Olive decía que él lloraba por eso todos los días de su vida. Que el nunca hubiera roto el contacto. Fue su hijo quien se quiso separar''|Entrevista a Briggs en Topeka Capital Journal.<ref name="briggs">Briggs, . Personal interview conducted by Topeka Capital Journal. 1993. Reprinted in ''Addicted to Hate'', Chapter 4</ref>}}

La hermana del propio Phelps recuerda: ''Papá nunca lo entendió realmente''.<ref name="interviewsis" /> También recuerda que todos los años, Phelps devolvía cartas de [[navidad]] sin abrirlas siquiera; un año, Fred Wade envió unas fotos suyas con Olive a los hijos de Fred. Las fotos fueron devueltas a Fred Wade cortadas en pedazos.<ref name="addict4">Fry, Steven, John Michael Bell, and Joe Taschler. ''Addicted to Hate''. Chapter 4: "Introductions All Around", 1994.</ref>

Fred sólo vería a su padre una vez más, a finales de los años 60 o a principios de los 70; los únicos hijos de Phelps que lo vieron fueron Mark y Fred Jr.; Mark, Nate, y Dorothy afirman que nunca supieron el nombre de su abuelo antes de leer un artículo que publicó el ''Topeka Capital Journal'' en 1994. Posteriormente, Mark detallaría el único recuerdo de su abuelo, de verle llorando en el andén de una estación de ferrocarril mientras que Fred Phelps le decía que nunca volviera, escribiera, ni llamara; al mismo tiempo, la hermana de Phelps llegó e intentó reconciliar a padre e hijo. Mark recuerda que un día cuando llegó a casa del colegio, vio a una mujer llorando y corriendo de la casa, se subió a un carro y se fue. Sólo años después comprendería que esa mujer era su tía. Ésta fue la última vez que Fred Phelps vio o se comunicó con su hermana, quien vivió hasta 1995.<ref name="addict4" /> Ella y John Capron pasaron la mayor parte de los años 50, hasta los 70 en [[Europa Oriental]], como parte de una misión bautista que tuvo como objetivo traficar cuantas [[biblia]]s fuese posible de contrabando hacia países [[comunismo|comunistas]]. Cuando John Capron falleció, a finales de los años 70, Fred Phelps fue invitado al funeral, pero no asistió.<ref name="addict3" />

Fred Wade murió en 1977, según sus amigos y familiares, era "un hombre en paz". Los conocidos de Fred Wade no supieron, sino hasta mucho tiempo después, que tenía un hijo, y sólo lo supieron a principios de los 90 cuando representantes del ''Topeka Capital Journal'' se pusieron en contacto con ellos para entrevistarles. De los bienes que dejó a Fred y a Martha Jean en su [[testamento]], dispuso que Martha Jean recibiera siete octavos (87,5%) del total. Phelps si se presentó en el funeral de su padre, pero solo. Sus hijos recuerdan la mala reacción de su padre a la noticia de la muerte de Fred Wade<ref name="rift">Taschler, Joe, and Fry, Steven. "Phelps at Odds with Father, Sister." [http://cjonline.com/indepth/phelps/stories/080394_phelps14.shtml]</ref>

A pesar de la creencia de Martha Jean de que su hermano Fred había desarrollado un firme odio a su padre y una fuerte convicción de que él iría al [[Infierno]], Fred Phelps recordó lo siguiente en 1994 llorando:
{{cita|''Él estuvo decepcionado cuando no quise ir a West Point, lo que es comprensible. Trabajó mucho para conseguirme ese puesto, así que estuvo decepcionado por eso. Pero mi papá fue un hombre fenomenal que yo amé enormemente y le extraño''|Entrevista de Fred Phelps a Topeka Capital Journal.<ref name="phelpsview">Phelps, Fred. Personal interview conducted by Topeka Capital Journal. 1994. Reprinted in ''Addicted to Hate'', Chapter 4</ref>}}

Olive murió en 1985, suceso que le dio muchísimo gusto a Fred Phelps, según dice; no fue invitado al funeral, ni fue mencionado en el servicio del mismo; el [[obituario]] hace mención de que le sobrevivió "una hijastra". Además, Olive dejó todo su dinero y bienes a Martha Jean.<ref name="addict4" /> Los bienes consistieron en 75 [[Acre (unidad de superficie)|acres]] (304.000 metros cuadrados) de tierra, una casa, y una cantidad desconocida de dinero.

=== Carrera temprana y matrimonio ===
Phelps se fue de [[Misisipi (estado)|Misisipi]] a la [[Universidad de Bob Jones]]. Allí, participó en una misión sin éxito que tuvo como objetivo convertir a [[mormón|mormones]] del pueblo de [[Vernal]], [[Utah]]. En esta ocasión se mostró quizá el primer ejemplo de la nueva actitud de Fred: Cuando uno de los misioneros se ahogó durante una sesión de preguntas y respuestas, Phelps reaccionó acusando al que hizo la pregunta, causando mucho disturbio.<ref name="addict3" /> En Vernal, Phelps fue ordenado como ministro bautista del área; regresó a Bob Jones, y después, de repente, se retiró. Años más tarde, citó que se oponía a las prácticas raciales del instituto (no se permitió que asistieran afroamericanos hasta los años 60); en 1994, un antiguo empleado de la universidad reveló al ''Topeka Capital Journal'' que en realidad los empleados de la escuela le tenían miedo a Phelps, y le presentaron las dos opciones de conseguir asistencia siquiátrica o ser expulsado.<ref name="addict3" />

Phelps se mudó a [[Canadá]], donde asistió al [[Prarie Bible Institute]] en [[Three Hills]] durante dos semestres antes de retirarse y mudarse a [[Pasadena]], [[California]], donde recibió su título de dos años en [[teología]] del [[John Muir Junior College]] en 1951.<ref name="addict3" /> El mismo año, Phelps llamó la atención nacional por primera vez cuando fue mencionado en un artículo de la [[Revista Time]] por sus esfuerzos por prohibir los [[beso]]s en los campus dentro de los límites de la ciudad de Pasadena. Phelps también quería prohibir todo lo [[profano]] en el campus, un tema que se haría fundamental en sus futuros sermones. La campaña terminó en violencia: La policía tuvo que escoltar a Phelps fuera del campus y ponerlo bajo custodia protectora, pues los estudiantes intentaban atacarle. Sin embargo regresó al campus, y la policía le dijo que no tenía permiso para protestar allí. Cuando Phelps se rehusó a retirarse, el oficial intentó sacarlo a la fuerza y Phelps le [[asalto|asaltó]], por lo que fue arrestado por primera vez. No obstante, siguió con sus esfuerzos desde el césped de un simpatizante que vivía frente al John Muir College.<ref name="addict3" />

Poco después, Phelps se mudó a [[Tucson]], [[Arizona]], con una familia amiga. La familia recuerda a Phelps como "el huésped perfecto", durante su tiempo con ellos, ayudó a añadir una habitación a la casa y se encargó de mantener el jardín. La [[niñera]] de la familia, Margerie, es la única mujer con quien Phelps ha estado vinculado románticamente, se casaron en mayo de 1952. Su primer hijo, Fred Jr., nació el [[4 de mayo]] de [[1953]].

=== Llegada a Topeka ===
Aproximadamente un año después del nacimiento de Fred hijo, la familia Phelps se mudó a [[Topeka]], [[Kansas]], donde Fred había sido invitado por el pastor Leaford Cavin, para servir como copastor en la Iglesia Bautista Eastside, una congregación [[bautista]] tradicional y conservadora que sin embargo no compartía ninguna de las ideas o prácticas que luego caracterizarían a Phelps. Los Phelps llegaron el [[17 de mayo]] de [[1954]], el mismo día en que la [[Corte Suprema de los Estados Unidos]] anunció su decisión sobre ''[[Brown v. Board of Education]]''. Fred comentaría más tarde que interpretó esto como una señal de que debía hacerse abogado.<ref name="phelpsview" />

Fred no mantuvo su puesto en la Iglesia Bautista Eastside durante mucho tiempo; como recordarían algunos congregantes años después, fue un «reverendo del Infierno». El espíritu de odio que caracterizaría la actitud de Fred se mostró en sus sermones casi inmediatamente. Por ejemplo, como una forma de animar a las esposas y a los niños a que "se sometieran a la autoridad del padre en casa", Phelps sugirió que los padres los golpearan si fuera necesario; en otra oportunidad fue obligado a pagar la [[fianza]] de un hombre al que había aconsejado golpear a su esposa en la cara hasta que "se sometiera" Los miembros de Eastside recuerdan un sermón de Phelps en particular (que hace referencia a su carrera de boxeo en la escuela secundaria):
{{cita|''Un buen gancho izquierdo hace una bastante buena mujer. Hermanos, nos pueden encarcelar, ¡pero todavía haremos lo que la Biblia nos dice que hagamos! ¡O nuestras esposas nos van a obedecer, o las vamos a golpear!|Apuntes de un mensaje en la Iglesia Bautista Eastside, recogida en el libro ''Addicted to Hate''<ref name="sermon">Phelps, Fred. Sermon delivered at Eastside Baptist Church, 1950-1951. Reprinted in ''Addicted to Hate'', Chapter 4</ref>}}

Los feligreses bautistas, años después, cuando fueron entrevistados por el ''Topeka Capital Journal'', recordaron un incidente que ocurrió un domingo de mañana cuando el bebé de Phelps, Mark, empezó a retorcerse durante un sermón, Phelps respondió golpeando al niño repetidamente en la cara. Luego del culto, un grupo de hombres de la congregación enfrentó a Phelps por el abuso.<ref name="addict4" />

La partida de Phelps de Eastside ocurrió cuando una mujer confesó al pastor que había cometido adulterio. Al domingo siguiente, el sermón de Phelps se centró en la mujer, y la llamó varias veces una puta y pidió que la congregación hiciera un documento oficial para declararla condenada al infierno, una especie de excomunión de la iglesia (una doctrina que Phelps volvería a enseñar y emplear con frecuencia más tarde). En lugar de aceptar la solicitud de Phelps, la congregación votó por el despido del pastor Phelps de la iglesia.

Posteriormente, Phelps afirmaría que se fue ''voluntariamente'' de la Iglesia Bautista Eastside porque el pastor Cavin (senior de esa iglesia) no era un bautista suficientemente estricto. Sin embargo, al menos un miembro de Eastside lo recuerda de otra forma:
{{cita|''¿Diferencias teológicas? El hermano Cavin fue un bautista muy estricto. No sé si hubo jamás un hombre más estricto que Leaford Cavin. En realidad, fue la cólera en Fred, no la doctrina, que le hizo comportarse como se comportó|Entrevista a un miembro de la iglesia por el Topeka Capital Journal<ref name="unknown">Personal interview conducted by the Topeka Capital Journal with anonymous former Eastside Congregant. Reprinted in ''Addicted to Hate'', Chapter 4</ref>}}

Sin embargo no pocos feligreses de la Iglesia Bautista Eatside eligieron separarse de su congregación y seguir a Phelps. Hasta que, como resultado de un incidente en el que Phelps mató con una [[escopeta]] a un perro [[pastor alemán]] que atravesaba su propiedad (que no tenía cerca alguna),<ref name="addict4" /> la mayoría de los seguidores originales de Phelps regresaron a Eastside.

Los que se quedaron con Phelps serían: George Stutzman, la familia Davis, y la familia Hockenbarger, el [[patriarca]] de esta última familia era Charles William (llamado Bill por otros congregantes), presuntamente miembro de la secta [[Identidad Cristiana]] y del [[Ku Klux Klan]] y también un antiguo amigo de Phelps. Éstos se converterían en los miembros fundadores de la [[Iglesia Bautista Westboro]] (''Westboro Baptist Church'') en 1955.

<!--
===Presunto abuso===
Phelps graduated from [[Washburn University]] in 1962, attending classes while maintaining his pastoral duties at Westboro.

Sometime following his graduation from Washburn, Phelps became addicted to [[amphetamines]] and [[barbiturates]], which he often combined with large quantities of alcohol. <ref name="addict4" /> One of his sons claims that his first memory in life was that of the drunk, stoned Phelps shooting a dog for defecating on the lawn (see above) <ref name="addict4" /><ref name="addict2">Fry, Steven, John Michael Bell, and Joe Taschler. ''Addicted to Hate''. Chapter 2: "Daddy's Hands"., 1994. </ref> the incident which led to the majority of Phelps' supporters leaving him and returning to Eastside. The owner [[Lawsuit|sued]] Phelps, but Phelps defended himself in court and won. In the middle of the night, for the next several weeks, his ex-congregants sneaked into the front yard of Westboro and placed signs reading: ''Anyone who'd stoop to killing a dog someday will mistake a child for a dog.''<ref name="addict4" />

Phelps continued to take drugs, consume alcohol, and binge eat for six years, and would often go for days or weeks without leaving his bedroom. When Phelps did leave his room, it was to throw temper tantrums, during which he would throw food, break plates, and scream at his children for not eating. When Phelps was then too exhausted to continue his fit, he would take his wife back to their room for sex while the children cleaned up after him. Son Mark recalls:

: It established a life habit for me. Even today, the moment I get home, I'm thinking 'Is Daddy mad?' Our walls were stained with food. And my mom used to cry because she couldn't keep good dishes. My father would also bust holes in the walls and doors. If they were on the outside, he'd fix them quickly. On the inside, he'd leave them unrepaired for months. <ref name="markview">Phelps, Mark. Personal interview conducted with the Topeka Capital Journal. Reprinted in ''Addicted to Hate'', Chapter 4</ref>

Because of his habits, Phelps stopped earning money for the family, and because he refused to allow his wife to get a job, the family's financial resources quickly dried up. Phelps's binge eating pushed his weight to nearly 300 pounds.

During this time the family's only income came from what Phelps called "The Children's Crusade," a money-making scheme disguised as evangelical witnessing and a church fundraiser, which consisted of the Phelps children going door-to-door selling [[candy]]. Phelps assigned the children quotas, and those who didn't meet the quotas were beaten with a [[mattock]] handle, a farming tool possessing twice the density of a [[baseball bat]].<ref name="addict5">Fry, Steven, John Michael Bell, and Joe Taschler. Addicted to Hate. Chapter 5: "The Children's Crusade", 1994.</ref> The sales often found the children in dangerous areas of town, including the "bad part of Kansas City," where a teenage Jon Phelps and eight-year-old Rebecca Phelps were assaulted by a [[transgender]] woman after Jon Phelps "held forth with the latest 'fag' joke making the rounds at his junior high." The transgender woman pulled a [[switchblade]] and chased the children; they ran into an [[alley]], were trapped, and, as sister Margie recalls, "Jonathan Phelps got 'bitch-slapped' by a guy in a dress to teach him a lesson."<ref name="margieview">Phelps, Margie. Personal interview conducted by the Topeka Capital Journal. Reprinted in ''Addicted to Hate, Chapter 5''</ref>

The youngest child Tim "Timmy" Phelps consistently sold the most candy, "by being cute," his sister Margie recalls.<ref name="margieview" /> He would stand around town and act out a routine in which he took on the persona of a [[carnival]] barker. He was once seen by a talent scout, who put Timmy into a commercial for [[Payless Shoes]]. Timmy also earned money by going to a restaurant whose owner felt sorry for what Phelps was forcing the boy to do; the owner never failed to buy every candy bar that Timmy had on him, and to give the boy free food and drinks.<ref name="addict5" />

In 1993, during research that the Topeka Capital-Journal was conducting for a story on Phelps, they discovered that Phelps had obtained the candy by [[False billing|defrauding]] the manufacturer.<ref name="addict5" /> As of 1994, Phelps had lost two lawsuits to the manufacturer and was ordered to pay them an amount in excess of [[United States dollar|US$]]125,000. A representative of the manufacturer told the Topeka Capital Journal in 1994 that they were attempting to find Phelps' bank account to place a [[lien]] against it, but had been unsuccessful.<ref name="addict5" /> It is unknown whether or not Phelps has ever paid the manufacturer.

Eventually, candy sales dried up, but Phelps was insistent that money keep coming in from them. In order to avoid beatings, the children began stealing from businesses around town and acting as purse-snatchers. <ref name="addict5" /> The children were often caught, with eyewitnesses filing affidavits, but the district attorney refused to prosecute even one case for fear of violent retribution from Phelps. [http://blank.org/addict/chapter5.html] Eventually, the theft became so prominent and so severe that the Topeka Police Department began a special investigation into Phelps under the belief that he was running a "[[Fagin]] operation." <ref name="addict5" />

In the mid-1960s Marge Phelps loaded her children into the family car and attempted to flee from Fred, but found that none of her relatives or friends had the resources to accommodate eleven extra people. The family was forced to return to Fred, who promptly brutalized his wife. <ref name="addict4" />

In 1968, Phelps tried to commit [[suicide]] while high on methamphetamines, attempting to shoot himself in the head with a [[shotgun]]; he was so inebriated, however, that he ended up missing his head completely and striking a roll of insulation. <ref name="addict4" /> Shortly thereafter, Phelps overdosed on a cocktail of alcohol and amphetamines. <ref name="addict5" /> He slipped into a [[coma]] and was rushed to the hospital, where he remained comatose for a week. Upon his return home he put himself on a detoxification diet, drinking only water and eating no solid food for several weeks. <ref name="addict5" /> There is no evidence that Phelps has since relapsed.

Phelps then decided that his children should be as fanatical about dieting as he was, and began to deny them food and force them to run ten miles a day; the [[marathon (sport)|marathons]] included all of his children, the youngest of whom were six and eight. If anyone beat Phelps in the race, they were beaten. <ref name="addict5" />

At the same time, even though he had gone back to being an attorney, Phelps continued to force the children to sell candy. They would do this from 4:00 p.m. until they had either met their quotas or until it was too late to sell, return home, and then run their ten miles; upon returning home, they were then allowed to do their homework and, if Phelps allowed, eat. They usually went to bed at 1:00 a.m.; Phelps would then awaken them at 5:00 a.m. for a run before school. Phelps' fanatical dedication to running earned him articles in ''[[Runner's World]]'' magazine, in the November, 1970 issue and again in November, 1988. <ref name="addict5" />

===La muerte de Debbie Valgos===
It remains in great dispute how much involvement Phelps had in the death of 17 year old Topeka girl [[Debbie Valgos]], whom some of his family members claim was married to his son Fred Jr. in a secret ceremony. While Valgos' cause of death is listed as "accidental," the circumstances surrounding her demise leave it questionable as to whether she died accidentally, committed suicide, or whether she was murdered by someone conspiring with Fred Phelps.

Having met in 1970 during one of WBC's candy drives, Fred Jr. and Valgos became sweethearts, which angered Phelps, who has [[arranged marriage]]s for five of his thirteen children. Valgos, in addition to being [[Catholic]], was a decidedly [[hippie]] girl who introduced Fred Jr. to outside influences such as contemporary rock music and [[Roller skating#Quad Skating|roller skating]]. While the elder Phelps had long informed Fred Jr. that the boy would go to law school, with Valgos' urging, Fred Jr. began to think of pursuing his dream of becoming a history professor. One day the elder Phelps informed his congregation that he was considering allowing Fred Jr. and Valgos to pursue their relationship, under the condition that Valgos attend church services at Westboro. When Valgos arrived for her first sermon, the church bulletin board read "Debbie Valgos: The Whore of Topeka," with Phelps' sermon being nothing more than an hour long attack on Debbie Valgos, accusing her of a variety of perverse sexual acts. This continued on for several weeks, with Phelps apologizing each week to Valgos, only for her to return the next week and suffer increasingly vulgar attacks. These culminated in Phelps assaulting Valgos at a crowded roller rink, resulting in Valgos suffering an epileptic fit. <ref name="addict7">Fry, Steven, John Michael Bell, and Joe Taschler. Addicted to Hate. Chapter 7: "Nightmare of Twelfth Street", 1994.</ref>

Eventually Fred Jr. and Valgos ran away together. Their whereabouts were unaccounted for a brief period of days; according to some of Fred Jr.'s siblings, during this time he and Valgos were married in a private ceremony, the details of which have never been explicitly discussed. Sometime later, Fred Phelps ascertained where Fred Jr. was staying and, along with another Westboro congregant, kidnapped him at gunpoint and forced him back to the church, where he was allegedly held hostage for a brief period before running away again and living in a friend's basement. It is unknown whether he and Valgos ever saw one another again.<ref name="addict7" />

Valgos turned up some months later as a drug addict "party girl" who hung around military bases, still mourning the loss of Fred. The circumstances of her April 17th, 1972 death remain vague; in the weeks leading up to it, she had attempted suicide four times but had been stopped by friends or army officers who discovered her. Allegedly, the night of her death, she took tainted drugs, then sustained internal injuries when an overweight friend of hers attempted to cease Valgos' convulsions by sitting on top of her. Some allege that Fred Phelps arranged for Valgos to be given tainted drugs or otherwise conspired for Valgos to be killed in a way that would appear accidental. The morning following her death, Fred Phelps broke the news to the rest of his family by dancing through the house singing "the whore is dead" to the tune of "Ding Dong the Witch is Dead" from ''[[The Wizard of Oz (1939 film)|The Wizard of Oz]].'' According to his siblings, Fred Jr. continued to carry around Valgos' photo in his wallet for over a year following her death. During the period he was being held at Westboro, he was introduced to Betty Schurle, whom he would eventually marry. Although his sister Margie Phelps told the ''Topeka Capital-Journal'' in 1994 "Debbie Valgos was a whore extraordinaire," Fred Jr. himself claims not to remember any of the incidents surrounding his time with her. <ref name="addict7" />

Two of Phelps' sons told the ''Topeka Capital-Journal'' in 1993 that they would not be surprised if it turned out that Phelps conspired to kill Valgos, and that they believed it was a definite possibility. Valgos' mother, who disappeared in 1994, told the ''Topeka Capital-Journal'' in 1993 that she believed Fred Phelps played an active role in her daughter's death. When she attempted to confront Phelps about the matter in the days following Valgos' death, Phelps threatened her with physical violence and informed her "your whore daughter's burnin' in Hell now." The nuns who were responsible for Valgos, though silent on the matter of whether Valgos' death was accidental, suicide, or murder, indicated that they hold Fred Phelps responsible for her death.<ref name="addict7" />

Valgos is interred at Mount Calvary Cemetery in [[Pottawatomie County, Kansas|Pottawatomie County]], Kansas.

[http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=Valgos&GSfn=Debbie&GSbyrel=all&GSdyrel=all&GSob=n&GRid=10290387&pt=Debbie%20L%20Valgos& Debbie Valgos' burial records at Find a Grave.com]

===Carrera legal de Phelps===
In order to become an [[attorney]] in Kansas, the applicant must have a signed [[affidavit]] from a judge attesting to the applicant's good character. Because of the reputation Phelps had garnered during his time at Washburn, not to mention his actions at Eastside and later Westboro, no judge was willing to sign the affidavit. Phelps finally managed to bypass this by submitting affidavits from his friends the Hockenbargers, and copies of letters of good conduct from his days as an Eagle Scout. Phelps still claims that there was a conspiracy against him to prevent him from becoming a lawyer. In a 1983 interview with the [[Wichita Eagle|Wichita Eagle-Beacon]], Fred claimed he was a victim of "the leading lights of the Jim Crow Topeka community...the presidents of the First National Bank, Merchants National Bank, Capitol Federal Savings and Loan, and the Kansas Power and Light Company."

Phelps began work as an attorney defending the civil rights of [[African Americans]] being discriminated against in Kansas. Mark, Nate, and Dorothy Phelps maintain that their father possesses a bizarre dislike of blacks, believing that they deserve to be defended in court, but that they are also "the servant of the servant," which is to say, the servant of the white race, and more specifically, Westboro Baptist Church, "God's chosen people." Mark further recalls his father playing a game with his black clients, the object of which was to slip in the letters "D.N." while he was talking to his clients, disguised as legal terminology. The letters stood for "Dumb Nigger."

Around this same time, Phelps was sued by the Money Tree Candy Co., in [[Minneapolis, Minnesota]], for the candy he had paid for with bad [[cheque|check]]s. Despite fighting the case in court — Phelps instructed his children to [[perjury|perjure]] themselves — Phelps lost the case and was ordered to pay $20,000 to the company. Phelps still owed this money as of 1995, at which time the corporation was still attempting to find Phelps' bank account to put a [[lien]] against it. <ref name="addict5" />

Phelps' law career saw an abundance of [[fraud]] and [[extortion]]. He sold expensive baby carriages on a layaway plan to poor, young couples, and then immediately filed lawsuits against them when they were so much as a day late. <ref name="addict6">Fry, Steven, John Michael Bell, and Joe Taschler. Addicted to Hate. Chapter 6: "The Law of Wrath", 1994. </ref> In another scam, Phelps would go to friends of his customers asking them to sign a paper attesting to their friends' good credit. The paper contained a vague clause that, when translated, obliged the signing party to buy a baby carriage from Phelps; those who Phelps targeted were often blacks who were either illiterate or had poor education. When the person inevitably refused to buy the carriage, Phelps would sue them for breach of contract.<ref name="addict6" />

Between 1958 and 1964, Phelps filed fourteen lawsuits, targeting among other people his former co-pastor at Eastside, Leaford Cavin, and the radio station KTOP; Phelps had paid to deliver sermons on the station every Sunday morning, but the station cancelled the deal when Phelps began to use the time to launch into obscenity-laden tirades.

In October of 1966, Phelps, now a public defender, was appointed to represent a black man arrested for [[forgery]]. Phelps obtained $200 from the man's wife to use as bail. Days later, the woman hired Phelps to help her [[divorce]] the man. He charged her $50, then drew up legal documents to show she had paid him $250 for the divorce, keeping the bail money for himself. The man remained in jail until his trial. <ref name="addict6" />

In March 1965, Phelps was hired to handle a divorce case. The woman paid an up-front fee of $1,000. She fired him a month later, but Phelps still demanded $1,500 in unpaid bills. He took the woman to court, where the court ruled that Phelps had no right to the money. Phelps responded by suing the woman in civil court; the Kansas Supreme Court stepped in, accusing Phelps of harassment. They issued a statement declaring that Phelps "demonstrates a lack of professional self-restraint in matters of compensation." <ref name="addict6" />

Assistant [[Attorney General]] Richard Seaton stated that Phelps displayed:

: an uncontrollable appetite for money—especially the money of his client... [Phelps' conduct] is one of total disregard for the duties and the respect and consideration owed by an attorney to his clients. Where money is concerned, the accused simply lacks any sense of balance and proportion. Whatever the reason for this, it appears to me a permanent condition. <ref name="addict6" />

As a result, Phelps was suspended for two years. (''See In re Phelps'', 204 Kan. 16, 459 P.2d 172 (Kan. 1969) (Kansas Supreme Court opinion))

A former co-worker at Phelps' law firm recalls Phelps' attitude towards the people he sued:

: I was waiting in the [[Denver, Colorado|Denver]] airport with him. We were working a civil rights case. He told me [he] had to file twenty lawsuits to get one judgement. I said to him, "But what about the other nineteen people you sue? It costs them a lot of money and heartache to defend themselves." He just laughed at me. <ref name="co">Personal interview with anonymous former co-worker of Fred Phelps, conducted by the Topeka Capital Journal. Reprinted in ''Addicted to Hate'', Chapter 6</ref>

In October of 1973, two of Fred's children placed a television set on layaway at [[Sears#Stores|Sears]], to be ready at Christmas. When the children came back in November and asked for the television set, Sears told them that it would not be ready until Christmas, per the layaway contract. Fred Phelps responded by filing a $50,000,000 lawsuit against Sears, in addition to another class-action lawsuit, claiming it to be on behalf of 1,000,000 unidentified Sears customers. The class action portion of the suit was thrown out of court; the case lasted six years in court, ending in 1979 with Phelps being granted $126.34, less than the cost of the television set.

By this time, Phelps had more complaints filed against him for misconduct than any attorney in the history of the state of Kansas (and, some believe, the history of the United States).<ref name="addict6" />

===El incidente de Caroline Brady, y expulsión de Phelps===
In 1976, an investigation launched by the Kansas Supreme Court in association with the Kansas Bar Association determined that Phelps had been extorting his clients by demanding more money than he was entitled to and threatening to sue the person, then taking a series of $1,500 "walk-away fees." He had done the same to other people he was threatening to sue, telling them that if they paid him $1,500 up front he wouldn't file against them. <ref name="addict6" />

A formal complaint was filed against Fred W. Phelps, Sr. on November 8, 1977 by the Kansas State Board of Law Examiners for his conduct during a lawsuit against a court reporter named Carolene Brady. Brady had failed to have a court transcript ready for Phelps on the day he asked for it; though it did not affect the outcome of the case for which Phelps had requested the transcript, Phelps still requested $22,000 in damages from her. In the ensuing trial, Phelps called Brady to the stand, declared her a hostile witness, and then cross-examined her for nearly a week, during which he accused her of being a "[[slut]]," tried to introduce testimony from former boyfriends whom Phelps wanted to [[subpoena]], and accused her of a variety of perverse sexual acts, ultimately reducing her to tears on the stand. Phelps lost the case; according to the Kansas Supreme Court:

: The trial became an exhibition of a personal vendetta by Phelps against Carolene Brady. His examination was replete with repetition, badgering, innuendo, belligerence, irrelevant and immaterial matter, evidencing only a desire to hurt and destroy the defendant. The jury verdict didn't stop the onslaught of Phelps. He was not satisfied with the hurt, pain, and damage he had visited on Carolene Brady. <ref name="addict6" />

In an appeal, Phelps prepared affidavits swearing to the court that he had eight witnesses whose testimony would convince the court to rule in his favor. Brady, in turn, obtained sworn, signed affidavits from the eight people in question, all of whom said that Phelps had never contacted them and that they had no reason to testify against Brady; Phelps had committed perjury. <ref name="addict6" />

On [[July 20]] [[1979]], Fred Phelps was permanently disbarred from practicing law in the state of Kansas. (''See State v. Phelps'', 226 Kan. 371, 598 P.2d 180 (Kan. 1979) (Kansas Supreme Court opinion))

Years later, when the attorney who chaired the hearings died, Phelps sneaked into the [[Wake (ceremony)|wake]] and signed the guestbook, "Vengeance is mine." Because of the state [[disbarment]], Phelps was automatically suspended from practicing law until 1982. In the spring of 1983, Phelps began issuing letters of demand for $1,500 to people he was planning on suing, causing federal extortion charges to be brought against him. He immediately filed 200 lawsuits, including one against [[Ronald Reagan]] for $1,000,000 for sending a US ambassador to the Vatican. He also sued a Topeka school teacher for $1,000,000 for criticizing [[Calvinism]], and the ''[[Wichita Eagle|Wichita Eagle-Beacon]]'' for running a story about him. <ref name="addict6" /> By this time, Phelps had forced several of his children to go through law school -- getting them accepted through the help of Washburn employee and Westboro member Karl Hockenbarger -- and formed a law firm with them, Phelps Chartered. When charges were brought up against Phelps, his children were also named. In response, Phelps began an attack on the federal judges who were to preside over his hearing, demanding they resign, and claiming that he had affidavits from independent witnesses who claimed to have overheard one of the judges say: "Those Phelpses, they're everywhere showing off. It will be harder now, but I will destroy them." <ref name="addict6" /> The "independent witnesses" turned out to be Brent Roper, Phelps' son-in-law.

Phelps was finally disbarred from practicing in federal court in 1989 as well, for his conduct in the Brady case, his [[perjury]], and for a series of unrelated ethical violations; in an unprecedented move, the motion for disbarment was signed by ''every'' federal judge in the state of [[Kansas]]. His final disbarment resulted from a plea deal through which the Federal Court would stop disbarment hearings against the rest of his family.

Phelps alleges that his success resulted in animosity among the white legal establishment and his eventual [[disbarment]] by the Kansas Supreme Court for ethical violations. ([http://www.godhatesfags.com/fliers/feb2004/Monograph_2-14-2004.pdf PDF file of Phelps's point of view on his disbarment])

Two years after his disbarment, Phelps would begin his anti-gay picketing crusades.

==Activities and statements==
[[Image:Phelps child picket.jpg|thumb|One of Phelps' grandchildren at a picket rally.]]
{{main|Westboro Baptist Church}}
For a look at Phelps' more infamous actions and statements, refer to [[Westboro Baptist Church#Claiming divine vengeance|Westboro's notable activities]], as all of these actions and statements were done and made in collusion with the entirety of the congregation.

==Personal beliefs==
During 1993–94 interviews with the ''Topeka Capital-Journal'', four of Phelps' children asserted that their father's religious beliefs were either nonexistent to begin with or have dwindled down to nearly nothing. They claim that Westboro serves to enable a [[paraphilia]] of Phelps, wherein he is literally addicted to hatred (this statement would serve as the inspiration for the title of the book about Phelps' life). Two of his sons, Mark and Nate, claim that the church is actually a carefully planned cult that allows Phelps to see himself as a demigod, wielding absolute control over the lives of his family and congregants, essentially turning them into slaves that he can use for the sole purpose of gratifying his every whim and acting as the structure for his delusion that he is the only righteous man on Earth. <ref name="pre">Fry, Steven, and Taschler, Joe. "Phelps flock: Afterlife is prearranged." [http://cjonline.com/indepth/phelps/stories/080394_phelps18.shtml]</ref> In 1995, Mark Phelps wrote a letter to the people of Topeka to this effect; it was run in the ''Topeka Capital-Journal''.<ref name="mark">Phelps, Mark. "Letter from a Son Who Left." [http://cjonline.com/indepth/phelps/stories/080394_phelps03.shtml]</ref>
The children's claim is partially backed up by B.H. McAllister, the Baptist minister who ordained Phelps. McAllister said in a 1993 interview that Phelps developed a delusion wherein he was one of the few people on Earth worthy of God's grace and that everyone else in the world was going to Hell, and that salvation or damnation could be directly obtained by either aligning with or opposing Phelps. Phelps maintains this belief to this day.<ref name="pre" />

Phelps claims his political roots lie in the Democratic Party, having run for office in Kansas five times and previously supported Democrat [[Al Gore]] in 1988 and 1992.<ref>{{cite web|last=Tooley|first=Mike D.|date=February 9, 2006|url=http://www.frontpagemag.com/Articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=21229|title=The "God Hates Fags" Left|publisher=FrontPageMagazine.com}}</ref> However, despite his claimed affiliation, Phelps' ideology lies far from the goals and ideals typically embraced by Democrats.

==Authorship==
According to Phelps' children, he has written several unpublished biographies of medieval religious figures. Phelps is a collector of ancient religious texts and has a library of books about and by medieval- and reformation-era religious figures, which lends some support to these claims.

Phelps also wrote a book in the 1980s with his son-in-law, [[Brent D. Roper]], called ''The Conspiracy''. In the book, Roper and Phelps claim to possess evidence that [[AIDS]] was spontaneously generated in [[Africa]]; [[Truman Capote]] contracted the disease during an orgy with African tribesmen; Capote then gave the disease to [[John F. Kennedy]] and [[Marilyn Monroe]] by playing [[American football|football]] with them; and that the [[Central Intelligence Agency|CIA]] [[assassin]]ated all three to prevent the spread of the disease. Phelps published and distributed the book himself; it was also sold in the back of [[Peter J. Peters]] catalogue of [[extremist]] literature, and thus became a widely circulated text among such groups as the [[Ku Klux Klan]], [[Aryan Brotherhood]], and [[Christian Identity]].

==The Laramie Project==
[[Image:Fred2004.JPG|frame|Phelps giving an interview about ''The Laramie Project'' in 2000.]]
A large portion of Westboro's pickets are "retribution pickets" revolving around the play ''[[The Laramie Project]]''; Phelps constantly sends his followers across the country to picket every performance he finds out about. The play documents the reaction of the people of [[Laramie, Wyoming]] to the murder of [[Matthew Shepard]]. The reason for these protests is that Phelps is a character in the play and is portrayed negatively. Some of his ardent supporters claim that the play constitutes [[Slander and libel|libel]]. Phelps himself says about his portrayal in the play: "They did not interview me, and portrayed me in a false light that amounts to defamatory misrepresentation." However, all of Phelps' dialogue in the play is taken verbatim from his own sermons.

When the play was made into a movie by [[HBO]], Phelps traveled to [[New York City]] to picket the HBO home offices with signs reading "United You'll Fall." Whenever Phelps sends picketers, he faxes a "review" to local newspapers for publishing; every review he sends is identical:

PLEASE READ BEFORE REMOVAL: This quote is direct from Fred Phelps and is explained in the paragraph above. Don't remove. You'll be quickly reverted.

: The fag play "The Laramie Project" is a tacky bit of melodrama—unaffecting and drearily predictable—without artistic merit or redeeming social value.

==Political affiliations==
In the 1980s prior to Phelps protesting at funerals,[http://www.alamanceind.com/algore/algore_11.html] the Phelps family were supporters of then-senator [[Al Gore]]'s Presidential aspirations. The basement of [[Fred Phelps Jr.]]'s law office supposedly acted as Gore's Kansas campaign office, and the Phelps hosted a fundraiser. Numerous photos exist on the Internet of Fred Phelps Jr. and his second wife, Betty Phelps-Schurle, posing with Al and Tipper Gore. Phelps Jr. also served as a Gore delegate on the floor of the Democratic National Convention in [[Atlanta, Georgia|Atlanta]] in 1988.<ref name="ties">Ivers, Kevin. "Gore Political Ties to God Hates Fags Revealed." Log Cabin Republicans, Washington branch. [[25 October]] [[2000]]. [http://www.lcrga.com/archive/200010251159.shtml]</ref>

During Bill Clinton's presidential campaign, Fred Phelps Jr. and members of Westboro campaigned for Gore, though simultaneously attacking Hillary Clinton. In January 1993, Fred Phelps Jr. and Betty Phelps-Schurle were invited to the inaugural ball in [[Washington, D.C.]]<ref name="timeline">Timeline of the life of Fred Phelps, Sr. Compiled by the Southern Poverty Law Center. [http://www.splcenter.org/intel/intelreport/article.jsp?sid=184]</ref>

In the ensuing years leading up to Clinton's second presidential campaign, Gore and Clinton took stances increasingly in favor of [[gay rights]]. Consequently, Westboro turned against Gore, who nevertheless invited Fred Phelps, Marge, Fred Jr., and Betty back for the 1997 inauguration; they responded by bringing the entire Westboro congregation to the White House and picketing on the front lawn during the ball,<ref name="wrap">Friedman, et. al. "This Way Out Newswrap, [[25 January]] [[1997]]." [http://www.qrd.org/qrd/media/radio/thiswayout/summary/newswrap/1997/461-01.27.97]</ref> with signs proclaiming that Gore, Clinton, and both men's families were going to Hell, not necessarily for their stances on homosexuality, but because they had "betrayed" Westboro.<ref name="flier">Westboro Baptist Church Flier, distributed [[18 November]]. 2002. [http://www.godhatesfags.com/fliers/nov2002/Al_Gore_11-18-2002.pdf]</ref>

In 1998, Westboro picketed the funeral of Gore's father, screaming vulgarities at Gore and telling him "your dad's in Hell."<ref name="flier" />

Westboro signs with political messages have read:
* AL GORE FAMILY VALUES (with a cartoon of two men having anal sex) <ref name="gorevalues">[http://www.hatemongers.com/images/gore_family_values.jpg]</ref>
* GO HOME (with a cartoon of Bill Clinton)
* BABY KILLER (with a cartoon of Hillary Clinton)
* BABY KILLER (with a cartoon of Bill Clinton)
* FAG GORE

Phelps has failed in numerous Democratic primary elections for governor of the overwhelmingly Republican state of Kansas, in 1990, 1994, and the last time in 1998, when he came in second with 15,000 votes out of a total of over 103,000 votes cast, or 15%.<ref name="ref4">1998 Kansas Primary Results. Compiled by Congressional Quarterly. [http://edition.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/1998/08/05/kansas.results/]</ref>

In the aftermath of the election, in an incident that would be repeated years later when Phelps circulated a fuzzy petition to outlaw homosexual work protection, many of the Kansas Democrats who had cast votes for Phelps came forward to express their distaste for him. They claimed that Phelps had lied about his intentions to numerous constituents, using double-talk and fuzzy language to confuse them; neglected to mention his stances on race, religion, and homosexuality, and campaigned mainly on the platform of a "good ol' boy" [[Southern United States|Southern]] gentleman and retired lawyer unfairly prosecuted by the system.<ref name="ref365">365Gay.com staff. "Phelps Clan Forces Vote on Gay Rights Law. [[5 January]] [[2005]]. [http://www.365gay.com/newscon05/01/010505topeka.htm]</ref>

More recently, Phelps was the subject of nationwide controversy when his family proposed, in a [[referendum]], the removal of workplace protection for homosexuals in Topeka. The measure was defeated, fifty three percent to forty seven percent. Also in 2005, Phelps' granddaughter Jael was an unsuccessful candidate for Topeka's City Council; Jael was seeking to replace [[Tiffany Muller]], the first openly gay member of the Topeka City Council.

Phelps has repeatedly championed [[Fidel Castro]] for Castro's stance against homosexuality; in 1998 ''[[Harper's]]'' magazine published a letter Phelps sent to Castro in which he praised Castro and lambasted the U.S. In 2004, when a pro-homosexual Cuban refugee announced plans to travel to [[Cuba]], Phelps sent another letter to Castro "warning" him of the man's plans and requesting travel visas for a group of WBC congregants so that they could follow the refugee around [[Havana]] with signs bearing anti-U.S. and anti-homosexual slogans. Castro also ignored that appeal.

Phelps also hates [[Scandinavia]]ns and [[Lutheranism|Lutherans]] in particular, whom he considers to be hellbound [[heretics]]. That may be because a Lutheran girl of Swedish origin, Luava Sundgren, separated his son Mark from the rest of his family. As [[Tarja Halonen]] won the Finnish presidential election in 2000, Phelps made issue of the fact that Halonen, a lawyer by profession, though heterosexual herself, had in her youth worked as the [[human rights]] lawyer of SETA, a Finnish [[LGBT]] organization. Phelps threatened on his webpage to come with his congregation to burn the [[Flag of Finland|Finnish flag]] in front of the [[Eduskuntatalo|Finnish Parliament]]. This threat united Finnish GLBT communities, [[reservist]]s and [[hacker]]s, who cracked his [[website]] and defaced it by replacing every page with a Finnish flag. The Finnish police stated that his safety could not be guaranteed should he arrive in Finland, and that should he carry out his intentions he would be arrested for defacing the national flag. He did not carry out his threat.

Phelps seems to have targeted his hatred against [[Sweden]] instead of Finland after the prosecution in June, 2004, of Swedish [[pentecostal]] pastor [[Åke Green]] on hate-speech charges for comments about homosexuality; both countries are traditional Lutheran countries. On the Westboro website godhatessweden.com, Phelps declares the heavy Swedish losses in the [[2004 Indian Ocean earthquake]], initially calculated (exaggeratedly) at 20,000, to be God's punishment of Sweden for the prosecution of Green, and depicts a granite monument designed by himself to Green as a Christian [[martyr]], announcing plans to erect copies of it throughout the U.S. In response, Green has called Phelps "appalling" and "extremely unpleasant," stressing that while Phelps proclaims hatred for homosexuals and condemns them to Hell, Green hopes for them to repent and go to Heaven.

In 2003, before the fall of [[Saddam Hussein]] during the [[Iraq War]], Phelps wrote Hussein a letter praising his regime for being, in his opinion, "the only [[Muslim]] state that allows the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ to be freely and openly preached on the streets."<ref name="adhus">Anti-Defamation League. "Fred Phelps and the Westboro Baptist Church: In their own words." [[2006]]. [http://www.adl.org/special_reports/wbc/wbc_on_america.asp]</ref> Furthermore, he stated that he would like to send a delegation to [[Baghdad]] to "preach the Gospel" for one week. Hussein granted permission, and a group of WBC congregants traveled to Iraq to protest against the U.S. The parishioners stood on the streets of Baghdad and heavily patronized Baghdad establishments holding signs condemning Bill and Hillary Clinton and anal sex.<ref name="front">Tooley, Mark D. "The 'God Hates Fags' Left." Front Page Magazine. [[February 9]], [[2006]]. [http://www.frontpagemag.com/Articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=21229]</ref>

Phelps mourned the fall of Hussein's regime and has consistently criticized the invasion of Iraq, citing, "IRAQ+USA=SODOM." He also keeps a toll on his webpage celebrating the death of every American soldier killed and pronounces loyalty to Iraq.

==Spousal and child abuse==
Though the children who remain loyal to him claim that they were only spanked as children, there is an abundance of evidence to support the claims of two of his daughters and two of his sons that Phelps was physically abusive to his children and wife.

Phelps' sons Nate and Mark, who claim that they were among the most abused, each suffer from permanent debilitating injuries consistent with their accounts of Phelps beating them with a [[mattock]] handle. According to the boys, he woke them one Christmas Eve in the 1970s while under the influence, bent them over a bathtub, and struck them nearly 300 times with the mattock handle.<ref name="addict2" />

In 1972 Nate and Jon (whom today Topeka residents consider to be his father's most ardent and [[vulgar]] supporter) showed up to school covered in [[lesion|welt]]s, bruises, and bleeding wounds; the school nurse determined that Nate exhibited signs of [[shock]]. Social services then investigated the family, but Nate claims that their father threatened them with death if they spoke about their beatings. Phelps likewise issued threats against individual police officers and school staff, and filed a lawsuit against the school claiming they beat his children; the charges against Phelps, and Phelps' lawsuit, were dropped, but the affidavit that the school principal issued to social services remained on file as concrete evidence to support the stories of child abuse. <ref name="addict2" /> Even Phelps' loyal daughter, Margie, who now acts as his personal attorney, admits the incident occurred. <ref name="addict2" />

In the early 1990s, Nate Phelps was diagnosed as suffering from [[post traumatic stress disorder]]. [http://blank.org/addict/chapter7.html] He and his brother Mark have each been diagnosed as having suffered damage to the muscle tissue and tendons in their buttocks and legs, and both have scarring on their backsides, which they claim is the result of Phelps beating them with a custom-made, four-inch-wide [[strop]]. Around 1994 Nate was diagnosed as suffering from bone chips and severe damage to the muscle tissue in his knees. <ref name="addict2" />

Marge Phelps, the boys' mother, suffers from bone chips and severe cartilage damage in her right shoulder, consistent with a story three of the Phelps children tell about Fred throwing her down a flight of stairs. <ref name="addict2" />

Many of the Phelps children who remain at Westboro openly admit to using physical violence against their children; Phelps' son Jonathan boasted to the ''Topeka Capital-Journal'' in 1994 that he regularly beat his wife and his children:

: Jonathon Phelps, who admits he beats his wife and four children, for emphasis reads from Proverbs, 13:24: "He that spareth his rod, hateth his son. But he that loveth him, chasteneth him betimes."

: ...Betty Phelps, wife of Fred, Jr., glowers... Anytime you spank a child, you're going to cause bruising, she explains. And sneers: "I'll bet your parents put a pillow in your pants." Jonathon, staring straight ahead and not looking at the reporter, states in a barely controlled voice of malevolent threat that, should the reporter tell it differently than just heard, said scribbler is evil and going to hell. Assuming there'll be space, the doomed dromedary of capital muckraking must tell it differently [lie]. <ref name="jon">Phelps, Jon. Personal interview conducted by the Topeka Capital Journal. Reprinted in ''Addicted to Hate'', Chapter 2</ref>

On occasion members of the church have dared police and government officials to attempt legal action against them.

In spite of the evidence, Phelps' loyal children, especially Margie, Fred Jr., Rachel, and Rebecca, all deny that there was ever any abuse in the home, to them, their siblings, or their mother.<ref name="beaten">Hays, Kristen L. "We weren't beaten, Phelps siblings say." The Topeka Capital Journal.[http://cjonline.com/indepth/phelps/stories/080394_phelps23.shtml]</ref>

==Criminal record==
===United States===
Phelps was first arrested in 1951 and found guilty of misdemeanor [[battery (crime)|battery]] after attacking a [[Pasadena, California|Pasadena]] police officer. He has since been arrested for [[assault]], battery, threats, [[trespassing]], [[disorderly conduct]], [[contempt of court]], and several other charges; each time, he (along with Westboro and its other members) has filed suit against the city, the police, and the arresting officers. Though he has been able to avoid prison time, he has been convicted more than once:<ref name="nn">Notable Names Database. Fred Phelps entry. [http://www.nndb.com/people/908/000025833/]</ref><ref name="timeline" /> <ref name="muss">Musser, Rick. "Fred Phelps versus Topeka." Republished from Culture Wars & Local Politics, ed. Elaine B. Sharp. University of Press Kansas. 2000.Cloth ISBN 0-7006-0935-0, Paper ISBN 0-7006-0936-9.</ref>
*1994: [[Contempt of court]]<ref name="nn" />
*1994: Two counts of [[assault]] (reduced to disorderly conduct on appeal)<ref name="timeline" />

Phelps' 1993 convictions stemmed from a [[raid]] on the offices of his family's lawfirm, "Phelps Chartered," in which $37,000 worth of equipment was seized as evidence. Phelps later sued the city of Topeka for seizing the equipment and won $43,000 in damages. By the time an appeals court overturned the ruling, the [[statute of limitations]] had expired and Phelps was allowed to keep the money.

Phelps' 1995 conviction for assault and battery carried a five-year prison sentence, with a mandatory 18 months to be served before he became eligible for parole. Phelps fought to be allowed to remain free until his appeals process went through. Days away from being arrested and sent to prison, a judge ruled that Phelps had been [[Denial of a speedy trial|denied a speedy trial]] and that he was not required to serve any time. <ref name="timeline" /> <ref name="muss" />

In December 1996, in the wake of Fred Phelps' assault and battery conviction, two Topeka police officers came forward claiming that then-police chief Beavers had, in 1993, enacted a "no-arrest" policy that actively ignored complaints against Phelps and WBC members unless they were blatantly physically violent and/or witnessed by several persons. Beavers was quoted as saying:

:The Phelpses are not going to live in my house. Don't these officers know the Phelpses can sue us and take our houses? Commander, do you understand my order?

An investigation was launched by the City of Topeka and the Topeka Sheriff's department in 1996. It was determined that Chief Beavers had been allowing Phelps and WBC protestors to commit crimes without arrest, and that Phelps and WBC members had taken advantage of their knowledge of the policy by becoming more abusive towards Topeka citizens; in following years, Topeka citizens formed a loose [[support group]] on the ''Topeka Capital-Journal'' [[message board]] recalling abuse they had suffered from Westboro members during this period, which included threats of sexual assault to women and children; some claimed that they had caught members of Westboro going through their garbage looking for personal information to use against them. Following the findings of the city and Sheriff's office, Beavers was asked to resign, and his successor immediately repealed the "no arrest" policy.

In addition, Phelps could be tried for the alleged abuse inflicted on his family if not for the statute of limitations.

===Canada===
On one occasion, Phelps and his congregation had their signs confiscated by customs, and responded by going to the federal capital and burning and spitting on the [[Canadian flag]], and threatening to [[urinate]] and [[defecate]] on it. Since that time, Canada has passed [[hate crime]] legislation, alternatingly referred to by the informal "Fred Phelps Law" and "[[Jack Chick]] Law." Phelps has also claimed that his congregation, along with him, have been [http://www.kapelovitz.com/phelps.htm arrested in Canada] for hate speech. Should Phelps ever try to enter Canada again, he would be arrested and tried for violation of hate crime laws, a fact which prompted the founding of "Godhatescanada.com."

==Health==
In Topeka, Kansas, there is much speculation regarding Phelps' health. He is reported to be suffering from an advanced form of [[liver cancer]] due to his drinking (a rumor which, started in the late '90s, would appear to be false or no longer true) or [[Parkinson's Disease]] and has made few recent appearances. Recent photographs showing apparent partial facial [[paralysis]] suggest that he may have suffered a very mild [[stroke]] for which he was never hospitalized. Also, the length and incoherence of many of his recent sermons, as well as a large number of bizarre claims (including "George Bush worships [[Mr. Peanut]], whose name is the great god Goober" {{citation needed}}), suggest to many that he is suffering from [[Alzheimer's disease]], senility, or has suffered brain damage due to his [[amphetamine]] and [[barbiturate]] addiction in the 1960s and his later alleged alcoholism.

==People targeted by Fred Phelps==
{{mainarticle|Targets of Westboro Baptist Church}}

Since the early 1990s, Phelps has targeted several individuals and groups in the public eye for criticism by the [[Westboro Baptist Church]] after their deaths. Prominent examples include President [[Ronald Reagan]], Supreme Court Justice [[William Rehnquist]], National Football League star [[Reggie White]], murdered college student [[Matthew Shepard]], the late children's television host [[Fred Rogers]], Scandinavians, [[Cindy Sheehan]], and [[Military of the United States|US soldiers]] killed in [[Iraq]]. The following video clip features Shirley Phelps, a daughter of Fred Phelps who appeared on Fox TV, defending the WBC and attacking homosexuality. [http://www.break.com/index/hannityloon.html] Elsewhere and more recently, the [[miners]] who died in the [[2006 Sago Mine disaster]] and the late [[Coretta Scott King]] have been targeted by Phelps and the WBC. The groups and individuals are attacked for being [[homosexual]], supporting homosexuality, failing to condemn homosexuality, or their deaths are suggested to be caused by [[God]] as punishment for the USA's tolerance for homosexuals.

==Proposed bans==

On [[May 24]], [[2006]], the United States House and Senate passed bills which would ban protests at military funerals in national cemeteries. The "Respect for America's Fallen Heroes Act" would bar protests within 300 feet of the entrance of a cemetery and within 150 feet of a road into the cemetery from 60 minutes before to 60 minutes after a funeral. Those violating the act would face up to a $100,000 fine and up to a year in prison. [http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/05/25/military.funerals.ap/index.html] This bill was signed by [[George W. Bush|President Bush]] on Memorial Day, 2006.

[[As of April 2006]], at least seventeen states are either considering bans on protests near funeral sites immediately before and after the ceremonies, or have already banned them. These states are: [[Illinois]] [http://cbs2chicago.com/local/local_story_137154351.html], [[Indiana]] [http://www.firstamendmentcenter.org/news.aspx?id=16584], [[Iowa]] [http://www.thatvideosite.com/view/2178.html], [[Kansas]] [http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/news/local/14090898.htm], [[Kentucky]] [http://www.firstamendmentcenter.org/news.aspx?id=16699], [[Louisiana]] [http://www.wwltv.com/local/stories/wwl041806jbfunerals.4b3d754c.html], [[Maryland]], [[Michigan]] [http://www.wlns.com/Global/story.asp?S=4942358&nav=0RbQ], [[Missouri]] [http://www.thekansascitychannel.com/news/7597398/detail.html], which passed the law, [[Nebraska]], [[Ohio]], [[Oklahoma]], [[South Dakota]], [[Vermont]], [[Virginia]], [[West Virginia]] and [[Texas]]. [[Wisconsin]] [http://www.wwrn.org/article.php?idd=20530&sec=36&con=4] has instituted such a ban. These bans are in response to the [[God Hates Fags]] rallies of Phelps near the places where funerals of [[Military of the United States|US soldiers]] killed in [[Iraq]] are taking place. These bans seem almost certain to pass, and although their constitutional validity has been questioned, their validity has not yet been tested in the courts. [[Verbal abuse]] is, however, generally agreed not to be protected speech under the First Amendment.

On [[May 1]], [[2006]], Phelps supporter Bart McQueary filed a lawsuit in federal court challenging the ban in Kentucky. [http://news.kypost.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060502/NEWS02/605020348/1014/NEWS02]

==Patriot Guard Riders==
To counter the Phelps' protests at funerals of fallen soldiers, a group of motorcycle riders has formed the [[Patriot Guard Riders]] to provide a nonviolent, volunteer buffer between the protestors and mourners. While the proposed bans might be found unconstitutional, the Patriot Guard riders are protected by the same First Amendment freedoms of assembly, expression and religion which the Westboro Baptists have used as their own defense.

==Other measures to discourage funeral protests==
On [[June 5]], [[2006]], Albert Snyder, the father of Lance Cpl. Matthew A. Snyder, who was killed in the line of duty on [[March 3]], [[2006]], and whose funeral was picketed by Phelps, sued Phelps and the Westboro Baptist Church, Inc., in the U.S. District Court in Maryland, for defamation, invasion of privacy, and intentional infliction of emotional distress. The lawsuit also involves accusations made on Phelps's websites that Mr. and Mrs. Snyder "raised [Matthew] for the devil" and taught him "to defy his Creator, to divorce, and to commit adultery". [http://www.matthewsnyder.org/]

==Legitimacy==

Because of his outlandish behavior and activism, some have speculated whether Phelps might be an elaborate prankster or [[agent provocateur]]. Such speculation has come from across the spectrum, both from liberals who find him to be too much of a [[caricature]] of their arguments regarding the religious right and conservatives who believe he must be consciously trying to discredit [[social conservatives]] [http://www.breitbart.com/news/2006/03/12/060312122104.pgrezzqi.html]:

:The group is so outrageous that some among the extreme-right have speculated that Phelps is a plant aimed at giving the anti-gay movement a bad name, said Mark Potok, the director of the intelligence project at the [[Southern Poverty Law Center]] which tracks hate crimes.

[[Conservative]] author Keith R. Wood made this suggestion in a column in 2004, and it has been repeated elsewhere since then. Such claims, however, have been contradicted by testimony given by Phelps' estranged children who have argued their father's beliefs are very real.
-->

== Véase también ==
*[[Jack Chick]]


== Referencias ==
<div class="references-small">
*''Addicted to Hate: The Fred Phelps Story'' (Adicto al Odio: La historia de Fred Phelps) de 1994, una investigación periodística no publicada oficialmente por Stauffer Communications, quienes afirman tener copyright sobre el material. Sin embargo, y aunque la publicación no ha sido permitida, sigue estando disponible en la red.
<references />
</div>
<!--
Dead note "interviewjoe": Hamilton, Joe Clay. Personal interview conducted by Topeka Capital Journal. 1994. [http://blank.org/addict/chapter3.html Addicted to Hate, Chapter 3]
Dead note "addict1": Fry, Steven, John Michael Bell, and Joe Taschler. Addicted to Hate. Chapter 1: Public Domain., 1994. [http://blank.org/addict/chapter1.html]
-->
== Enlaces externos ==
=== Lecturas complementarias ===
*[http://blogs.periodistadigital.com/tizas.php/2007/04/04/la_familia_mas_odiada_de_america La familia más odiada de América], referencia en Periodista Digital
*[http://cjonline.com/indepth/phelps/specialsection.shtml Hate for the love of God], sección biográfica en el ''Topeka Capital Journal'', publicado en 1994 (en inglés)
*[http://www.rotten.com/library/bio/religion/fred-phelps/ Rotten.com's Fred Phelps timeline and quotes page], cronología y frases célebres (en inglés)
*[http://365gay.com/Newscon06/02/020406Phelps.htm Fred Phelps Confronted], artículo de Jeff Golimowski, reportero investigador de [http://www.kake.com/ KAKE-TV], 4 de febrero de 2006 (en inglés)
*[http://www.sierratimes.com/04/10/27/critic.htm Fake Crusade], columna de Keith R. Wood, quien sugiere que la intención tras las campañas de Phelp es en realidad manchar a los cristianos (en inglés)
*[http://www.splcenter.org/intel/intpro.jsp Southern Poverty Law Center], 'Informe de inteligencia' sobre monitoreo a grupos de odio en los Estados Unidos de América (en inglés)
*[http://www.splcenter.org/intel/intelreport/article.jsp?pid=421 A City Held Hostage], artículo del Southern Poverty Law Center sobre las actividades de Phelp en Topeka (en inglés)
=== Sitios afiliados a la Iglesia Bautista Westboro ===
*[http://www.godhatesfags.com godhatesfags.com], Dios odia a los maricas (en inglés)
*[http://www.priestsrapeboys.com priestsrapeboys.com], Curas violan niños (en inglés)
*[http://www.godhatesamerica.com godhatesamerica.com], Dios odia América (en inglés)
*[http://www.godhatescanada.com godhatescanada.com], Dios odia Canadá (en inglés)
*[http://www.godhatessweden.com godhatessweden.com], Dios odia Suecia (en inglés)
*[http://www.thesignsofthetimes.net thesignsofthetimes.net], Señales de los tiempos (en inglés)
*[http://www.smellthebrimstone.com smellthebrimstone.com], Huele el azufre (en inglés)

=== Partidarios de Phelps ===
*[[Bart McQueary]] es un antiguo promotor de [[Lucha libre profesional]] que se convirtió en partidario de Westboro, acompaña los piquetes de Phelps cuando se acercan a Kentucky, pues vive en ese estado.
*[[Peter J. Peters]] es el vocero informal del movimiento [[Christian Identity]], y fundador del sitio en la red [http://www.scripturesforamerica.org/ Scriptures for America], una iglesia en la red similar a Westboro. Vende cintas de audio con los ''sermones'' de Phelps como parte de su catálogo ''bíblico''
=== Sitios críticos a Phelps ===
*[http://michaelwestfall.tripod.com/id67.html Violating Funerals of Fallen Soldiers] Ensayo crítico de Mike Westfall (en inglés)
*[http://www.godlovesfags.com godlovesfags.com] Dios ama a los maricas (en inglés)
*[http://www.godhatesfredphelps.com/ godhatesfredphelps.com] Dios odia a Fred Phelps, referido a diversos crímenes de odio cometidos recientemente
*[http://www.wcuweb.org/ Wisconsin Christians United] Organización evangélica dirigida por el predicador callejero radical [[Ralph Ovadal]] quien, aunque emplea tácticas de protesta urbana similares a las de Phelps, es muy crítico a su posturas. También sostienen una demanda contra la familia Phelps por atacar físicamente a uno de sus seguidores
*[http://www.goodasyou.org/good_as_you/westboro/ Goodasyou.org] Humorísticos activistas homosexuales tienen una sección entera de su sitio dedicada a la Westboro Baptist Church. El nombre del sitio se deriva del acrónimo GAY, Good As You.
*[http://www.godhatesphred.com godhatesphred.com] Tablón de anuncios con base en [[Kansas]] para el monitoreo de las actividades de Phelps.
<!--
===Parodies===
* [http://www.danstheman.com/SPECIALS/2005/phelps.obit/ A fictional CNN-style obituary of Phelps]
* [http://www.godhatesfigs.com godhatesfigs.com]—a spoof of Phelps's original site
* [http://www.godhatesrags.com godhatesrags.com]—another spoof of Phelps's original site
* [http://www.godhatesshrimp.com godhatesshrimp.com]—another spoof of Phelps's original site
* [http://www.satanlovesfredphelps.com satanlovesfredphelps.com]—features a montage of clips from Phelps' sermons
* [http://godhatesneworleans.com/ godhatesneworleans.com] —A domain registered by a member of the website [[Something Awful]] to prevent Phelps from possibly claiming it for his own. It was suspected that Phelps would register the [[hostname]] in the wake of [[Hurricane Katrina]]. Redirects to the American [[Red Cross]] website after approximately 5 seconds.
-->

{{ORDENAR:Phelps, Fred}}

[[Categoría:Homofobia]]
[[Categoría:Organizadores antisemitas]]
[[Categoría:Historia del protestantismo]]

[[de:Fred Phelps]]
[[en:Fred Phelps]]
[[eo:Fred Phelps]]
[[fi:Fred Phelps]]
[[fr:Fred Phelps]]
[[it:Fred Phelps]]
[[ja:フレッド・フェルプス]]
[[nl:Fred Phelps]]
[[ro:Fred Phelps]]
[[ru:Фелпс, Фред]]
[[sv:Fred Phelps]]

Revisión del 20:33 11 abr 2009

Es un maricon de mierda repirimido que en secreto tiene orgias homosexuales con jack chick , y le lame la mierda de la polla.

Obtenido de «https://es.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Fred_Phelps&oldid=25502847»