The UK bans Fred Phelps and daughter

After watching a handful of anti-gay protesters in action at the SundayOUT! Street Festival in Philadelphia this past weekend, perhaps the British government's decision to include the Rev. Fred Phelps and his daughter Shirley on its so-called "least wanted" list amounts to some long overdue poetic justice.

A clear argument can be made the Phelps clan considers any sort of attention the media pays to their protests a success. And an equally convincing argument can be made the Westboro Baptist Church remains one of the movement for LGBT rights' most important assets.

Freedom of speech remains one of this country's founding ideals. It is something to be cherished and celebrated, but the British government's decision to ban Phelps and his daughter from the United Kingdom serves as a powerful reminder this basic human right comes with immense responsibility. And it also proves freedom of speech should not come at the expense of someone else's personal dignity, liberty and even safety.

Marine's Father Sues Westboro Baptist Church

I read the article in this morning's New York Times about a Baltimore man who filed a lawsuit against the Westboro Baptist Church for protesting his late son's 2006 funeral with particular interest. The Rev. Fred Phelps and his family, who comprise the vast majority of the extremist Kansas-based congregation, are clearly outside of what the vast, vast majority of people in this country consider acceptable. The sect, however, certainly knows how to generate publicity for itself with its very public protests against gays, lesbians, victims of Sept. 11 and even American soldiers who lost their lives in Afghanistan and Iraq.

These protests are certainly heartbreaking (and obviously infuriating) for the grieving family members who must face these as they lay their loved ones to rest. Most people of good faith will not dispute this fact. But the question remains: Why does the mainstream media fail to give as much attention to Phelps and company's rabidly homophobic-driven actions. Most Americans are quick to identify themselves as patriotic despite their positions on Iraq, the Bush administration and other political hot button issues of the day. These protests clearly strike a nerve at the heart of this 'nationalistic' idealism. Gays and lesbians have long suffered heartache and suffering at the hands of this group. Perhaps it's futile to give it additional attention (as I'm doing with this blog entry). But the parallels must be drawn.

Nebraska Police Arrest Fred Phelps' Daughter

To give Fred Phelps and clan a shred of attention feeds exactly into their twisted ideology and antics. The Associated Press, however, reported Bellevue, Nebraska, police arrested Shirley Phelps-Roper outside a protest of a soldier's funeral yesterday because her 10-year-old son trampled the American flag. Phelps-Roper is a lawyer. She and her family clearly know how to use the legal system to defend the right to propagate their homophobic hate speech across the country. They also know how to stage good photo-ops and to generate good sound bites for reporters. Her arrest, however, marks the first time authorities have arrested a member of the Phelps family during their protests. The charge stems from a 1977 Nebraska statute against desecration of the flag. The symbolism of the arrest marks a long overdue rebuke to their hate. Activists -- and any descent American for that matter -- will obviously continue to drown out their dribble at every turn. But the Bellevue, Nebraska, police succeeded to silence Phelps-Roper for at least one day to the applause of almost everyone.