Meet Fred Phelps, your new best friend

I have long believed that sometimes to get someone to change their mind, you need to show them a caricature of themselves. You need to show them someone that takes their own beliefs and stretches them so far "out of bounds" that they see themselves in a new light. The terrible story of Matthew Shepard is one good example. I know of a few bigots and homophobes that when faced with this terrible story had to actually admit that it was a tragedy and that even a homosexual should have been beaten and killed.

The case of James Byrd, the black man who was dragged behind a truck and killed, also serves to illustrate an extreme that even most racists will admit was unncessary, a tragedy, and a terrible crime.

So, now we have the Rev. Fred Phelps, whose God Hates Fags web site presents the most extreme possible view of homophobia, racism, Jerry Falwell, Ralph Reid, the Christian Coalition, and the America Family Association. When Rev. Phelps church came to Hawaii a few years ago, even our own local bigots such as Mike and Carolyn Gabbard had to admit that Phelps was too extreme. The commentary by the television anchor people after the story had aired was openly hostile and condeming to Phelps and his followers.

So, in my humble opinion, thank you Rev. Phelps for showing the world about homophobia and racism. You have a few followers, but you have the opposite effect that you desire on most of the population.