Gyroscope

I yield to no one in my contempt for G. Bush or regarding the war as counterproductive. Therefore, for that reason, and that I am from Kansas, it is particularly important, I think, that I need to get on the record on this.

The New York Times today has an article about Fred Phelps’ latest twist in his protest. The Topeka, Kansas “preacher” rose to infamy by protesting at funerals of homosexuals, most notably Matthew Shepard, the student beaten to death because he was gay. Phelps and his crew go to funerals and hold up signs and chant that the deceased was now burning in hell for his sin. You want to see more, go to his cheerfully named “God Hates Fags” website.

Now his crew is going to the funerals of SOLDIERS KILLED IN IRAQ and protesting on the theory that their death is caused by God punishing America for not being opposed enough to homosexuality.

You may have to read that twice to get it - I know I had to read the story twice before my brain could register this. As opposed to the war as I am, I’d never do anything at a military funeral other than solemnly pay my respects. Protesting the war by protesting a funeral would be offensive, counterproductive, a sin and rude but would at least follow logic consistent with other human stupidities.

But Fred’s miserable excuse for a “church” stand within sight of the funeral party, at their time of profound grief and vulnerability and hold up signs that say “Thank God for IED’s”, “God Blew Up the Soldier”, or “Thank God for Dead Soldiers”. As he writes on his website: “No one talked about the fact that God was spreading these dead bodies all across the war zone. Let alone did anyone speak of the sinful lifestyle of the deceased. Instead, people puffed out their chests, thumped them long and loud, waved that dishonorable ignoble filthy fag American flag, and screamingly demanded that God bless them.”

This is nonsense on top of offensiveness on top of stupidity. I won’t even spend time pointing out the many ways this is ridiculous because I don’t want to detract from the emphasis on the obscenity, the arrogance, the twisted perversion of religion, the exploitation of free speech and the general stench of this useless idiot.

Fortunately laws are rapidly being prepared to give the same protection to funerals that was rightly given to abortion clinics: people do have some rights to not listen to some particularly offensive words and that can be done with no meaningful restriction on freedom of speech. And a gang of motorcycle riding Vietnam Vets is prepared to show up at funerals and drown out Fred’s chants with that two-stroke snarl. At any other place than a funeral, I tell them to go for it and ask if I and my bike could join the fray.

As a Christian, as an American, as a Kansan, I am offended. I’m offended I can’t come with more extreme words to describe how pissed off I am. Fred has a right to express his opinion. And I have a right to tell him how twisted it is.