By Mary Owen
Four protesters from an anti-gay Kansas church were outflanked by more than 100 picketing in support of Silverton mayor-elect Stu Rasmussen.
The protesters from Westboro Baptist Church, an independent church not affiliated with any know Baptist conventions or associations, gathered in front of Silverton City Hall on Monday, Nov. 24. They carried professionally made signs that condemned Rasmussen’s openly-transgender identity.
“The Lord is coming and America is doomed,” member and attorney for the group, Shirley Phelps-Roper, told Our Town in an interview prior to the event. “There is a standard set in this earth by God, and he expects his creatures to be obedient.”
Tom Smith, pastor of Silverton First Baptist, called Monday’s protest “a case of two wrongs don’t make a right.”
“Mayor Rasmussen’s personal and public promotion of transgenderism is contrary to what the Bible teaches,” Smith said. “However, the Westboro group’s promotion of hatred in God’s name is similarly wrong.”
Smith went on to say, “Since only Jesus can right a wrong, we need his amazing grace and forgiveness to live together despite our differences.”
Westboro Baptist, an organization the Anti-Defamation League monitors and the Southern Poverty Law Center classifies as a hate group, stands firmly against all homosexual activity, calling it an “abomination” right alongside with adultery, fornication or murder.
“When God said no cross-dressing, they (Silverton residents) said, ‘Liar, that’s just fine,’” said Phelps-Roper, daughter of Westboro founder and church leader Fred Phelps. “That freak in Silverton is a pervert and worse, an abomination unto the Lord, HIS God! Furthermore, those freaks in Silverton in electing this pervert to be mayor just looked right up toward God and flipped him off.”
Outgoing Mayor Ken Hector said, “We have a bunch of sick people from out of the community. This group is not a church; it’s a cult that preaches hate. They don’t discriminate – they hate everybody.”
The Topeka congregation of about 70 targets many groups in the name of Christianity – from American soldiers to the Catholic Church to President-elect Barrack Obama – on its Web site, www.godhatesfags.com. The church also hosts a number of other Web sites, including www.godhatesamerica.com. The Westboro protesters trod on American and rainbow flags during the half-hour demonstration.
To
offset Westboro’s opposition to Rasmussen, supporters carried signs saying, “Equality,” “Hate is not a family value,” and “Different isn’t wrong.”
“This is very heartwarming,” said Rasmussen over the support. “This is the coolest town on the planet.”
The protest also drew the attention of a few pro-gay groups, including Riot Wife, a Web blog dedicated to promoting gay rights. A recent blog encouraged “queers and allies” to support Rasmussen at the protest.
Rasmussen, who is not gay and has lived with his girlfriend for almost 35 years, believed the protest was all about community support.
“I don’t think it’s about me, the country has turned the corner,” he said, alluding to changes that came about in the recent elections. “It’s a time of healing, coming together.”
– Linda Whitmore contributed to this story.
