Fred Phelps Is Finally Fucking Dead! - The Stranger | Comments

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1

GOOD RIDDANCE TO BAD RUBBISH

lucida c. on March 20, 2014 at 9:18 AM

2

i wonder if his feet curled up when they took the red slippers off his feet?

db206 on March 20, 2014 at 9:21 AM

3

Heez now shocked to discover that Gawd is a Japanese Buddhist lesbian.

Original Andrew on March 20, 2014 at 9:22 AM

4

Dear Mormon activists, please posthumously convert Mr. Phelps to Mormonism as soon as possible, so that we can convert him to gay.

http://alldeadmormonsarenowgay.com/

seatackled on March 20, 2014 at 9:23 AM

5

pick two:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qF5QSvWG…
https://archive.org/details/bb_ill_be_gl…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XU7gnMSz…

theophrastus on March 20, 2014 at 9:29 AM

6

And nothing of value was lost.

Urgutha Forka on March 20, 2014 at 9:29 AM

7

I feel like I should say a Shehecheyanu or something.

venomlash on March 20, 2014 at 9:37 AM

8

God hates the excommunicated.

Grant Brissey, Emeritus on March 20, 2014 at 9:37 AM

9

No matter how hateful and reprehensible the person was in life, there should be some reflection in death.

A kaddish and RIP, and some peace and grace to his family/the cult that he created. I just hope they can learn from this and leave people alone to mourn in peace, which I sadly doubt.

ferret on March 20, 2014 at 9:39 AM

10

No hell below him, above him only sky. Joke's on you, Freddy.

seattlestew on March 20, 2014 at 9:45 AM

11

Now, if the rest of your inbred, troglodyte offspring would kickoff ASAP that would be appreciated. Chip-chop.

seattlestew on March 20, 2014 at 9:46 AM

12

He didn't die. He was reverse raptured. Craptured

Womyn2me on March 20, 2014 at 9:51 AM

13

The next shit I take will be dedicated in his memory.

delirian on March 20, 2014 at 9:52 AM

14

Best headline of the year so far.

originalcinner on March 20, 2014 at 9:55 AM

15

I find it fitting that Fred Phelps died on Mr. Rogers' birthday.

Banna on March 20, 2014 at 10:01 AM

16

I know it's considered bad form to speak ill of the dead, but seriously, Phelps was a truly loathesome example of humanity who contributed absolutely nothing of value during his too-long life. So, here's hoping the worms have a happy feast on his bloated, hate-filled corpse; at least he'll fertilize some plants.

COMTE on March 20, 2014 at 10:10 AM

17

He did more for gay rights than many.

Pope Peabrain on March 20, 2014 at 10:11 AM

18

If I didn't know better I would think that their church was improv. Of course, poorly timed and still cruel improv, but improv nonetheless.

Hopefully the hateful cult that he spawned goes away finally.

One thing though, disgusting as they were/ are, they have done a lot to help the gay rights movement in our culture. Many people, especially young people, found them so despicable, that they moved to embrace the LGBT community. Truly, the Westboro Baptist Church was the best enemy to have. And for that I begrudgingly thank them, even though they are still disgusting human beings.

passionate_jus on March 20, 2014 at 10:14 AM

19

Here's a thought: Freddie's dead, but his repulsive cult, which had excommunicated him recently for not being hateful or extreme enough, lives on.

Fnarf on March 20, 2014 at 10:22 AM

20

Sayonara, douchebag.

Amanda on March 20, 2014 at 10:25 AM

21

I would say that that's a relief, but there are more of them to take his hateful, spiteful, ignorant place.

Allyn on March 20, 2014 at 10:25 AM

22

A coward in life and apparently in death as well, The Westboro Baptist Church leader fred phelps is dead and his family / zealot hate cult says no funeral is planned???? (can't take it like they give it....) however in "celebration" of his life's work, the rest of the world will likely hold the biggest, loudest, gayest dance party on his ideological grave! I hope everyone makes donations to your favorite LGBT organization in the name of phelps!

on March 20, 2014 at 10:30 AM

23

@13

They recommend against using dyed TP, but you might consider using pink this once.

seatackled on March 20, 2014 at 10:30 AM

24

May he rest in Homosexual Heaven.

sirkowski on March 20, 2014 at 10:31 AM

25

I'm encouraging folks to make a donation in his name to any LGBT organization, especially the Matthew Shepard Foundation. I figure, why not finally get some good out of the guy? It'll toast his ghost, piss off his followers, and a needy gay person somewhere gets help. Total win, in my book.

FranFW on March 20, 2014 at 10:33 AM

26

Too many people are trying to harsh my happy with their "Don't fall to his level" and "Its important to forgive him" and "Love and hope are what we should talk about, not hate" and "what about his grieving children and grandchildren"- please.
His church excommunicated him last August because he DEMANDED they treat Shirley Phelps-Roper kinder when the church elders took control of the church away from her. Not being kind to anyone but Shirley. The kicked him out over it. They made him move out of the compound. He stopped eating and pretty much declined himself to death at the loss of what he had built up out of the blocks of homophobia and anti-Semitism.

I'm with Bette Davis:
"Never speak ill of the dead, only good. Fred Phelps is dead. Good."

Womyn2me on March 20, 2014 at 10:35 AM

27

@17, @18 -- Aye. Phelps did voluntarily what MLK had to manipulate his adversaries into doing for him -- drew the distinction between human decency and human indecency in the sharpest possible contrast.

RonK, Seattle on March 20, 2014 at 10:36 AM

28

Fred Phelps dies, winter ends, and spring comes to the land… coincidence? I don’t think so.

You_Gotta_Be_Kidding_Me on March 20, 2014 at 10:45 AM

29

Can we now stop posting articles about them aside from when the cult collapses?

undead ayn rand on March 20, 2014 at 10:47 AM

30

"at the loss of what he had built up out of the blocks of homophobia and anti-Semitism. "

It is at least fascinating that he was a civil rights lawyer back in the day. It'd be interesting to find writings from him from the 60s, I think.

undead ayn rand on March 20, 2014 at 10:51 AM

31

Please tell me we are throwing him a Seattle-style Drag Funeral. I foresee rainbow umbrellas with a Dixieland jazz band and lots of us dressed in black veiled drag, dancing. Please, Slog, make it so.

Womyn2me on March 20, 2014 at 10:52 AM

33

Westboro must be stumbling in confusion without Papa Cult Leader.

Who is going to tell them whether to protest Drop Dead Fred's funeral or not?

May they wander in darkness and confusion - impotent in every way, consumed by the self-hate they so wish upon others - until they exist no more in this realm.

on March 20, 2014 at 11:02 AM

34

@17, @18 While it's hard to argue with the results, I'm a little uncomfortable with the logic. By that standard, we'd have to credit Adolf Hitler for the formation of the modern state of Israel. Some people are just too monstrous to deserve the credit for anything, especially when it was just a result of the reaction of decent people to relieve some of the suffering from that monstrousness.

Phelps was a useful enemy of equality and decency. But, he was a loathesome enemy. We can thank the Lord for sending us such a useful enemy, but can we please not celebrate the enemy? Don't let his usefulness die with him. He should evermore be pointed to as an example of the homophobic lifestyle. Like a dead albatross, he should be hung around the figurative neck of all religious homophobes.

Brooklyn Reader on March 20, 2014 at 11:02 AM

35

Well, the weeks went by and spring turned to summer
And summer faded into fall
And it turns out Fred was just another dead asshole
Who nobody remembered at all.

on March 20, 2014 at 11:11 AM

36

@34 I understand people with your reasoning less than I understand Phelps.

Pope Peabrain on March 20, 2014 at 11:28 AM

37

In the not too distant future, people will look back and wonder why this douchebag got as much publicity as he did when he was clearly mentally ill.

NotYourStrawMan on March 20, 2014 at 11:34 AM

38

Any there any good Fred Phelps-related playlists floating around on there? (Or can one be started here?)

One store posted on facebook a "little something for Fred Phelps to hum along to as he marches towards those Pearly Gates:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HgzGwKwL…

stinkbug on March 20, 2014 at 11:41 AM

39

The hell with "not stooping to his level." It'd take me a good forty years of constant hatred to even APPROACH "his level." Ain't nobody got time for that.

Pope Buck I on March 20, 2014 at 11:48 AM

40

He died when he started protesting soldiers' funerals. Up to that point he was condemned only by LGBT people and their allies, and was simply the most extreme homophobe out there. But he alienated most of the rest of the homophobes and probably in his way HELPED the LGBT cause by being so extreme.

Matt from Denver on March 20, 2014 at 12:13 PM

41

He's gone. Now let's never speak of him again.

very bad homo on March 20, 2014 at 12:20 PM

42

It's a sign!
It's a sign!

Spring requires the death of an evil, media whore homophobe.

So, how shall we invoke spring next year....my pretties?

on March 20, 2014 at 12:24 PM

43

Where, pray tell, does the cult get the money to travel to these funerals to protest? I've never understood where these neanderthals ( sorry neanderthals) got their funding from?

ProstSeattle on March 20, 2014 at 12:26 PM

44

@ 34, " By that standard, we'd have to credit Adolf Hitler for the formation of the modern state of Israel."

No. But I would say we could credit the Holocaust for teaching the world that the hatred and intolerance of people not the same as ourselves is dangerous and destructive. I wouldn't call that a celebration of the Holocaust.

BTW, attention seatackled. Has Brooklyn Reader "lost" the argument in your opinion?

Matt from Denver on March 20, 2014 at 12:27 PM

45

@19 - with any luck it will, as most cults do, fail to survive the death of it's charismatic leader.

This guy's just gone - no sky, no hell, no lesbian buddhists in the clouds. Just nothingness.

I have to wonder what horrible traumas befell him as a child that left him so very badly warped. I'm sure the proclivity was there, but what brought it out with such vengeance? That's a lot of hatred and hate takes it out of you..it's very very hard to sustain.

AFinch on March 20, 2014 at 12:41 PM

46

He might arguably have helped LGBT rights by scaring sane people over to our side of the fence, but he was a loathsome, hateful man, and his passing fills me with gladness and relief.

Good riddance, you piece of shit.

Reverse Polarity on March 20, 2014 at 1:10 PM

47

God hates Fred.

J.R. on March 20, 2014 at 1:29 PM

48

@43: From within, from suing cities, from their private practice, from volunteered money of the flock. They don't travel very much, they only show up if there's bound to be a counterprotest. Most times they claim they're protesting they aren't actually planning on doing so unless the media publishes their PR.

undead ayn rand on March 20, 2014 at 1:49 PM

49

@31: We don't need to be trashy. Being happy is well enough.

undead ayn rand on March 20, 2014 at 2:01 PM

50

@5 That Betty Boop cartoon / Louis Armstrong music video is one fucking amazing relic, on a couple of levels. Holy cartoon blackface, Batman!

Brooklyn Reader on March 20, 2014 at 3:18 PM

51

Poor spiritual leadership skills, as is evident from his followers refusal to follow him into death, en masse.
Which reminds me, I think that I'll send Shirley Roper Phelps a mass card. I know that the members of WBC would be especially touched by the gesture from a queer ex-catholic.

TampaDink on March 20, 2014 at 3:34 PM

52

@36 I'm sorry...

My point seems less clear, even to me now, than it did when I was trying to make it. Phelps' death loses us the biggest and most public evil clown/boogeyman of the religious homophobia movement. While in one sense it's a relief to see him expunged from the roster of the living, I think I was hoping there was a way to keep that level of unhinged hatred publicly associated with his less extreme brethren, the Brian Browns, Scott Livelys, Peter LaBarberas, Rick Perrys, etc. Maybe there isn't.

Brooklyn Reader on March 20, 2014 at 3:47 PM

53

Good riddance. Anybody looking to flash their middle fingers towards his family should look instead into donating to their favorite LGBTQ friendly charity, perhaps in his name?

treehugger on March 20, 2014 at 4:21 PM

54

@5: The third one is perfect, I don't need another. Thanks for sharing those.

Knat on March 20, 2014 at 11:13 PM

55

Why won't his cult hold a funeral for him, I wonder.

sissoucat on March 22, 2014 at 6:11 AM

56

Phelps dead.
Loving it.

George Vreeland Hill

George Vreeland Hill on March 22, 2014 at 10:36 PM

57

16, he did do some good, actually (I mean, on purpose, not just by making the mildly bigoted shudder and go "Jesus, I don't want to be like THAT," though that too). Back in the day he was a campaigning civil rights attorney. Blew my mind when I found that out and still does. Obviously it doesn't undo the damage done by his hate cult, but I think it's a powerful piece of information, if only as a warning that being bravely right on something doesn't mean you can't later go -- and stay -- horribly, horribly wrong. http://edition.cnn.com/2010/US/05/05/hat…

Green Lizard on March 23, 2014 at 5:24 PM

58

Phred Phelps is a cultural position that's now opened up for the next one, sort of like how there's always a Madonna (cum Lady Gaga), Clearly he was an asshole; plenty more jockeying to fill the vacuum that demands he exist.

Clara T on March 23, 2014 at 5:25 PM

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