10/17/2007
Fred Phelps and Fred Thompson: BFF?
Fred Phelps' gay-hating Westboro Baptist Church is getting up in the face of Republican presidential candidate Fred Thompson, claiming that Thompson once saw "eye-to-eye" with them and demanding to know if he agrees, as they claim he once did, with their views on homosexuality.
Westboro, which has made itself well-known over the years with their anti-gay picketing, says Thompson's view of homosexuals was "wonderful" when he visited them while working on a sexual harassment case in Topeka in the mid-80's.
Jeremy Hooper at Good As You received a letter from Phelps' daughter, Shirley Phelps-Roper on the topic as well.
Thompson, via a spokesman, immediately distanced himself from the "radical fringe group, looking to draw attention to themselves" and issued this statement:
"Their behavior at the funerals of fallen soldiers is disgraceful and reprehensible. In no way do these people share Fred's values."
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Posted 5:15 PM EST by Andy Towle in Election 2008, Fred Phelps, Fred Thompson, News, Religion, Republican Party | Permalink
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PLEASE! Like ANYONE running for office would claim to share in Fred's values. Whether Thompson does or not, he'd have to be a complete idiot to admit it. Not that that's stopped anyone from running for office before. Look who's there now.
Posted by: JR | Oct 17, 2007 6:18:51 PM
Thompson assured voters that in no way does he share the views of Westboro Baptist Church. Except, of course, for believing fags are not worthy of respect or equality.
Posted by: peterparker | Oct 17, 2007 7:18:12 PM
He finds "Their behavior at the funerals of fallen soldiers is disgraceful and reprehensible..." Fine. Agreed. What about their behavior at the funerals of fallen members of the GLBT community? Their behavior is disgraceful regardless of the target.
Posted by: tjwdraws | Oct 17, 2007 7:34:58 PM
Thompson is scum, but why would anyone believe a word Phelps says? He's doing this just to stir up trouble.
Posted by: DCN | Oct 17, 2007 8:49:06 PM
Anybody think Fred Phelps is a fag? There then, proof to you all how good that works.
Posted by: Vi Agara | Oct 17, 2007 9:35:53 PM
Is it me or doesn't Fred Phelps look alot like that preacher in the Poltergeist movies? Just as evil
Posted by: Zo | Oct 17, 2007 10:26:42 PM
Is it me or doesn't Fred Phelps look alot like that preacher in the Poltergeist movies? Just as evil
Posted by: Zo | Oct 17, 2007 10:29:21 PM
So I once voted for Thompson as my senator when I lived in Tennessee! However, I will NOT be voting for him for president!
Posted by: RB | Oct 18, 2007 12:45:17 AM
I have to mention the photos of Al Gore with Phelps and his family. Westboro is a deranged cult.
http://www.lcrga.com/archive/200010251159.shtml
Posted by: queendru | Oct 18, 2007 8:31:39 AM
You did WHAT RB? You actually voted for that bastard? Are you gay?
I'd NEVER in a million fuckin' years vote for a republican, I don't care if I saw him sucking cock. It's the ideas they try to promote that are wrong and unfair to everyone but white christians.
A gay republican is like black KKK member.
Posted by: Bobby | Oct 18, 2007 10:37:40 AM
I'm oddly fascinated by the Phelps Clan, obviously not in a good way, but fascinated nonetheless. I guess I have a fascination with fanatical religion.
The reason I'm overly fascinated by the Phelps Clan is that, while I'd make a gander to say that most religions either discourage or condemn homosexuality, it always seems to be an addendum to the greater tenets (ie, Thou shall not kill, and while you're at it, only screw people of the opposite sex). But the Phelps Clan entire religion hinges on homosexuality. They can't discuss anything without throwing around the word "fag" or blaming us for the downfall of the world.
And to end my ramble, you can call me weird, sick, whatever, but it actually makes me really happy that I get to be amongst a group that bothers these people so much. It's difficult to explain, I just like knowing they agonize so much about what I do in the bedroom... and I can't wait until they go down in flames. I don't know if that made any sense...
Posted by: David | Oct 18, 2007 11:19:10 AM
A politician is nothing more than a salesperson. They will say anything to get you to buy their bullshit. Once they tap into one primal crevasse of your human nature, they can pretty much tell you anything and you will buy it. Take for instance the infamous American Idiot: George W. Bush. The one point that he used to get himself into office was that he "would rather err on the side of life". Just whose life was he erring on? Life does not just exist in the form of an unborn child. Life doesn't only exist in the form of breathing, shitting, and sleeping, neither. Life is more about happiness and joy and our pursuit in those things. Nobody asked him what his ideology was on foreign policy, or just what "life" he was protecting.
Well, I got off topic. Basically what I was trying to say is that if Thompson was an idiot, he would side with Phelps. He is not too stupid to think that pissing on the voters of this 2008 election is going to have a good outcome. He doesn't want to piss of the gays because the gays are taking this elctions whether anyone likes it or not.
Posted by: Blair | Oct 18, 2007 2:41:57 PM
Wow Bobby! Did you just arrive at Towleroad? I have been posting here for some time now and I thought everyone here knew that I was both gay, at least my partner thinks so, and a republican. It is no secret.
It is people like you with such a closed mind that make me angry! I am NOT in the closet, I am not a self hater and I am a republican. I know exactly why I am and can probably exlpain it with great clarity should you so desire. I have done so right here many times. I would even venture a guess that the only reason you vote for dems is because you are gay and probably couldn't name a single other reason. But wait, there I go making assumptions about you and I do not even know you. My apologies. I do so try to treat others with more respect than they give me.
Take care
RB
Posted by: RB | Oct 18, 2007 3:18:11 PM
Hey RB, good to have you back. Ignore Bobby, he is engaging in mental masturbation to justify his own biases. It is unfortunate and counterproductive that more gay men do not do as you do and actually think through the issues and judge the candidates on more than one Pavlovian knee-jerk (emphasis on jerk) response. The rest of us are proud to have you as part of our family and will always have your back.
Posted by: rudy | Oct 18, 2007 4:38:21 PM
BOBBY, I certainly understand your frustration with Republicans and I even understand how hard it is to understand how a gay person could possibly be a Republican in 2007, however I must agree with RUDY that you couldn't be more wrong about our friend RB. I won't go into ALL the reasons why but the archives pages are full of discussions where RB has made a reasonable case for his political leanings; and I DO meaning LEANINGS! As much as he will HATE me saying so, he ain't nearly as RED as he might let on (Sorry for exposing your BLUE streak bubba!)
Anyway, if you have a reasonable, civil and polite argument to make to RB about his partisan leanings, by all means make it. He is quite open to considering other people's opinions and reconsidering his own but he doesn't respond to ad hominem attacks from people who know absolutely nothing about him or his opinions, values or political ideals. I can’t say that I understand why RB still identifies as a Republican but I respect him because of what I know about him personally. That doesn’t mean that I won’t continue to challenge him to look at certain issues in ways he might not have considered before. I will, and I expect he will continue to do the same with me.
Now, to my good friend RB. Watch out with the broad brush assumptions about us gay Democrats. I have not doubt that the vast majority of gay Democrats are, believe it or not, VALUES VOTERS who base their votes on a broad variety of issues, many of which have nothing to do with their sexual orientation. It really makes ME angry when gay Republicans act as if they are the only gay people who have lives or political positions that don't 100% revolve around their sexual orientation. You certainly know that that isn't the case for at least one gay Democrat. As you know, we have almost identical concerns and values yet we have different opinions on which political party best supports our concerns and values. At least we agree that, for the most part, BOTH parties suck, and we're at best left with a choice between the lesser of two evils.
It’s about time we chuck them all out and start all over again! :)
Posted by: Zeke | Oct 18, 2007 5:18:57 PM
Thanks Rudy for the kind words. I appreciate you having my back.
Zeke, I hear you and I get it! Under NO circumstances do I paint all gays with the same brush. However, when faced with the comment "I'd NEVER in a million fuckin' years vote for a republican, I don't care if I saw him sucking cock" I have to defend myself. That level of closed minded thinking just sends me over the edge!
Posted by: RB | Oct 18, 2007 6:51:12 PM
It's just a different way of thinking RB. It's no more close-minded than your way of thinking. I say this as someone who is cynical about the motives of both parties and largely do not identify with either one. Which is also not being close minded - to the contrary it's about being open to the possibility of not identifying with a party.
Posted by: Scriptorium | Oct 19, 2007 6:41:40 AM