This bit of ugliness was discovered by Allan Brill of the Right Christians:
The memory of Matthew Shepard is currently under attack…plans to erect a homophobic monument related to his life have been unveiled. Fred Phelps, the pastor of Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kan., intends to place the six-foot-tall monument in the city park of Shepard's hometown of Casper, Wyo…. Atop the stone slab, a plaque would bear Shepard's image and the inscription, "Matthew Shepard: Entered Hell Oct. 12, 1998." The city does not want the monument, but it seems there may be little that they can do to prevent it because of a statue commemorating the Ten Commandments that already decorates the park. After a court battle over the presence of a similar statue in another city, the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals decided that any city that displays the Ten Commandments on public property must also allow monuments that represent the views of other political groups or religious ideology. Therefore, Phelps feel that he has the right to erect his monument, and is prepared to go to court over the matter, leaving the city hesitant to take action.
Matthew Shepard, a young and gay college student, was murdered five years ago this week. He was beaten into a coma, lashed to a fence on the Wyoming prairie, and left to die of brain trauma. This week, on the anniversary of that murder, President Bush declared National Protect Marriage Week. Fred Phelps, one of the most repulsive people in North America, is famous for his “God Hates Fags” signs and website. Bush’s message, though missed by most decent and mainstream Americans (even most Republicans) is not missed by the Fred Phelps’ and their followers. Bush wants them to know that he can’t come out and openly support their hate-mongering, but (wink-wink nod-nod) he feels their pain.
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