Kansas to vote on legal discrimination against gays.
 

Posted on Tue, Mar. 01, 2005





Discrimination law repeal on ballot in anti-gay picketers' city

JOHN HANNA

Associated Press


TOPEKA, Kan. - For years, the Rev. Fred Phelps Sr. and the family who comprise most of his church's membership have staged intensely anti-gay pickets in the Kansas capital and across the nation, even at the funeral of a gay Wyoming man who was beaten to death.

He's taken his cause to voters here, who will decide whether to repeal a city ordinance prohibiting discrimination against gays and lesbians in municipal hiring, and block future efforts to reinstate such a law for 10 years.

His granddaughter also is trying to unseat the first openly gay member of the City Council.

Polls were to close at 7 p.m. CST Tuesday in the city's primary election. Council member Tiffany Muller and Jael Phelps (pronounced JAY-el) were among four candidates in the 9th district, which covers working-class and more affluent neighborhoods in northwestern and north-central Topeka.

The younger Phelps said she doesn't mind the focus on her church's anti-gay picketing or its attempt to repeal the anti-discrimination ordinance. Muller, however, is frustrated because issues normally prominent in city races, such as creating jobs, aren't being debated.

And, Muller said, "There is never a final battle between the Phelpses and the gay community."

The Human Rights Campaign, the Washington-based gay rights group, said approval of the Phelps-backed proposal would make Topeka the only American city with an ordinance blocking anti-discrimination policies for 10 years. It's patterned after a Cincinnati ordinance adopted in 1993 but repealed last year.

Muller, a 26-year-old grant writer, and Jael Phelps, a 20-year-old nursing student, hope to appear on the city's general election ballot April 5, when voters statewide also will decide whether to amend the Kansas Constitution to ban gay marriage.

Others in the race are Richard Harmon, a 48-year-old attorney, and Robert Percival, a 48-year-old state corrections worker.

Last year, after the city council appointed Muller to fill a vacancy, she sought a broad anti-discrimination ordinance applying to private employment, housing and public accommodations. When it became clear the council wouldn't approve it, she and other backers settled for a narrower ordinance in November.

Only three local governments in Kansas to have such an ordinance. One in Shawnee County applies only to government employment, but one in Lawrence, home of the University of Kansas, is broader.

The senior Phelps and his Westboro Baptist Church then launched a petition drive against the ordinance.

That wasn't surprising. His began its anti-gay pickets more than a decade ago, with signs such as, "God hates fags." His church's demonstration at the 1998 funeral of Wyoming beating victim Matthew Shepherd led to his portrayal in the play, "The Laramie Project."

His targets include churches - even conservative ones - he deems too soft on homosexuality and labels "fag-enablers." He said he didn't care how the vote turned out because his job is to preach.

"This fight has just barely begun," he said.

But also supporting the ordinance's repeal were clergy who viewed it as a small step toward governmental acceptance of homosexuality.

"We're always painted in Fred Phelps' camp," said the Rev. Bob Hanson, pastor at Topeka's Shawnee Heights Baptist Church. "We don't agree with his preaching and teaching. We don't agree with his signs."

Before the election, Time magazine declared that Topeka "can perhaps lay claim to being the homophobia capital of the U.S."

"I would think anybody who votes 'yes' today has to hold their noses," said Bill Beachy, president of Concerned Citizens of Topeka, which formed a decade ago to oppose the senior Phelps and his church.

http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansas...1022976.htm?1c

Phelps is an idiot. He used to picket the church arcoss the street from where I worked in Topeka whenever there was a funeral for someone who was gay or died of AIDS. Unfortunately in a democracy, even the idiots voices are heard. Their little repeal attempt won't happen but it's scary that the government even pays attention to these idiots anymore.

Years ago when he was picketing a local college he actually called my girlfriend a heathen and a temptress for wearing short shorts. I told him to go fuck himself and called him a closet queer.

I think what Phelps needs is a good dickin'.

When Fred Phelps dies I am going to picket his funeral and then piss on his grave.

On behalf of the state of Kansas, I would like to officially apologize for Fred.

he sounds like a complete fucking asshole.

no..he is evil.

For sure. I wonder why he feels it is his right to intrude on other people's lives and preach his thoughts on them

I really wouldn't be surprised if it does get repealed. Don't they also teach creationism as a scientific theory in Topeka and most of the rest of Kansas?

God's work apparently. He demonstrated outside the funeral of someone I knew once. I wasn't there and it is a good thing I wasn't. I am so anti-violence but I would happily kick his head in. If God is any good at all he would reward me for it anyway.

Somehow, for some reason, "Judge not lest ye be judged." has almost universally never been followed.

Yes, they do. They also teach that evolution is a scientific theory. They preface the discussion with "these are both valid theories, it's up to you to decide which you believe." Kansas is an ultra-conservative state but most of the residents still don't agree with Phelps.

The problem is that his supporters are very active in state and local government while "our side" likes to sit around, complain and do nothing to fight that asshole. They will have thousands of their supporters that will show up to the polls to vote but the "normal" people don't vote in anything but the presidentials. I assure you, most of us know he's a bastard. I see "Phuck Phred" bumper stickers around here almost daily.

Last time i was out in Olathe for a week, I got the distinct impression that people there agreed with this sort of shit around 3:1 and that was amongst the teens/20somethings i met. I really hope that isn't the case and I hope you are right. The kind of apathy you speak of means there is more than just a chance things like this pass.

I remember watching Penn & Teller's bullshit, and the episode about creationism. Not being offensive to the smart residents of Kansas... but it really is a backwards state.

He's a Christian.

gotta love it.
the church goers are always the trouble makers. what happened to love one another as i have loved you?

Ahh, I didn't know you were familiar with Kansas. I am actually in Lawrence so maybe my view of the state is a little skewed. As you probably know, Lawrence is generally well educated (home of the University of Kansas) and very liberal. Other than Wyandotte county, the rest of the state is filled with right-wing religious freaks who love to impose their will on the rest of us.

http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2004/pag...tates/KS/P/00/

We're one of the two blue counties in the state if that tells you anything about Kansas.

that a very bad news
for those... :pimp
real sorry for those!

Not all of Kansas is filled with right-wing religious freaks but finding one who is not is a bit hard at times. There are some pagans living in central Kansas ;)

when the revolution comes, I hope the first shot is through the head of Phelps...he is the biggest waste of oxygen on the planet...if there is a God, someone in his family will get AIDS...I never thought I'd say that about another human being, but fuck it, I'm not a fucking Christian anyways, I don't have to turn the other cheek...

You know, we need to meet.

I don't mind that... as long as they add a chapter to the bible about Darwin.

Is this thread supposed to make me weep for the homos?

the hypocracy of homophobia only shows how ignorant some people are. they dont want our lifestyle forced onto them, so they force theirs on us. i should get some friends together & go to his church one sunday. wonder if he'd try to convert us, or kick us out? my money is on the latter. they aren't interested in converting people to christianity, which is what religion is all about, they're interested in repressing and destroying anyone who doesn't share their religion. sounds familiar... wasn't this country founded because of something like that... ?

Interesting Sarah.

I am trying to find the article from a Kansas paper. I dumped coffee on this guy, sparking a massive political science debate fiasco on campus.

It made the front page. Looks like the site is redone however and I can't find the search...

I came under direct fire from student officials citing me as disregarding a fundamental right.

The coffee was cold by the way.

Born & raised in Atchison, went to school in Emporia.
Couldn't WAIT to get out of that tarded state!

P.S. Anyone ever SEE Phelps "followers"..talk about inbreeding between cousins! Mostly unemployed red necks that have nothing better to do with their time but drink beer and bash gays.

Trust me..I don't think "they" want ANYTHING from you.

Yawn, bigot.

Good for you!

I refuse to go to his site and make the counter go up but when I was there in the past one of my faveorite bits he used to proved the evils of gays was to say that they suck penis and swallow the semen of another man which makes them canibals.

Next time buy it at McDonald's and spill it in his lap.

Its a shame that people dont have anything better to do than bother others. I am surprised no one has beat the shit out of him yet. If someone showed up to someone in my families funeral talking shit, I would go to jail for sure.

did you say Wyandotte? hip hip hoorah. Someone else knows were here too.:1orlaugh

You moved from Kansas to Seattle? Isnt Seattle the suicide capital of America? I cant say many good things about Kansas but at least we hate OTHER people. Thats the way its supposed to be! :1orglaugh :1orglaugh :1orglaugh
jk

Not like she got AIDS, but the fact that Alan Keyes' daughter came out of the closet tickled my pickle for quite a while. Who would have thought, his own daughter a 'selfish hedonist'.

In the early days of his website, I *cough* knew *cough* of someone that linked a load of crap sites to his! THAT person got away with it for months! It was great..his bandwidth bill was going through the roof. Finally his isp wrote the guy and said "Look, I'm no fan of this guy either, but he does have right to have his site..blah blah..please remove these links."

I remember when you posted that on the short lived new AC board.

Suicide capital? Nah..I've heard that said before, but stats doesn't bear it out..not even in top ten.

It's BEAUTIFUL here! Especially since the beginning of January here! Everything is blooming..up in the 60s. It's incredible spring like weather we're having..but we are going to pay for no rain/snow come this summer.

Those damn homosexuals anyways :mad:

Damn straight!

Them always wanting to be left alone to do their own thing!
Who the hell do they think they are, human beings or something?

That guy is obviously a complete redneck retard. :1orglaugh

Good idea, I just may too .... I'll drink a keg the night before and start a flood

Isnt he also the reason we dont have conceal carry?

Drink some coffee for odor and color and just to be safe take some b6.

Anyone got this guys address? I want to ship him some dildo's and male blow up dolls

It sounds like his attempt to repeal the city law didn't happen. It was close but it didn't happen.

Hallelujah! Small miracle.

Amazing. An effort under way to help find a kidnapped girl, a chance to do something, and this thread has more movement. Is running our mouths important enough to spend all of our time doing it?

Well, there is a tie-in between Jessica and this thread, albeit a loose one. Ron Thornburgh, the Kansas Sec. of State, was my classmate in grades 4-9. I'll get ahold of him and see if he can get the flyer posted in high profile businesses in that state.

Now, will some of you please get some flyers faxed out in your area?

Thankyou!

:mad: I feel your pain

This THREAD IS GAY!