The daughter and two other relatives of the controversial Kansas Pastor Fred Phelps traveled to Connecticut Tuesday to protest the state’s decision to legalize gay marriage.
Standing outside the Supreme Court building, Shirley Phelps-Roper, the daughter of Pastor Phelps, said the state and all three branches of government “flipped off God,” by approving gay marriage.
“The Lord is coming and America is doomed,” Phelps-Roper said. “The economic apocalypse is child’s play compared to what’s coming.” When asked when the end of the world would be coming, she said, “No man knows the day or the hour, but knows by the signs of the time.”
Phelps-Roper was joined at the protest by her son Zach and her grandson Ben. The group has been all around the country protesting everything from military funerals to productions of the musical “Rent.”
Larry Voyer of Waterford sat in a lawn chair across the street from the Supreme Court building in the shade of a tree with a sign that said simply “Hate Sucks.”
When he learned members of the Westboro Baptist Church were headed to Connecticut he was inspired to come out and peacefully demonstrate against them. He said he has 27 care packages to send overseas to his friends serving in the military and it’s “repugnant” to him to hear someone say that somehow he’s getting them killed because he supports the Supreme Court’s decision.
“To me it boggles the mind,” Voyer said. “It doesn’t even make sense.”
Back across the street was another handful of anti-protesters holding signs referencing love.
Joshua Demers said he looked at the group’s web site and was so appalled by what he read he felt compelled to come out and protest.
“I believe in love,” Demers said. “Whether it’s a man or a woman, finding the right person is a rare gift.”
Standing next to Demers was Tara Crawford who said, “We wanted to answer hate with something positive.”
Tomorrow at 6:50 a.m. the Phelps family will be outside New Britain High School, according to the schedule of events on their web site. The group has been all around the country protesting everything from military funerals to productions of the musical “Rent.”
Phelps-Roper said the group has been to Connecticut twice in the past to protest military funerals. In 2007 the state passed a law banning protesters from military funerals.
