Fred Phelps and the Westboro Baptist Church are good at grabbing media attention. Their (self-titled) hate speech nabs headlines and creates a dialogue, but in doing so, they attack both conservative and liberal America.
Through the glories of Facebook, I was having a comment-conversation with a friend about the Westboro Baptist Church’s latest upcoming funeral protest: the funeral of Elizabeth Edwards.
Elizabeth Edwards — attorney, health care activist and wife of former senator and vice-presidential candidate John Edwards — finally succumbed to breast cancer at the age of 61 on Tuesday.
It took the Reverend Fred Phelps a whole day — presumably, not of respect for the deceased — to announce the Westboro Baptist Church’s decision to protest her funeral.
Disgusting.
I mean, of course it’s disgusting. It’s deplorable. Disrespectful. And do you know anyone who reacts with anything other than revulsion when they hear about the Phelps clan’s latest exploits?
Edwards is, however, a special case.
When Elizabeth Edwards found out she had breast cancer, she did not ask her husband to forgo the run for the Democratic nomination for President. Instead, she supported him. And in the midst of the profound stress of both national attention and an illness that would take her life, Elizabeth Edwards’ husband cheated on her and fathered a child.
In summation, the national media has — justifiably or not — attached the label of martyr to Elizabeth Edwards. Even Evangelical conservatives feel sympathy for the woman. The right may not agree with her politics, but her life, trials and dedication to advocacy are admirable.
Tell me what woman in small town America doesn’t identify with the worry of an unfaithful husband or the fear of illness. Edwards’ life — and I do not say this in jest — was almost built to be a Lifetime movie.
The planned Westboro funeral protest will undoubtedly be countered by a unified community, probably consisting of the Patriot Guard: a group of politically unaligned motorcyclists who create a physical and auditory separation between the Westboro Baptist Church members (never more than a dozen) and the funeral procession of soldiers.
Now I may be stereotyping, but is there anything that appeals to Red America more than veterans? Or motorcycles? Veterans on motorcycles.
The Westboro Baptist Church has made an enemy out of everyone. Blue America, with their message. Red America, with their tactics.
And in doing so, Phelps has conflated two entities that the Right has consistently tried to keep separate: soldiers and homosexuality.
If you disagree with Phelps’ tactics, is it too far of a step to see the rationality of disagreeing with his message, as well? Don’t you think rejection of Phelps vitriol becomes wholehearted?
When the Westboro Baptist Church protests Elizabeth Edwards funeral, a probable media spectacle, what do you think America will see? I think America will see a broad spectrum of her citizenry unified, in mourning, and refuting hate.
Maybe it’s a stretch, but it would be a fitting testament to a woman who worked for LGBTQIA rights.
This article appears in December 10 • 2010.