Westboro Baptist Church, Fred Phelps, Al Gore, and the Democratic Party

This just showed up in my mailbox. It's pretty much the polar opposite of the Log Cabin Republicans.

Can any of you Democratic apologists confirm or deny the information in this email?

October 25, 2000 (WASHINGTON, DC) – Reports linking Vice President Al Gore with notorious anti-gay activist Fred Phelps, Jr., and the Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kansas were confirmed with the release of photographs showing Gore at a fundraiser at the home of Fred Phelps, Jr., who told the Conservative News Service on October 16 that he served as a Gore delegate on the floor of the Democratic National Convention in Atlanta in 1988.

Gore, who was quoted by the Nashville Tennessean in 1984 saying homosexuality is not "an acceptable alternative that society should affirm" and said in his 1984 U.S. Senate race that he would not accept money from gay rights organizations and that he opposed a "gay bill of rights," reportedly sought the support of the Phelps family in his 1988 presidential campaign, and invited the Phelps' to the Clinton-Gore inaugurations of January 1993 and January 1997.

The Westboro Baptist Church runs a website called "www.godhatesfags.com" which includes virulent anti-gay statements and attacks on Jews, Catholics, and US troops. The site calls the religious right "lukewarm cowards" and has an animated photograph of gay murder victim Matthew Shepard surrounded by flames, with a statement entitled "Matthew Shepard's Message from Hell." The Phelps family has gained international notoriety for picketing the funerals of gay people and US troops with signs that say "God Hates Fags."

Fred Phelps, Sr., pastor of the church, told CNS that the 1989 fundraiser held at his son's home was for Al Gore, and published several photographs on the church website to substantiate it, including one showing Gore and his wife Tipper arm-in-arm with Fred and Betty Phelps. Phelps, Sr. also told CNS that he provided office space and staff accommodations for Gore campaign staffers in the 1988 campaign.

Phelps, Sr. told CNS that Gore "looked us in the eye and gave us assurance, that, based on his Bible beliefs, he was against the homosexual agenda and the killing of babies."

"No one argues that Gore had an anti-gay record in the past. However, if it is true that he was allied with Fred Phelps as recently as 1997, then Al Gore's got a lot of explaining to do," said Rich Tafel, executive director of Log Cabin Republicans. "At this time the sources are themselves questionable, so the Vice President can end this mystery by denying any relationship with Phelps now. Most troubling is the charge that Al Gore invited Fred Phelps to his inaugurations as Vice President in 1993 and 1997. That was less than three years ago. We need some answers."

Fred Phelps, Jr. also ran for Governor of Kansas in the Democratic primary in 1990, winning over 11,000 votes and placing third.
​

 

I don't know the answer to your question, but great thread. Sometimes I learn some interesting things on this forum. I had thought the Westboro Baptist Church was only a joke to poke fun at fundamentalist Christians. I didn't know there was a "real" Westboro Baptist Church until I looked at your link. They are definately a hate group, pretty scary stuff.

 

The family of Marine Lance Cpl. Matthew A. Snyder brought a lawsuit against the Westboro lunatics.

Here's the current status, according to Wikipedia:

"On February 4, 2008 U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett upheld the ruling but reduced the punitive damages from $8 million to $2.1 million. The total judgment now stands at $5 million. An appeal by WBC is still pending. Liens have been ordered on church buildings and Phelps' law office in an attempt to ensure that the damages are paid."​

Al and Tipper Gore pandered to these lunatics. The family of the Marine Corps took the opposite approach.

 

1. you must have the most miserable mail service in the country. If you just got the mailer and it was written in 2000.

2. Last I checked Gore hasn't run for office in 8 years. Why don't you focus on something current.

3. You should check into it. I'm sure there are lots of sources you could check to see if it is verifiable.

4. People may....or may not change. McCain just apologized and said he was wrong for voting against making Martin Luthor King day a national holiday back in the early 1980's.

5. I'll almost assuredly vote for a democrat this year...whether that makes me an apologist or not. Frankly, come up with something like that about someone who is running for office now. Its sort of wierd that with that piece....if it was very substitive...why didn't it get press and exposure back in 2000 when the questions you ask would have been relevant to the potential candidacy back then. If it would have stuck you'd think that it would have gotten wide exposure. Certainly the Republican attack and character assassanation capabilities were well developed at the time.

 

Will, ridiculous. You are a worthy debate opponent and I am frankly surprised. You are better than this.

Rebecca, I have discussed the group before. Please see, among others:

Phelps/Westboro to Picket Heath Ledger's Funeral

Limitations on Free speech and Phelps/Westboro:

Website, Free Speech, Phelps/Westborohttp://forums.digitalpoint.com/showpost.php?p=5740354&postcount=143
Wiki Thread - Free Speech and Phelps Pickets

(This last, please see response - "Funeral Picketeers" to "Freedom of Speech" argument).

 

yawn ..........

 

What's your point? Do you have any data to support or deny the data points listed in this email?

 

Will - if you're serious, I'm further surprised. "Phelps, Sr. said..."; the article itself indicates:

So, for a guy who relies, usually, on substance and honorable debate, to post an unsourced e-mail aspersion is about as credible a point as Mia's and Bogart's relying on the equivalent of The Onion to link Obama to the KKK. It should go without saying that if you're going to post something as bald as this, it requires a credible source, doesn't it? Above and beyond the fact that this thing is a piece of dessicated "strategerey" from 7 years ago, on a rumor from 20 years ago, as Earlpearl rightly points out. News cycle that slow?

C'mon, Will.

 

If Phelps was once a supporter of Gore, he certainly isn't anymore. In fact, he called Gore a "famous fag pimp" at the 1997 Presidential Inauguration, which the Westboro Baptist Church was protesting. Oh yeah, and he also protested Al Gore's father's funeral, telling Gore, "your dad's in hell." I'd say they probably aren't still friends.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fred_Phelps#Opposition_to_Al_Gore_and_Bill_Clinton

 

It should be commonsense, it seems to me.

 

I doubt there are many that phelps doesn't hate, I wouldn't be surprised if they picketed one of their own if they died from cancer they would say it was caused by their fag sin or something.... sick people.

 

I'm not interested in what Fred says about Al -- I'm interested in what Al has said about Fred and about homosexual Americans.

I don't hold Freds statements or actions against Al -- I do hold Al's statements and actions against Al.

How many of you would willingly attend a fundraiser at Fred's house?

How many of you would say tell a newspaper that homosexuality is not "an acceptable alternative that society should affirm"?

How many of you would invite Fred to your inauguration?

As I said a few days ago, it appears that no special interest is too small to pander to.

 

the republican party has been gay bashing for votes how many years now?

and you are getting excited about this? if its even true

 

Do you have a reliable source for this?

 

I guess, for now, my main thing is -

the e-mail "strategery" was from 2000, and the alleged love match between Gore and Westboro was 20 years ago.

Why is this the conservative hot ticker of the week in April, 2008?

 

umm yeah the news, probably some of their own websites

who sponsors every piece of legislation that denies gays equal rights?

Are you going to try to say with a straight face that the GOP isn't the party of the anti-gay? LOL, come on

 

There are a lot of anti-gay, gay Republicans. Most of them hang out in airport bathrooms.

 

I only heard of one, but if that is were you meet them, then you should know better.

 

1. It just showed up in my mailbox.

2. It struck a nerve based upon something stupid that ferret had recently posted in another thread.

3. While bagging on Obama may be trendy this year, I have no intention to ever make peace with that fascist Tipper or her lying husband Al.

4. One thread does not equate to a "hot ticker" and I'm surprised to see you try that obviously failed line of reasoning.

Do you have a source, or is this a divine revelation given to you personally by God?

Whoa there cowboy. A refusal to pander to a special interest group is not an act of "hate."

I would vote against legislation to give special rights to Swedes, but I am certainly no hater of Swedes.

 

Word. I forgot how much I dislike Tipper Gore.

Unfortunately, that is over the head of many people. A government that treats everyone equally, not some as victims.