I have to admit, this is going to be a blog that
even I have no clue how it’s going to turn out. Because thanks to a moment of
thought…the entire landscape of this blog is going to change.
As I went to write this blog, my original intent was
that of a celebration of the death of Fred Phelps. Phelps, the leader (or as I’ve
learned, the fallen leader, appears he wasn’t intolerant enough of homosexuals
to appease his family) of the Westboro Cult, which routinely picketed funerals
of soldiers, gay people, victims of school shootings, and so forth. They held
signs that read “Thank God for 9/11”, among other vulgar, disgusting things. As
disgusting and distasteful as their comments and signs are, according to the
Supreme Court, they are protected under the first amendment. A rite, that
thankfully, extends to blogs like mine.
I would like to take this time that I shed not a
single tear for Fred Phelps, and I reacted with a celebratory cheer when I
heard he was dead. I even had joined a group on Facebook, called the Fred
Phelps Death watch. I have several friends who are gay, in same sex
relationships, and I have a cousin who had gender reassignment surgery, going
from female to male. I support all of them, and I’ve declared Phelps, his ilk,
supporters of Westboro my sworn enemy.
I still find myself intrigued on why someone would
personally decide to make themselves so hated. Why does someone in real life,
want everyone else to look upon them with disgust. In my career as a pro
wrestling manager and commentator, I’ve played the role of a villain,
only becoming a “good guy” over the last few years. But there is the key, I was
playing a role. Outside of the character I played for years, I’m the most easy
going, accepting person you’re ever going to meet.
If Phelps wanted to be against gay marriage, fine
that’s his right, just as the KKK and others like them rallied against
interracial marriage 50 years ago. No
matter how clear the evidence is that not only is someone wrong morally, that
they are on the wrong side of history, they have a right to their opinion. However, the question that begs to be asked,
is why take it to such an extreme?
What drove the likes of Phelps, Hitler, Bin Laden
all peas in the same pod, the feed off hatred? Was it a desire to satisfy the ambitions of
fame? Are they just men who felt more comfortable embracing hatred, and
spreading the seeds of evil?
Simply fact is we are never going to know. And while
some may find my happiness that a vile being such as Phelps has shuffled off
the mortal coil wrong, when you have a right to that opinion. Protesting his
funeral isn’t going to do anything, because his family is going to love every
minute of it. They are attention starved, and the best thing we can do, is
ignore his funeral. Though I do kind of think it would be funny if someone
broke into his gravesite, and buried and inflated male sex doll with him, it is
best that we simply move on.
It’s time that the Westboro cult fades into
obscurity and becomes forgotten about. Maybe they will become a walking
punchline like the KKK has become. Maybe, our culture will so become acceptive
enough of same sex relationships, that when future generations gaze upon the
Westboro cult, they will laugh mockingly, wondering how anyone could have such foolish
hate-filled beliefs like Westboro. Much like right-minded members of our generation
view the Klan.
So let the emotion cool and set aside the urge to
protest. Let’s give Westboro something they don’t want…a cold shoulder. And for
those wondering why I compare Phelps so much to Adolf Hitler, it is because
they really have the same doctrine. Just Phelps has recast gay people in place
of the Jews. And like Hitler, Phelps was a man with zero redemptive features. A
man who no one is going to shed a tear over, and as I suggested before, will
suffer a fate fitting him. In search of fame, he’ll instead be relegated to the
bin of the forgotten, only to see his name resurrected when it comes time to
compare a vile, evil, and disgusting existence of a man to someone.
And now we’ve reached the end, so, now we both know
how this blog turned out. So long Fred…you won’t be missed!
No comments:
Post a Comment