[DomLuka] Fred Phelps

[dkstories]

Those domophiles...um, I mean Domaholics!, who go to the yahoo group know about the recent post regarding someone wanting to coordinate an attack on the fred phelps anti-gay hate website. I posted a response there, but I'm going to also post my response here, because I think it's an important message to get across. I'm also going to start a thread in my forums, a little bit about 'who' I am and where I've come from.

 

If you don't know who fred phelps is, count your blessings. He is one of the most vilest anti-gay people in this world. He picketed Reagan's funeral because 'Reagan was too sympathetic to the evil homosexuals'

 

And he wasn't talking about the bunny-rabbit Reagan in my stories.

 

***

I remember attending the funeral of a friend of mine, and having to

walk past the Reverend Phelps.

 

A year later, I found myself sitting in a chair, in a comittee

meeting room of the California State Legislature. I was to testify

on an Assembly Bill that would sexual orientation to the non-

discrimination clauses of every K-14 publicly funded school in this

state (California's system includes community colleges in the same

section as K-12 schools). On my right was Shiela Kuehl, an openly

Lesbian state Assemblywoman (she's now in the Senate and use to play

on the old television series Dobie Gillis). On my right was a man

every bit as despicable as Fred Phelps. His name is the Reverend Lou

Sheldon, founder of the Traditional Values Coalition.

 

Behind me were about 20 supporters of the Reverend Sheldon, and about

80 supporters of the bill, most of whom I knew from my work the year

before as State Secretary of the California Student Association of

Community Colleges. I was there to testify for the bill by giving a

two minute speech on death threats I'd experienced, and known to have

happened against other openly gay students in the community colleges.

Another witness was to testify for the K-12 system. Behind us were

dozens of people who would, after the testimony, come forward and

give their name and their organizations name and stated that both

they and their organizations were in favor of the bill. These were

teachers, administrations, board of governors members, students, and

all sorts of others. The opposing side had members of churches to do

the same in opposition of the bill.

 

When it came time for the testimony to happen, Rev. Sheldon spoke

first. The words coming out of his mouth were filled with despicable

lies, and hatred, all of which you can find on the Phelps website

today. It was the same vitriolic bile, except it was being spoken

aloud to a committee of ten or so elected representatives.

 

I am 6'3 and about 240 lbs. Sheldon is a small man, and old. I was

a gunner's mate in the US navy, and I've killed people for my

country. That day, my vision went red as Sheldon spoke his lies and

hatred, and I saw my hands snapping his neck. He was sitting next to

me, less than an inch away. I could reach over and snap his neck,

silencing him forever, before anyone could stop me.

 

Someone did stop me though. Her name is Sheila Kuehl. She was on my

other side, and saw me shaking with the rage I was feeling. With a

calmness I could never have mustered, she put her hand on my arm and

leaned in to whisper to me. Her words broke over me like a wave of

peace, peace and determination. When Sheldon was done, it was my

turn to speak, and I did in a voice loud, clear, and firm with the

conviction that I felt.

 

That day the bill passed through that committe and moved forward. It

eventually failed that year, but its contents are now law throughout

California, and the votes we earned that day, by speaking loudly,

clearly, and putting a face to gay people everywhere, those votes

stayed with that bill until it became law.

 

"Daniel, take a deep breath. Your turn is coming up, and we're

counting on your voice to put the face to his lies. We won't win by

trying to shut him, but rather by showing his words to be lies. You

can do it here, now."

 

Those were her words to me on that day, and they are something I will

always remember. I share them now, here, with you, because I can

understand your anger, your pain, and your hatred. I feel it too.

 

Remember these words, and understand them because the true path to

peace for gay people lies through them, not through violence either

physical or online. Taking down the website is violence that they

can use to win more people to their cause. Your words to your

friends, and families on how those words hurt you and others will

take away the power of Fred Phelps and his ilk.

 

That is where the true battle lies.

***

[Novelty]

Wow, I never thought what Davey went through in DO was based on something real. Thanks for sharing that with us Dan.