Reverend Fred Phelps (above) is the founder of the Westboro Baptist Church, the fire-and-brimstone outfit that attributes America’s “eternal damnation” to homosexuality (so, yes, that last link does indeed, sadly, take you to godhatesfags.com).
What distinguishes Phelps and his 12 or so kids (including daughter Shirley, his most passionate supporter), from most church-goers, though, is that this family really likes to get their picket on, waving signs and spewing hate at grade schools, gay pride parades, even at the funerals of soldiers. Their enemy list includes such figures as Bill O’Reilly, Coretta Scott King and Ronald Reagan. And now one more: estranged son, Nate Phelps.
Nate escaped a life of hate (and frequent beatings, apparently) and is starting to talk about it. He recently sat down with Canadian TV’s Peter Klein, and described what it was like “running from hell.” Give it a look, it’s a bizarre but fascinating 30 minutes.
(via Mother Jones)
