Fred Phelps

The United States Supreme Court heard arguments Wednesday in an emotionally charged free speech case prompted when members of Westboro Baptist Church protested the funeral of a Marine killed while serving in Iraq.
On March 3, 2006, Fred Phelps, who founded Westboro in Topeka, KS, stood with six of his parishioners outside the entrance of St. John’s Catholic Church in Westminster, MD, with signs reading “God Hates the USA,” “Fag Troops,” “Thank God for IEDs,” “God Hates Fags,” and “God Hates You,” among others.
They were protesting the funeral of the 20-year-old fallen Marine Matthew Snyder, because they contend that the United States is awash in sin for harboring gays and lesbians. fred phelps