My understanding is that most of the Phelps (sounds like feltch - :) ) following is his extended family. The good news is that he does not have a large following like a Falwell or Roberts. He just gets a lot of attention because is SO out there.

Ultimately, as your event at UT shows, Phelps does the side of justice a good. When people see pictures of Matthew Sheppard left to die on a cross and this sicko spitting on his memory, it can only help Middle-America realize that there is a need for civil-rights / equality laws.

I'd also note that Phelps has continued to drift further into insanity.

He was actually an almost-respectable member of the Democratic party organization in Kansas like 20 years ago, or so I have heard.

I think my fiance saw some of those goons down on Beacon St. in Boston on May 17th. I asked her if there was any trouble there. She said no, everyone was just so happy. Except there was some moron with a sign that said America deserved 9-11. Nobody paid attention to him. I think that's the correct way to deal with people like that. It's almost comical to me.

I've said it before to others, so I'll say it again here. A report of the day-to-day protest rallies and doings of Fred Phelps & clan ought to be on the front page of every newspaper and on both the local and national newscasts of every TV station and cable news network in the country. If you're gonna be homophobic, please meet your leader.

Believe it or not, but Fred Phelps is a good friend to gays and lesbians. Every time he opens his mouth and spews his venom, reasonable people realize what it is to hate and vow not to do it. Phelps has probably converted more people from casual opposition of homosexuals to sympathetic indifference or casual support than any other person. For that I give him a facetious round of applause.