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Fred Phelps’ clan is coming to the San Diego Comic-Con! The “God Hates Fags

” Westboro Baptist Church is planning to picket the convention with their hateful anti-gay, anti-American, and now anti-comic, message.

The Westboro Baptist Church wrote on their website, “Are you kidding?! If these people would spend even some of the energy that they spend on these comic books, reading the Bible, well no high hopes here. They have turned comic book characters into idols, and worship them they do! The destruction of this nation is imminent - so start calling on Batman and Superman now, see if they can pull you from the mess that you have created with all your silly idolatry.”

Fred Phelps and his group travel all across the United States spreading their message of hate and lies. However, when the Phelps group comes to San Diego Comic-Con to protest, they will actually be raising money for two organizations dedicating to doing comic-book related good!

We are hosting a Phelps-A-Thon to counter Fred Phelps’ hateful message. For every minute the “God Hates Fags” clan is protesting, we will be collecting donations to benefit the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund and The Hero Initiative. (Comic Book Legal Defense Fund is a non-profit organization dedicated to the protection of the First Amendment rights of the comics art form and its community of retailers, creators, publishers, librarians, and readers. The Hero Initiative is a not-for-profit corporation dedicated strictly to helping comic book creators in need. Hero creates a financial safety net for yesterdays' creators who may need emergency medical aid, financial support for essentials of life, and an avenue back into paying work.)

The Phelps clan will be protesting at the event for 45 minutes, from 1:15 PM to 2:00 PM on July 22nd. You can pledge any amount you chose, whether it be $0.25, $0.50, $1, or even $2 for every minute they protest. You can even pledge a flat rate for the entire time the group will be demonstrating. (Pledge Online)

The point of this Phelps-A-Thon is two fold. First, we are using Phelps’ own hateful message to raise funds for a good cause, one that will help counter the lies that are being spread. Second, After the event, we will send Phelps a thank you card, telling him how much money he raised. This will certainly upset the group and it is possible that they will stop protesting in order to stop our fundraising.

During a three month trek across the United States in an effort to promote tolerance and equality, Chris Mason, Founder of Phelps-A-Thon.com, stopped in Topeka, Kansas to visit the Westboro Baptist Church. He sat down for a conversation with Shirley Phelps, the daughter of Fred Phelps and new leader of the group to get a better understanding of why the groups feels the need to spread hate.

On the “God Hates Fags” website, Phelps has this to say about the upcoming protest at the event:

“San Diego Convention Center 111 W Harbor Dr. WBC to picket Comic Con 2010 at the San Diego Convention Center. Are you kidding?! If these people would spend even some of the energy that they spend on these comic books, reading the Bible, well no high hopes here. They have turned comic book characters into idols, and worship them they do! Isaiah 2:8 Their land also is full of idols; they worship the work of their own hands, that which their own fingers have made: 9 And the mean man boweth down, and the great man humbleth himself: therefore forgive them not. It is time to put away the silly vanities and turn to God like you mean it. The destruction of this nation is imminent - so start calling on Batman and Superman now, see if they can pull you from the mess that you have created with all your silly idolatry.”

We can turn these hateful words into positive change. Thank you.