Anti-gay protest inspires pledge drive

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Wherever there is a whiff of support for homosexuals, the Rev. Fred Phelps likes to appear holding his trademark "God Hates Fags" sign and brimming with anti-gay vitriol.

For years, he has traveled the country with the members of his Kansas-based Westboro Baptist Church - most of whom are his relatives - creating a homophobic road show that has rankled a swath of people so wide even the fiery Christian evangelist Jerry Falwell has denounced Phelps as a "hatemonger."

In the past, gay-rights activists have taken Phelps on by staging large counter-demonstrations, pelting him with eggs and excrement - once even macing him.

But tomorrow, when he shows up in Whatcom County to protest the graduation ceremony for a high school whose students elected a lesbian prom king, a different tactic will be used: Phelps' protest will be made into a fund-raiser.

How to give To pledge, e-mail nwproud@yahoo.com and write PLEDGE in the subject line. In the message text, include your name, city and per-minute pledge amount. Money will go to two scholarship funds, one administered by the Whatcom County chapter of Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays and the other by the Whatcom Human Rights Taskforce. Questions should be sent to nwproud@yahoo.com. Flat donations can be mailed to PFLAG Bellingham/Whatcom County: P.O. Box 28704, Bellingham, WA, 98228-0704. The "Community Countdown Celebration" is from 6 to 11 p.m. tomorrow at The Majestic, 1027 N. Forest St., Bellingham.

The idea seems a bit of a turnaround for a community upset when Krystal Bennett, Ferndale High School's only openly gay student, was elected prom king in April.

Many in Ferndale, a town of nearly 9,000 just south of the Canadian border, were bothered by Bennett's coronation because they don't like open homosexuality or they think traditional gender roles were degraded by her election.

But Phelps' promise to picket Ferndale High's graduation ceremony, at Civic Field in Bellingham, seems to have moved some residents to rally behind Bennett.

Recently, the Bellingham group Northwest Proud helped organize a "community affirming promise" that was signed by dozens of Ferndale church leaders and residents. They promised to embrace diversity - including a person's sexual orientation - and vowed not to give Phelps attention by confronting him directly.

"That's what he wants," said Tami Stamper, co-chairwoman of Northwest Proud. "He's not out looking for a positive community response. He's out trying to polarize communities. None of us want to give him what he wants."

In a strategy reminiscent of a walk-a-thon, gay-rights groups are asking people to pledge money for every minute Phelps stands outside Bellingham's Civic Field railing against Bennett, whom he considers a "filthy beast."

The idea for this fund-raiser came from a gay bar in Ann Arbor, Mich., that Phelps targeted earlier this year.

At first, Phelps' protest at the Aut Bar seemed just another on a lengthy list.

Phelps, after all, is notorious for protesting the funeral of Matthew Shepard, the 21-year-old gay student who was beaten to death in Wyoming in 1998. He protested the funeral of Bill Clinton's mother because she gave birth to a man who promoted gay rights.

Last year, the 71-year-old disbarred lawyer came to Seattle to protest St. Mark's Cathedral because it is led by an openly gay priest.

But as the Aut Bar protest approached, the bar's owner decided that instead of giving Phelps the attention that comes with a counterprotest, he would use Phelps' presence as a way to generate donations for the cause Phelps detests.

After asking people to make pledges for every minute Phelps picketed, the Aut Bar fund-raiser raked in more than $2 a second for a total draw of about $7,400. The money was given to a local gay-advocacy group.

The organizers of the fund-raiser in Bellingham already have received more than 100 pledges from around the nation. The money will go to two scholarship funds.

Tomorrow, a timekeeper will watch Phelps from a safe distance, clock his picketing and call in updates to an anti-Phelps "community celebration" being held away from Civic Field to avoid distracting from the graduation ceremonies.

Bellingham police say they have made plans to keep the peace when Phelps arrives, but it is not clear whether anyone plans to actually confront him.

Bennett has asked people not to counterprotest, and organizers of the fund-raiser are encouraging people to attend their celebration and ignore Phelps' picket.

Phelps, reached at his church in Topeka, Kan., confirmed that he would be in Bellingham to protest the Ferndale graduation - but then he expressed suspicions about the reporter interviewing him and quickly hung up the phone.

To Landin Fusman, student body president of Ferndale High, Phelps and his followers will be an unwelcome annoyance on an otherwise special day.

"I think they're kind of silly," he said. "Basically they just want attention. It's pretty sad."

Eli Sanders can be reached at 206-748-5815 or esanders@seattletimes.com.