For Immediate Release: March 20, 2014
Media Contact: Heather Cronk, heather@getequal.org, 202-491-7240
GetEQUAL Statement on Passing of Fred Phelps, Sr.
WASHINGTON, DC — Early this morning, Fred Phelps Sr., founder of Westboro Baptist Church, died in hospice care. GetEQUAL — a national social justice organization working toward the full equality of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) Americans — issued the following statement in response to this news:
Fred Phelps Sr. passed away this morning, and we lift up his humanity especially as we know that his family is grieving his loss. Mr. Phelps caused very real pain and trauma for thousands of Americans, especially for those in the LGBTQ community but also for the families of fallen service members. It is our hope that those hurt by his words and actions will find healing. It is our hope that his family will one day find space in their hearts to recognize the humanity of LGBTQ individuals. And it is our hope that people across the United States commit or re-commit themselves to working toward equality and justice for all as a lasting legacy of Mr. Phelps’ life.
There will always be those who are so in pain themselves that they feel compelled to inflict pain on others. We re-commit ourselves today to loving those who hate us. We re-commit ourselves today to seeing the humanity in those who cannot or will not see it in us. And we re-commit ourselves today to working toward an America that is free of that pain — an America in which LGBTQ folks can live and love openly. On this day, we stand with our LGBTQ sisters and brothers across the country to say, with certainty, that we see that day over the horizon and that we will work until our hands bleed to bring about that day with a deep and abiding urgency.
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