Was Fred Phelps Democracy’s Necessary Evil?
You Don’t Have to Like the Man or the Westboro Baptist Church, But Their Antics Strengthened the First Amendment for All of Us
It has been written that the safeguards of liberty have often been forged in controversies involving not very nice people. If that is true—and the facts support the premise—then the actions of Fred Phelps and the church he led went a long way in forging liberty.
Fred Phelps died on March 19. Few tears were shed. Obituaries labeled him a preacher of hate. Reverend Phelps led the Westboro Baptist Church, a group known for its virulent opposition to homosexuality and for picketing a variety of events, including the funerals of military …