Phelps family to protest Shawnee Mission East over gay homecoming king

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By Justin Kendall in Follow That Story

Wed., Feb. 4 2009 @ 5:13PM

Photo by Jay Soldner

Shirley Phelps-Roper -- the mouthpiece of Topeka's gay hating, soldier funeral picketing Westboro Baptist Church -- can be prosecuted for desecrating a flag in Nebraska, a Sarpy County judge ruled yesterday.

The judge rejected Phelps' challenge to Nebraska's flag statute, the Associated Press reports.

In June 2007, Phelps-Roper was arrested for allowing her 10-year-old son Jonah to stand on a United States flag while picketing a soldier's funeral.

Shirley and the fam are scheduled to protest Shawnee Mission East Thursday from 2:30 to 3:15 p.m. because of this story, "The Shawnee Mission East class of '08 loves its gay homecoming king," written last May by former Pitch staffer Jen Chen.

Students are planning a peaceful counter-protest, Jake Davidson told me this afternoon.

Davidson, a SME junior, said students are making signs and T-shirts with slogans such as "God loves everyone" and "Everyone is equal."

Tags: Shawnee Mission East, Shirley Phelps-Roper, Westboro Baptist Church

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13 comment(s) / Post a Comment

John K. says:

I absolutely DESPISE the Phelps klan, but the US Supreme Court has already ruled that flag desecration is protected speech, as it should be. Nebraska is playing right into their hands. The linked article says the judge's decision was based on the presumption that the state legislature didn't think the US Supreme Court decisions protecting flag desecration as free speech rendered the Nebraska statute unconstitutional since the state legislature didn't amend or repeal the statute after that US Supreme Court decision. Well, his presumption is going to be rebutted big time because the Nebraska legislature doesn't get to decide whether the federal case applies to this statute; the US Supreme Court does, and it will ABSOLUTELY strike down this law.

Again, I can't stand them, but get them legally. Don't give them more ammunition by allowing them to win a high profile court case.

Posted On: Wednesday, Feb. 4 2009 @ 11:05PM

John K. says:

By the way, go Matthew Pope!

Posted On: Wednesday, Feb. 4 2009 @ 11:06PM

guz says:

who cares about these numbnuts?

Posted On: Thursday, Feb. 5 2009 @ 10:35AM

Christene says:

So, it may not just be students that are counter protesting. I hear that the Buzz is on it's way out there as well to stand with the counter protesters, and I know several of the local Civil Rights groups, like the Human Rights Campaign, are going out to stand with the students in a show of support.

I am stuck at work,or I would be right there with them! I am encouraged by this batch of high school students and their amazing sense of tolerance.

Posted On: Thursday, Feb. 5 2009 @ 12:47PM

grace says:

I am a student there and went this afternoon. it was a huge success and we raised thousands of dollars for AIDS research. there were many graduates, parents, students, and kids from other school there to support us. God watch over SME!

Posted On: Thursday, Feb. 5 2009 @ 4:13PM

Monica Dominguez says:

It was amazing i was so happy to see so many people together with love and peace. God doesn't hate gays he loves us all no matter what or who we are. WOOT btw im from SMW it's nice to see schools mix

Posted On: Thursday, Feb. 5 2009 @ 4:29PM

John says:

A theater in Fort Lauderdale just got written up in The Daily Beast for inviting Fred Phelps to protest their production of "The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told," which is a parody of the Book of Genesis. Someone at the theater told Westboro they would all get a lot of media attention...which would help the theater sell tickets. Shirley Phelps Roper said a lot of their protests are generated by the actual people being protested, for this reason.

http://www.southfloridablade.com/2009/1-29/news/localnews/5488.cfm

And some would say people like Fred Phelps are the best thing to happen to the gay rights movement--it gives everyone a common enemy easy to hate.

Posted On: Thursday, Feb. 5 2009 @ 4:58PM

SME LANCER says:

being at the protest was one of the most moving things i've ever seen. there were hundreds and hundreds of all kinds of people there. someone told me today, "i'll never feel scared to come to school anymore becuase i'm gay. now i know that i've got the whole school behind my back."
lots of people that were out there were not even gay, which shows the love and support that the SME students show for each other.
i'd just like to say that right now, i've never been more proud to be a Lancer.

Posted On: Thursday, Feb. 5 2009 @ 5:32PM

Emmy says:

I had to stay at school until it got out, but I managed to show up for the end. I wish I had been there for the whole thing. I just despise Phelps and the WBC.

Posted On: Thursday, Feb. 5 2009 @ 6:34PM

SME student says:

Today, i participated in the counter-protest/AIDS Awareness benefit along with hundreds of other students and Johnson County residents. The turnout was absolutely amazing. One thing that the news stories have not picked up on is that we raised a large amount of money for AIDS research during the protest-- somewhere around $13,500 in the short time we were protesting. This was through pledges (around $200 per minute), personal donations, and a handful of buckets being passed around the protesting site. I'm so glad to know that all of East's students are so open-minded and aren't persuaded by the messages narrow-minded ignorance that these organizations put forth. I'm proud to have a gay student body president!

And as always, it's great to be a Lancer.

Posted On: Thursday, Feb. 5 2009 @ 8:06PM

~~~~~ says:

God loves everyone no matter what. God bless America. God bless gays, straights, and bisexuals. God bless everyone no matter what race, religion, shape or size. Props to the Lancers for protesting Phelps. You guys are seriously and inspiration. All you need is love.

Posted On: Thursday, Feb. 5 2009 @ 8:38PM

Maria says:

I'm from SME, and it was so great to see rival schools holding hands, swaying in rhythm to the national anthem. Even college students, grown adults, parents, and former SME alumni came to share their belief of love knowing no gender. In the midst of something to horrible as the Phelps family coming to my school, it was so beautiful to see a crowd of this magnitude and diversity come together to celebrate our differences in such a positive light! I can easily say that it was one of the most impacting days of my life. I'm so proud of everybody in attendance.. Thank you for your support!

Posted On: Friday, Feb. 6 2009 @ 6:34PM

proud lancer! says:

okay i supported the gay protest thing only because i do believe that you can love whoever. no one knows how god would want it to be he put us on earth to find the right person you want to spend the rest of your life with. no one can tell you who to love! and i dont get why phelps hates gays so much. i think he is mad because maybe one of his kids or cousins or someone close to him came out of the closet! WHO CARES! leave the gays alone and let them do there thing! i love all my gay friends!
I AM PROUD TO BE A SME LANCER! because i know that no matter what someone has got my back!

Posted On: Friday, Feb. 13 2009 @ 12:59PM