Since the publication of Thursday's article about the Westboro Baptist Church coming to Duke Monday, many people have asked me for more information about the group. While I am no expert on the group, I did spend some time Tuesday interviewing a church lawyer and spokesperson, Shirley Phelps-Roper, by phone.
Phelps-Roper said she plans to be at Monday's protest at the corner of Erwin Road and Fulton Street, and she took about fifteen minutes to explain to me the beliefs and motivations of the group. Her tone never changed, whether she was expounding on her hatred towards gays or advising me to use Microsoft Live Maps instead of Google Maps to find the location of the Monday protest.
Portions of my interview with Phelps-Roper are below.
Shirley Phelps-Roper: The thing, the act that brings us there to start with, is the godsmack, that God sent the shooter over there by Carthage, [N.C.].... The Lord is coming, America is doomed. The time is so short, we're not wasting any trips right now. There are students who have been taught that God is a liar. We are running fast every day all over this country.... Everywhere we're going, we're hitting as many places as we can get to...
The Chronicle: Will the early time of the protest and low visibility to students limit the effectiveness of the demonstration?
SP: Limit effectiveness? Oh heavens no, hun. The little rebels are going do all that "blah blah blah" mouth running... Well you understand that we have picked a busy intersection. Just because the little rebel students aren't going to be all up running around, theres also a whole community of people who are going to drive by that location. Those people will see the signs.
TC: Why did the Westboro Baptist Church choose to protest at Duke? Why not at another school in the Triangle?
SP: We haven't been to Duke in a while and it's large. Look hon, here it is. Why would we not pick Duke? I'm just saying. Are those students not entitled to have even a shot at seeing what good looks like? Those children—you guys—were taught rebellion. You are in urgent, dire need of some truth.
TC: What is the message of your church?
SP: Our message is: God hates f—s. God hates f— enablers. Therefore, God hates Duke University. Therefore, America is doomed.
TC: Do you think Duke students will be receptive to your message?
SP: [laughter] Well, that depends on what you mean by receptive. Do I think they are going to like it? No. They're going to respond the same way they do all over doomed America—they're going to reject the word of God.... How many drunken spewing sprees do you need in a lifetime? The prophet, the apostle, his name was Peter, and he said it kind of like this: "You've wasted enough of the days of your life chasing after this nonsense. The lord is coming."
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