ASU professor pens op-ed on 1st Amendment, Fred Phelps

In the wake of the death of Rev. Fred Phelps, the leader of the infamous Westboro Baptist Church, Joseph Russomanno, associate professor in ASU's Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communications, reflects on the time he spent interviewing and observing members of the church, including Phelps himself, and how Phelps has become “an accidental First Amendment champion” in a recent op-ed for Time magazine.

Russomanno recalls how, at the first Westboro Sunday service he observed, “there was no fire and brimstone … and no mention of any of the groups that attract Westboro’s wrath … But there were visual images: placards that read, ‘God Hates Fags’ and ‘God Hates Fag Enablers,’ and t-shirts with anti-gay or anti-Jewish messages in the crowd.”

Phelps hadn’t always been regarded as a “preacher of hate,” though. Before becoming a preacher, he had been a lawyer and was recognized by organizations such as the NAACP for representing those whose rights had been denied.

Knowing this, Russomanno asks, “So how did he end up on a path that has created so much anguish?”

Russomanno gives two reasons: a warped view of Christianity that was allowed to run amok, and Phelps’ affinity for ruling with an iron fist.

“Many observers may have difficulty distinguishing between Phelps’ actions and his right to freedom of speech,” Russomanno writes. “But it’s clear that even hurtful speech can make a positive contribution in a self-governing democracy.”

To read the full article, click the link below.