Bloomington, IL -
The Westboro Baptist Church, led by the vitriolic Fred Phelps, plans to picket outside the North American headquarters of the Electrolux Corporation and several churches in Bloomington-Normal.
A spokeswoman for Westboro said the group will send 10 to 15 people, including children, to the Bloomington sites August 23rd because Electrolux is a Swedish corporation.
Unrelated to company activity, the government in Sweden jailed a minister for making anti-gay statements, she said. The protest is described as informational, not seeking a boycott or any other action against Electrolux.
The civil rights group Southern Poverty Law Center describes church leader Fred Phelps as "America's most rabid and vicious hater of homosexuals." Westboro and the center spar over the center's designation of it as a "hate group." The group drew national attention when members picketed with anti-gay messages at the funeral of gay murder victim Matthew Shepard.
Tentative plans are for August 22nd pickets outside St. John's Lutheran Church, Holy Trinity Catholic Church, St. Matthew's Episcopal Church, Wesley United Methodist Church, Second Presbyterian Church and Vale Community church. The denominations teach "the Big Lie -- that God loves everyone, according to the Westboro spokesperson."
The churches targeted for picketing were chosen because they represent the various denominations, she said.
Westboro contends death would be an appropriate penalty for same-sex relations, Phelps-Roper said. One of Westboro's Internet sites is titled "www.godhatesfags.com."
A spokeswoman for Westboro said the group will send 10 to 15 people, including children, to the Bloomington sites August 23rd because Electrolux is a Swedish corporation.
Unrelated to company activity, the government in Sweden jailed a minister for making anti-gay statements, she said. The protest is described as informational, not seeking a boycott or any other action against Electrolux.
The civil rights group Southern Poverty Law Center describes church leader Fred Phelps as "America's most rabid and vicious hater of homosexuals." Westboro and the center spar over the center's designation of it as a "hate group." The group drew national attention when members picketed with anti-gay messages at the funeral of gay murder victim Matthew Shepard.
Tentative plans are for August 22nd pickets outside St. John's Lutheran Church, Holy Trinity Catholic Church, St. Matthew's Episcopal Church, Wesley United Methodist Church, Second Presbyterian Church and Vale Community church. The denominations teach "the Big Lie -- that God loves everyone, according to the Westboro spokesperson."
The churches targeted for picketing were chosen because they represent the various denominations, she said.
Westboro contends death would be an appropriate penalty for same-sex relations, Phelps-Roper said. One of Westboro's Internet sites is titled "www.godhatesfags.com."
