The Westboro Wackos again

Westboro widens attacks
By MARTIN J. KIDSTON - IR Staff Writer - 02/9/05
The Westboro Baptist Church has broadened its attacks to include Carroll College and Lt. Gov. John Bohlinger in response to a community-wide discussion on hate groups and religion held on campus last week.
On Wednesday, the day after the panel took place, the church, based in Topeka, Kan., distributed a fax attacking Bohlinger for his support of two hate crime bills.The group also attacked Carroll College for hosting the event, calling it a homosexual-infested university.The fax referred to the 160 people who attended the panel as "misguided and "dimwitted."Nancy Lee, director of marketing and communications, said the school wouldn't be baited by the group, which is known for its gay-bashing and anti-Semitic rallies.
"We will not be responding to any comments made by the Westboro Baptist Church about Carroll College," Lee said.The group took particular offense to Bohlinger's statement, "Anyone who fails to love God can never know God, because God is love."The group called Bohlinger an "evil, irreversibly Hell-bound man" who has "sold his soul for a mess of filthy sodomite pottage."While Bohlinger shrugged off the attack and declined comment, heading for Washington, D.C., the Montana Human Rights Network praised Bohlinger, calling him an eloquent spokesman for equal rights."John Bohlinger should view this condemnation as another sign that he is fighting the good fight," said Travis McAdam, speaking for the MHRN. "As a Catholic, he has questioned the anti-gay views promoted by the Montana Catholic Conference this legislative session. That is a quality found in true leaders."The Westboro Baptist Church plans to hold a "religious protest and warning" in Helena this Sunday and Monday.The group plans to picket six Helena churches, the Montana Supreme Court, and the University of Montana, according to a church spokesperson.