About Phelps-A-Thon

Phelps-A-Thon.com is a pro-civil rights organization focused on channeling passion against Fred Phelps and the Westboro Baptist Church into donations to make positive change for all people affected by the hateful message being spread by WBC.

Phelps-A-Thon.com is in the process of becoming a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. Soon, contributions to Phelps-A-Thons will be tax-deductible.

Phelps-A-Thon.com arose when Fred Phelps from the Westboro Baptist Church came to Boston to protest a local production of “The Laramie Project.” Many in the local LGBT community, including myself, were outraged that he was coming to Boston to spread his hateful message. There were calls for counter-protests but no one knew exactly how to handle the situation. I had been to a few Fred Phelps counter-protests before and had witnessed the way the Phelps' clan incites the pro-LGBT side.

The Phelps' clan knows how to enrage LGBT counter-protesters. They hold their "God Hates Fags" signs up high, stomp on the rainbow flag, and yell mean and dirty things at the LGBT side. This causes the counter-

protesters to react with outrage and hatred. I have seen LGBT counter-protesters resort to yelling swears and calling names, tears coming from their eyes, and negativity so thick it fills the air.

I wanted to try something different when the Phelps' clan came to Boston this time. I wanted to create a positive atmosphere where our side was smiling and laughing, instead of yelling and crying, filled with hate and fear. I had heard of the idea of holding a Phelps-A-Thon, where people pledge for every minute the Phelps' crew protests. I decided that this tactic would be the perfect way to counteract Phelp's hate.

I organized the Phelps-A-Thon and

collected pledges. On the day of the protest, I made a large sign and displayed it across the street from the Phelps clan. About 75 people came to support the Phelps-A-Thon. I brought my bullhorn and milk crate and started the show.

As the Phelps’ clan started to protest, holding up their virulently anti-gay signs, the pro-LGBT crowd began to yell nasty things back at them. At this point, I stood up on my milk crate, bullhorn in hand, and announced to the crowd that the Phelps’

clan was raising money for LGBT equality. People cheered. I told the crowd, and the Phelps crew, about the hundreds of people from all over the country that had donated to the Phelps-A-Thon. I led the crowd in positive chants, instead of angry yelling. Every five minutes I would stand on the milk crate, update the numbers on the signs, and announce to the crowd the updated amount that the Phelps’ clan had raised for LGBT equality.

It was difficult because of the strong emotion that the Phelps’ clan is able to bring out in people. They are valid feelings and it helps to let them out. It was my goal to keep this event positive and help the crowd express their hurt in a way that made them feel good about themselves. After this first Phelps-A-Thon, folks from around the country started contacting me, asking for help in setting up their own Phelps-A-Thons. That is when I realized the power of the Phelps-A-Thon to give communities a positive, productive way to respond to WBC. I set up this site in an effort to helps folks conduct Phelps-A-Thons in their own communities.