Controversial Preacher Who Teaches Anti-Homosexual Views Hawaii Bound

KHNL News/December 18, 2002

An extreme preacher who teaches anti-homosexual views is heading to Hawaii. Pastor Fred Phelps has been involved in some very controversial protests and that has some in Hawaii concerned.

Pastor Fred Phelps is no stranger to controversy. He's spent decades building up a reputation as "the man people love to hate."

He's shocking and he's coming to Hawaii. Pastor Fred Phelps is proud of his extreme anti-gay views.

"We're coming to inject a little gospel truth and sanity into that insane orgy of homosexual lies masquerading as a state of the union," said Phelps.

Phelps and his team tour the country to spread their controversial message. Next month the group will be protesting in the islands.

"We've had over 22,000 of these pickets now, and we've spent a quarter of a million dollars a year on airplane tickets and this message has got to be delivered," said Phelps.

Local groups dealing with gay and lesbian rights are concerned by Phelps' radical platform.

"Such hate, you know, the hateful message that he has, to try even come here and try to do that. It's a little disturbing that this type of message would be brought to our shores," said Ken Miller.

The religious group plans to picket at several locations, ranging from churches to the State Supreme Court, and even the Board of Education.

Phelps criticizes a brochure given out at Kohala Middle School that contains information about sexuality and sexual orientation.

Board of Education member Carol Gabbard supports "the alliance for traditional marriage and values" but even she says Phelps' methods are far too fanatical.

"These people have no aloha and we need to and we need to express our own views with aloha and respect for everyone. So these kinds of hateful fanatics don't belong in Hawaii."

Phelps says he's already received several angry e-mails about his trip to Hawaii.