"God Hates Fags" Group, I Have A Story To Tell You

Fred Plelphs and his contemptible "God Hates Fags" group are coming to my city, Portland, Oregon, today. They will demonstrate at two military funerals of slain soldiers. Not because they hate the war, but they hate what they perceive as the military's role in a society that doesn't hate gay people enough.

I thought of responding back with hate of my own- as a straight but not narrow person committed to social justice.

Instead, though, I will tell you a story.

Some months or years from now, an EMT will wake up next to his loving husband. They will kiss goodbye for the morning, and the EMT will drive to work.

Some months or years from now, a Registered Nurse will wake up next to her loving wife. They will kiss goodbye for the morning, and the RN will drive to work.

Three hours later, the EMT will get a call that someone has fallen ill and needs an ambulance. She who has fallen ill will be one of the members of God Hates Fags.

The EMT will be dispatched to the scene. As the ill woman gets wheeled into te ambulance, the EMT will perform emergency procedures.

Emergency procedures using a hand that held his husband last night. Emergency procedures, using the hand that a God whose name you besmirch gave him

It could well be that the EMT will recognize the stricken woman in the ambulance from tv coverage of the hate group she belongs to.

But it won't matter to the EMT. Not at the moment. He will try his best to heal the woman who hates, for that is what he was born to do.

And then the stricken woman, the one with so much hate for "fags," wil be wheeled into the emergency room. And after she is stablized, she will be assigned a hospital bed.

In a couple of hours, the RN who woke up next to her loving wife will come and treat this woman of hate.

It could well be that the RN will recognize the stricken woman in the ambulance from tv coverage of the hate group she belongs to.

But it won't matter to the RN. For she will try her best to heal the woman who hates, for that is what she was born to do.

And tonight, the EMT will come home to his loving husband, and say, "you will never guess who I treated today."

And tonight, the RN will come home to her loving wife, and say, "you will never guess who I treated today."

And the woman who hates will doze to slumber. It won't be the slumber of eternity, but of a night's sleep. For earlier today, her life was preserved by two people who personify her hate. Two people whose desire to help you was not dimmed when they realized who you are and that you wish to hate them off the planet.

That's my wish for you, members of "God Hates Fags."