Melissa, I know what you mean. I saw a couple of the Patriot Guard riding down the street in front of me one day recently, and nearly dislocated my arm waving at them. They do for us what we non-riding Kansas citizens can't do: protest and protect Fred Phelps's insanity.

BTW, he pickets military funerals in particular because he says that "gays in the military" are the reason our soldiers are being killed, and that it's God's judgment against them all.

It doesn't surprise me that he hears voices in his head, but the thought that a Supreme Diety would deign to speak to him makes me shudder. He is a serious blot on religion of any kind, and I am surprised that there haven't been more churches protesting his actions.

God is love. Yeah, except for gays, lesbians, women, blacks, Mexicans, Muslims, etc., etc., etc. Phelps no doubt doubled his Valium dose when President Obama took office.

Lin (in Kansas)