Group plans to picket play at school

Heather Rawlyk and Ed Koch

Thursday, May 6, 2004 | 11:38 a.m.

An anti-gay, Kansas-based church plans to picket a Las Vegas high school Wednesday because of the school's production of a play about the slaying of a gay college student.

The Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, which regularly protests events with gay themes, sent fliers to the Las Vegas Academy early Wednesday morning, using graphic language to criticize the school because of its recent production of "The Laramie Project."

The play, which runs Friday and Saturday, tells the story of Matt Shepard, a University of Wyoming student who was killed in 1998 because he was gay.

According to the flier, members of Westboro Baptist Church will picket in front of Las Vegas Academy from 6:30 a.m. to 7 a.m. on Wednesday.

In a report on the group, the Anti-Defamation League called it "virulently homophobic," noting that members of the group protested at Shepard's funeral with signs that had homosexual slurs, saying homosexuals were not allowed in heaven and that God hates them.

The ADL quoted church founder Fred Phelps as saying the country was "doomed" because it supports homosexuals and Jews. The ADL quotes Phelps making slurs against homosexuals, Jews and other Christian faiths.

"That's right when the kids are getting off the bus and right before the first bell rings," said Christie Smith, whose 16-year-old daughter attends Las Vegas Academy. "I'm concerned. I'm scared for my daughter's safety."

Shirley Phelps-Roper, attorney for the church and the fifth of 13 children of the founder, said her organization has contacted Metro Police to report that between 10 and 15 of the church's 100 members will protest peacefully. Church members have protested at a number of events and have scheduled protests around the country through May.

"We absolutely are peaceful and lawful," said Phelps-Roper, a mother of 11. "People have called to ask to join our protests but we discourage that because we do not know them.

"We are not trying to win over or recruit anyone. We will be there to deliver this message. It is up to people to either accept or reject it."

Students at Las Vegas Academy were shocked at the fliers, Smith said. The fliers state the organization's belief that Shepard is "in hell" and lambasts the school's decision to perform the play.

The flier says God hates homosexuals, using a slur, and then says because of the decision to stage the play, "God hates Las Vegas Academy, Clark, the school board and all responsible for leading the kids to lives of sin, shame, misery, disease, death and Hell by inculcating in them the Satanic lie that it's OK to be gay!"

Smith said the students "are upset by it and I'm upset by it."

"It's shocking and it's scary," Smith said. "At first glance, I thought it must be a hoax. But they're (Westboro Baptist Church) a real group, and they'll really be there next week."

Phelps-Roper said she has received about 100 calls, many from Las Vegas Academy students, in protest over the flier.

School police are planning extra patrols for the protest. Clark County School District spokeswoman Mary Stanley-Larsen said that will be in addition to regular Metro patrols in the area.

Clark County School District Police Officer Darnell Couthen said members of the department will be meeting today to plot strategy.

"They (church members) have a right to protest on the sidewalk in front of the school, and we cannot interrupt that," Couthen said, noting that keeping the peace during the protest is the top priority.

Smith, who doubts the sincerity of the church's claims that it will peacefully demonstrate, said she and her husband have discussed ways to keep their daughter away from the protesters.

"My husband has already requested that we keep our daughter home from school that day or take her to class after first period," she said. "We're probably planning on doing this. She'll raise a stink about it, but I'm afraid for the safety of the kids.

"I'm not sure how peaceful this protest will be," she said.