Westboro Baptist Church Protests Internet’s Most Notorious Homophobe … Wait, What?

One of our own columnists recently opined that the Westboro Baptist Church fails to incite the rage and anger they once were notorious for, and really, that the controversial group is little more than a punchline these days. I bring that column up for two reasons: One, shameless self-promotion, and two, because this headline from Dangerous Minds made me laugh out loud…

“THE WESTBORO BAPTIST CHURCH PICKETED ME?! BUT I’M THE INTERNET’S LEADING HOMOPHOBE!”

Go ahead and laugh. There’s real irony there, and the story is even better. Bryan Fischer is an American Family Association big-wig and host of the talk radio show Focal Point. He also happens to be a pretty infamous homophobe.

I’m not throwing stones. He gladly admits it, and his Wikipedia page is pretty much only a “controversies and criticism” section.

Among his accomplishments: The ouster of Mitt Romney’s National Security spokesman Richard Grenell (just because he’s gay), advocacy for an “underground railroad” to kidnap children from same-sex households, and being one of the country’s leading poster boys for something called the AIDS denial movement. That is, that AIDS isn’t actually a disease, but mroe of a spiritual punishment for having gay sex and doing drugs.

What a rap sheet!

So imagine Fischer’s surprise when Westboro Baptist Church showed up to his door with picket signs because he, for all intents and purposes a brother from another homophobic mother, is too gay-friendly in their eyes, and thus at risk of the fires of hell.

“I always found that pretty ironic, that I was picketed by Fred Phelps’ church for being too pro-gay. Now if there was ever proof that God has a sense of humor, that would be it. Fred Phelps and his bunch picketed me for being too pro-gay…”

I can’t believe I’m about to say this, but I’m with the homophobe. How the heck did he find himself in the crosshairs of the Westboro Baptist Church?