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Phelps-A-Thon.com is the Boston-based, pro-LGBT, organization leading the fight against the Westboro Baptist Church and their leader, Rev. Fred Phelps. It works to channel passions against WBC into donations for people targeted by the "god hates fags" message that WBC spreads around the country.
Phelps-A-Thon.com assists groups that are being picketed by WBC in setting up a different kind of counter-protest by creating a “Phelps-A-Thon”. Supporters can then pledge online to donate a certain amount for every minute WBC pickets against that group. The longer they protest, the more money they raise for the cause they are demonstrating against.
History
[edit]Phelps-A-Thon.com is run by LGBT-activst, Chris Mason. The organization arose when Fred Phelps from the Westboro Baptist Church came to Boston to protest a local production of “The Laramie Project.” Chris had been to a few Fred Phelps counter-protests before and had witnessed the way the Phelps' clan incites the pro-LGBT side. He organized the Phelps-A-Thon and collected pledges. The event raised over $1,000 for the pro-LGBT project, Driving Equaity. After this first Phelps-A-Thon, folks from around the country started contacting Chris, asking for help in setting up their own Phelps-A-Thons. Chris soon realized the power of the Phelps-A-Thon to give communities a positive, productive way to respond to WBC. He set up the Phelps-A-Thon website in an effort to helps folks conduct Phelps-A-Thons in their own communities.
Since the formation of the organization, there have been over fifty Phelps-A-Thons across the country.
References
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