It’s easy to want to go on the attack when someone we’ve hated has died. The truth is this is a time when we can show we are the better person. The man who started one of the most hateful churches ever created is dead. Though we may now have to go against the rest of the church the battle with him is done, let us end this in a better way then he started it.
To the members of the Phelps family,
Your community has lost someone you once considered to be a critical part of your cause. Though that cause has brought harm to those within our community and many others, we recognize the life lived by Fred Phelps. Your father, grandfather, and former religious leader meant something different to you.
The loss of a loved one is a time of grief and a time of mourning. We know the pain of losing someone who is deeply valued, and we are sorry for your loss. We have shared different views over the years, and the pain of that battle has run deep. We know you’re opinion of us and what you believe we deserve. We wish in this moment, to show the respect all people deserve when leaving this world.
We cannot mourn the death of Fred Phelps, but those who have signed this letter agree that there is a dignity deserved in death. The battle with him is over, and we may not agree on what will happen to him now, but we recognize his shared humanity. We hope that he is given the dignity in death that he chose not to show others in life.
