THIBODAUX (AP)– A minister’s group known for picketing the funerals of AIDS victims plans toprotest efforts to organize a support group for gay and lesbian students atNicholls State University.
Followers ofthe Rev. Fred Phelps, the head of Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kan., areplanning to protest the university on April 18.
About twoweeks ago, the fledgling Gay-Straight Alliance at Nicholls State Universityheld its first meeting at a secret location to talk about founding theuniversity’s only gay support group.
ShirleyPhelps-Roper, one of Fred Phelps’ 13 children and the church lawyer, said abouta dozen protesters will carry signs that read “You cannot live like the devilhimself” and “It’s not OK to be gay.”
“Homosexualityis not a disease that you can fight,” said Erik Jordan, 19, a Nicholls freshmanfrom Connecticut and newly elected president of the student alliance. “It’shere to stay.”
At Nicholls,campus and religious leaders said they would stand by members of theGay-Straight Alliance and not entertain the anti-gay protesters.
Eugene Dial,vice president of student affairs, said free speech is important for theuniversity but so too are safety and protecting students from freely pursuingtheir affairs.
