US: Court smacks down God Hates Fags church’s bizarre legal challenge
A Kansas court has rejected an attempt by the Westboro Baptist Church to intervene in a same-sex marriage court case.
The notoriously homophobic group are known for their ‘God Hates Fags’ banners and picketing funerals – but filed a desperate attempt to intervene and block same-sex weddings in Kansas this month.
The brief claimed: “If this Court requires Kansas officials to treat what God has called abominable as something to be respected, revered, and blessed with the seal-of-approval of the government, that will cross a final line with God.
“The harm that will befall this state, when the condign destructive wrath of God pours out on Kansans is the ultimate harm to the health, welfare and safety of the people.
“The description of the utter annihilation of Sodom and Gomorrah and three nearby cities is stark, and directly tied to homosexuality.”
District Judge Daniel Crabtree – who already ruled earlier this week that the states’s ban on equal marriage violates the 14th Amendment of the US Constitution – delivered a seven-page rebuke of the group’s arguments.
He said in part: “The Court has considered each of these arguments, and concludes that they fail to make the compelling showing required.
“There is no evidence that Kansas officials would require WBC to participate in same-sex marriages or otherwise require WBC to tolerate same-sex marriages in their ministry.
“Permitting WBC to intervene to litigate a non-existent controversy only would clutter and confuse the issues needlessly.”
Same-sex weddings are set to begin across Kansas – including in Topeka, where the church is based – on Tuesday.
