Editing Fred Phelps (section)

==Opposition==

The WBC has gathered so much controversy that even the [[Ku Klux Klan]] (argiably the most notorious [[White Power Movement|white supremacist]] [[Hate Groups|hate group]] in history) have distanced themselves from the organization: as noted by a disclaimer on the Klan's official website ensuring that they have no connections to the church and "absolutely repudiate their activities." Even Fox News, which known for its Conservative views, have also criticized the church. Ironically, skin color seems to be the only thing that Phelps and his followers don't discriminate against, since Phelps was a Civil Rights Lawyer in the 1960's.<ref>[https://www.cnn.com/2010/US/05/05/hate.preacher/index.html 'Most-hated,' anti-gay preacher once fought for civil rights], ''CNN''</ref>

People have formed counter protests to shield the Westboro Baptist Church's target from them and a man by the name of Chris Mason formed the Phelps-A-Thon, that allows people to donate money to an organization, usually an LGBT or Jewish Group for every minute that the Westboro Church targets that organization, thus the Westboro ends up indirectly aiding the group they're against. Another group that opposes the church is a motorcycle club called the Patriot Guard Riders, a group made up of war veterans who separate WBC members from the funeral attendants.

In late 2012, after the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre, which the church praised, several online petitions were made using the White House's We The People site. These included banning the WBC from protesting funerals, labeling them as a hate group, and others. All together, the petitions had reached 400,000+ signatures. These petitions were mostly set up by the Internet hacktivist group, Anonymous, which had also hacked the church websites on more than one occasion. Phelps and members of the church had also been banned from entering the United Kingdom, as well.