Protestors burn state flag, speak out against governor

A small group of Baptists from Kansas burned the state of Iowa flag during a protest on the statehouse grounds this morning. The group from the Westboro Baptist Church objects to Governor Tom Vilsack’s executive order which bars discrimination against state workers who are gay. Reverend Fred Phelps also objects to private scholarships to be awarded to gay college students, scholarships Vilsack praised. The group waved signs, like “God hates Fags” — and used a couple of bottles of nail polish remover to set the state flag ablaze. The Reverend has a message for Vilsack. He says Vilsack has “precious little time left to repent.” He says part of repenting is recalling “that filthy scholarship for fags.” Phelps says it’s not okay to be gay, never has been and never will be.The group of counter-protestors was much larger than the Phelps family band, however. About 150 people — high school and college students, ministers and rabbis, and openly gay Iowans — gathered for a statehouse rally. Des Moines lawyer Jonathan Wilson was among them. Wilson says the gathering helped counter the “hate-filled message” peddled by Reverend Phelps. Wilson says Reverend Phelps’ statements are a logical extension of Republican legislators’ attack on gay Iowans.Republican legislators pushed through a bill to undo Vilsack’s executive order, but the Governor vetoed it. Senator Ken Veenstra, a republican from Orange City, doesn’t appreciate the Reverend’s assertion that Vilsack will quote “burn in hell.” He says he finds that kind of language offensive, although he does believe the governor was wrong to veto the bill.Some state workers confronted Phelps and his family. One woman pulled out the Bible she carried to work and quoted scripture. She said she wanted to show that God is Love, not hate.Governor Tom Vilsack refused to respond to Reverend Phelps — and the Governor refused to talk specifically about the gay rights issue.Vilsack chose to merely say he wanted to focus on “building hope, not hatred.”