Westboro Baptist Church Turns To Anti-Semitic Picketing

Friday's USA Today reports on the shift in recent months by members of the Westboro Baptist Church from picketing funerals and government buildings with anti-gay signs, to picketing of Jewish events and institutions carrying anti-Semitic signs. Since April, members of the Topeka, Kansas Church-- often family members of its founder Fred Phelps--have targeted some 200 synagogues, Jewish community centers, campus Hillel buildings and Jewish events. This week they picketed the national meeting of the Jewish Federations of North America in Washington. One of the group's signs in Washington read "God Hates Jews," and a T-shirt worn by Margie Phelps read "Jews Killed Jesus." Purporting to explain their new tactics, Margie Phelps accused Jews of "carrying the water for the homosexual agenda." Experts say this new tactic is more about getting publicity than attacking Jews per se. Most Jewish organizations that have been targeted have decided not to conduct counter-protests at the same time, though some have used the attacks to mount subsequent interfaith events stressing more positive themes.