Former Westboro protester apologizes to mother of slain soldier

Libby Phelps Alvarez, the former Westboro member, apologized to Sherry and Randy Wyatt for picketing the funerals of fallen soldiers like their son on "Anderson Live" on Wednesday. Alvarez is the granddaughter of Fred Phelps, the group's founder, and has recently left the group. (Other members of the shrinking group have recently publicly defected as well.)

"I just feel sad ... and I'm sorry," Alvarez said. "I thought I was doing the right thing ... but I was just hurting people."

Westboro protesters set up picket lines outside funerals, holding signs that say soldiers are killed in action as a punishment for the existence of homosexuality. The Supreme Court ruled in 2011 that the Westboro group has a First Amendment right to protest at the funerals.

"Our son died to ensure freedom of assembly, to ensure freedom of speech, to ensure freedoms for those that are white, black, gay, straight, rich, poor," Sherry Wyatt said to Alvarez.

[snyper]

This is what is really meant by repentance.

Welcome, sister Libby.

[DNF]

snyper wrote:

This is what is really meant by repentance.
Welcome, sister Libby.

I don't usually watch he show but I did watch it the other day. It was very moving to see the parents of Mr. Wyatt tell Ms. Alvarez what they went through. And they weren't all wishy-washy about it. Libby Phelps Alvarez felt the pain she helped cause them.

The community responded to the family's loss by taking great steps to counter Westboro Baptist.

I think the American Legion set up hot dog stands and other food venues. Other businesses sponsored health stations and gave out water because the temperature was over 100 degrees. Thousands got involved to counter the Westboro's protest and shield the family from even having to see or hear them. I even saw the billboard on Facebook the people put up to honor this man and his surviving family.

Yes Westboror has a right to what they do. But they then also should to take legal responsibility for the results of their actions.

You know me well my friend. Whenever I speak about being a U.S. Citizen I try very hard to stress that I'm not just looking for the rights and benefits of full citizenship, but also that I accept the duties, obligations and responsibilities of that citizenship conveys to me.

[DNF]

I don't usually watch Anderson's shows but I did catch this one.

It was very moving to hear the parents talk about all the things their community did to counter Westboro's protest. They funded a billboard to honor the man who was killed in action. There were thousands who counter protested in order to shield the family from even seeing or hearing these despicable "chriSTAINS".

Businesses set up health stations because of the 100 degree heat. I think the American Legion set up hotdog stands and sold water and other drinks to support the counter protestors.

Most of all I liked seeing the parents really convey the pain they endured as a result of Libby's legacy.

[Fa-Foxy]

I never watched his show before (I don't know why he always insists on looking like a 65 year old man with gtay hair), but I watched it the other day because this woman was being interviewed.

I'm glad she had the courage to leave the WBC wackazoid cult. I'm glad she had the courage to speak out against them. I hope more members screw up the courage to leave because of this courageous woman.

Now she's learning what a TRUE Christian is supposed to do.

[DNF]

oops. My first post hadn't shown up yet.

But I'm glad Ms. Libby finally left and is now making appearances as penance for her past life.

Thank you Libby.

[SLIF]

Lets hope that she changes her last name(legally) to anything else than Phelps.

[Fa-Foxy]

SLIF wrote:

Lets hope that she changes her last name(legally) to anything else than Phelps.

Her last name is apparently Alvarez, if you bothered to read teh article or watch the interview on tv.

[DNF]

Fa-Foxy wrote:

<quoted text>
Her last name is apparently Alvarez, if you bothered to read teh article or watch the interview on tv.

And if YOU bothered to read the article you'd have noticed she retained her family name for her middle name.

And for me. I hope she keeps it to remind her of the pain she caused others. You usually are fairly good at finding ways to post off topic background, but in this case you missed the boat FaFoolio.

Retaining the family name as a middle name after marriage is still a fairly common practice among religious married women here and around the world.