The Westboro Baptist Church's Saturday
picket of Elizabeth Edwards' funeral is being met with a
counter-protest, CBS News reported.
Five members of the Topeka,
Kansas-based church, which coined the phrase “God hates fags,”
have lined up two blocks from the Edenton Street Methodist Church in
Raleigh, North Carolina where the Edwards public memorial will be
held.
“RUN AWAY from all that she was, said
& did; it is UNCLEAN!” the group said in announcing the
protest.
Edwards, who died Tuesday at the age of
61 after losing a protracted battle with breast cancer, will be laid
to rest next to her son, Wade, who died at the age of 16.
While working to support her
then-husband John Edwards' 2008 presidential bid, Elizabeth broke
with John to support gay marriage. John supported recognizing gay
and lesbian couples with civil unions.
“I don't know why somebody else's
marriage has anything to do with me,” she told reporters. “I'm
completely comfortable with gay marriage.”
Church protesters were outnumbered by
counter-protesters, who set-up shop across the street and waved pink
signs that read “Hero.”