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Chicago Chronicles Queer Politics, Culture, and History Reporting

Frat comes out against Kansas church

The Westboro Baptist Church, headed by the notoriously anti-gay and right-wing Fred Phelps, made its way to the University of Chicago campus on March 9.

According to published reports, including one in the Chicago Maroon, the University of Chicago’s student paper, over 100 counterdemonstrators met them.  The church—picketing the school’s connection with President Barack Obama, whom the congregants view as the Antichrist—was there to protest outside the Chicago Theological Seminary.  According to the Maroon, the church was also met by Alpha Delta Phi fraternity brothers who stripped off bathrobes to reveal themselves in their underwear, and loudly played songs like “I’m Coming Out” and “It’s Raining Men.”  Subsequently, a video of the fraternity’s counterdemonstration, which included rolling down a giant banner that read “straight Huggin,” and “NO Tolerance for Intolerance” has become popular on the Web.  It can be seen on YouTube, and is titled “Frat Boys vs Westboro Baptist Church.”

Windy City Times made several attempts to get in touch with the chapter’s president, Jacob Marshall, for details, but he did not respond. 

Originally published in Windy City Times, 18 March, 2009