Westboro Baptists Hate Formula One

Imagine this, but instead of people kissing, it's race cars: Westboro Baptists coming to F1 in Austin to get really angry about stuff (Photo courtesy of Paul Walsh (EscapedToWisconsin on Flickr))

Ever wanted a chance to catch professional homophobes and veteran funeral disruptors the Westboro Baptist Church in action? Headed to the Formula One race at the Circuit of the Americas this weekend? Guess what! You can do both. Yup, the Westboro hate machine is rolling into Austin this weekend.

Yes, innovative hatemonger Fred Phelps is unleashing his offspring and assorted ill-wishers on Austin. Who's Phelps? He's the guy that always comes to fancy dress parties as the evil preacher from Poltergeist (or would if anyone invited him and he didn't think parties are a sign that you love Satan.) On their website www.godhatesfags.com, the fringiest of the religious fringe have added this weekend's United States Grand Prix to their schedule of protests (please note, that schedule also includes pickets of Aerosmith and Bruce Springsteen.)

And why has F1 got so under their itchy skin? This straight from the wild-eyed horse's mouth:

WBC will picket Formula 1 racing at The Circuit of The Americas in Austin, TX to remind this nation that God hates the vwicked people of this land of vain idolaters and that they shall be turned into Hell. These sporting events resemble the patriotic worship-the-flag pep rallies masquerading as sodlier's funerals in that this Bible-ignorant fools worship these race car drivers like they are little gods! Shame on these people for worshipping these athletes instead of following the plain commandments of their God. They ought to obey today before it is too late. WBC knows they will not, never the less, we will kindly warn them to flee the wrath to come. These are the last days of all, Doomed america. Wake up before you find yourselves cast into the deep pit of endless fire!

Seriously, no-one show them Sixth Street on a Friday night. We'll never get rid of them.

How they plan to fit that all in on a day when they will be picketing a bunch of churches in Kansas (which they describe variously as dog kennels and whorehouses) seems unclear.