for a couple of days and we know it will be at least next week before we consider it," Shaw said.
A
member of Parents,Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays confirmed that the group received pledges for each minute the
Topeka group picketed.
Kerry Pacer, a student member at White County High School, said "P-FLAG" accepted the donations
in the name of Fred Phelps, the head of the Westboro Baptist Church protestors.
"He's our first fund raiser,if he was
not here we wouldn't be able to make this money, we wouldn't be able to be out here supporting everyone," Pacer said.
Counter
demonstrators were contained and kept separate from the eight anti-gay picketers by White County Sheriff's deputies, Cleveland
Police, State Patrolmen and G.B.I. agents.
A member of the anti-gay protest group said people mostly ignored them during
their weekend demonstrations in White County.
"They either ignored us or someone would come by in a car with a rainbow
flag," Libbie Phelps said.
Phelps said a gay supporter did get in her face about her beliefs but other than that she
did not feel threatened.
Phelps added the group was largely kept off the grounds of their protest targets which included
Truett-McConnell College, several area churchs and a nudist colony.
A Dahlonega minister said that both sides of the
local gay rights controversy are missing the message.
Presbyterian Church pastor Frank Colladay said everyone was too
involved with promoting their point of view as the right one.
"The main question of how can schools be safe for everyone
is getting lost in the shuffle and that troubles me."
Jerry Gunn
