After weeks of controversy, Rev. Fred Phelps of the Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kan., is about to make an appearance at Iowa State.

Phelps, an outspoken activist against homosexuality and creator of the Web site “God Hates Fags,” sent a press release to the Iowa State Daily stating that he was planning to protest the ISU graduation on May 9, as well as picket ISU’s Student Services Building and the Memorial Union, which houses the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Ally Alliance office.

Phelps could not be reached for comment, but Karl Hockenbarger, a member of the Westboro Church, said he is planning on making the trek to Ames.

He said once the group is in Ames, it wants to express “that any nation that rejects God and his commandments is going to be just as doomed as Sodom and Gomorrah.”

In response to some of the local churches objections to Phelps’ visit, Hockenbarger said, “If [they’re] ashamed of God’s works, then God is ashamed of them.”

Phelps chose to picket the ISU buildings because, according to an interview with him in The Des Moines Register, “they’ve got university-sanctioned homosexual activity” taking place in them.

Phelps also has promised to picket at Lord of Life Lutheran Church, Grand Avenue Baptist Church and Cornerstone Church, among others.

Representatives from a majority of churches Phelps is planning on protesting have expressed that they wish he would stay out of Ames.

A spokesman for Collegiate Presbyterian Church, one of the churches that is being protested by Phelps, said the church’s governing body met last Saturday morning and came up with a statement in response to Phelps’ protest.

“Basically, the letter itself just affirms our understanding of the gospel, calling on us to love not hate our neighbors,” he said, adding that the church is taking a “totally non-confrontational” approach to Phelps.

Phelps has become nationally-known for his picketing in cities from New York to Washington D.C.

According to a press release, he also has made appearances on the television shows “Ricki Lake,” “Eye on America” and “20/20.”

Phelps has been known to picket churches, graduations and even funerals.

His Web site shows a photograph of Phelps and some of his supporters holding signs that read “God Hates Fags” while standing on the gravesite of a gay man.

Jason Riveria, president of the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Ally Alliance and senior in community and regional planning, said his initial reaction to Phelps’ announcement of his visit to ISU was one of “an honor.”

“We think we’re doing something good then, we’re making progress,” he said.

Riveria said he first heard of Phelps when the minister began having “celebrations” at funerals of AIDS victims.

He said some people in Ames support Phelps, and that he has seen posters about Phelps’ appearance.

Riveria said the Alliance’s main goal is to educate students and community members about Phelps.

He added that he also wants to educate them about the local groups and people who are homophobic, but who appear to be more moderate.

“We welcome this opportunity to show the unity of our community,” Riveria said. “It’s an educational opportunity for Ames [to show that] blatant bigotry is still very popular.”

Pam Carnine, director of the Story County AIDS project, said she is proud of the way the City of Ames is handling Phelps’ arrival.

She also said she is pleased that Ames churches of all denominations are uniting against Phelps.

“Jason Riviera and Sine [Anahita] are working to make sure there’s a sane way of doing this. I’m also really proud of our city and the diversity team and the city council … from what I can tell, people are not willing to dance and play with this man.”

Carnine said Phelps has “the most un-Christian attitude that I’ve ever heard of.”

“This man is promoting hate, and we’re not going to participate,” she said. “This is a man who hates to be ignored. I’d love to see nobody show up.”

According to the GayPlace Web site, Phelps also has been known to sue anyone who is in opposition to him, charging defendants with “slander” and “libel.”

In his Web site literature, Phelps calls lesbians “female fags,” claims that “God hates babykillers” and writes that he preaches hate because “the Bible preaches hate.”

“For every one verse about God’s mercy, love, compassion, etc., there are two verses about His vengeance, hatred, wrath, etc.,” Phelps writes.

“The maudlin, kissy-pooh, feel-good, touchy-feely preachers of today’s society are damning this nation and this world to hell. They are telling you what you want to hear … what you need to hear is that God hates people, and your chances of going to heaven are nonexistent unless you repent.”