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A rural county seat spent an unquiet evening as ground zero in the debate over hate crimes last night as nearly 1,000 people turned out to protest the murder of an openly gay black man and noisy counterdemonstrators held up Day-Glo signs, one declaring that the murdered man is in hell.
The death of Arthur "J.R." Warren, an unemployed 26-year-old from nearby Grant Town, became a rallying point that brought socially conservative West Virginians to the streets to speak against homophobia and racism.
The counter-demonstrators were led by Fred Phelps, a disbarred lawyer from Topeka, Kan., who has formed his own church. He and his followers have picketed the funerals of AIDS victims, run an anti- gay Web site and once issued a press release after the death of Mother Teresa declaring that she went to hell because she was Catholic.
"I hope everyone understands these people aren't from this area," said Dave Gearde, a Marion County man who, with a few buddies, stood in the middle of Adams Street outside the courthouse to watch the demonstration.
The two sides traded barbs. Phelps, who, along with others in his congregation has been prosecuted for disorderly conduct picketing designated enemies, shouted occasional Bible quotations and loudly announced that God "hates fags."
Members of the West Virginia Gay and Lesbian Coalition and friends of Warren, who organized the candlelight vigil that Phelps crashed, spoke, listened to music and hoisted large, blank, white banners that blotted out Phelps and his group.
The only local supporter of the anti-gay demonstrators was Vince McElwain, an acquaintance of Gearde and his friends, who hoisted a sign and joined with Phelps and the dozen or so relatives he brought with him from Kansas.
"This makes us look like a bunch of rednecks," said Dave Sapp, who joined in the groans when McElwain made his stand.
The murder of Warren, described as quiet, lonely and openly gay, left Grant Town residents scratching about for answers. Police said two...