Post-hardcore outfit Touché Amoré have issued a statement explaining why they printed up T-shirts celebrating the recent death of controversial Westboro Baptist Church figure Fred Phelps.
Following Phelps death last Wednesday (March 19), the band rolled out the T-shirt design, which features a photo of the godhatesfags.com founder, along with his birth and death dates and the words "Good Riddance." The shirt was an update from a previous piece of merch pressed up in 2008 to support the group's "WeHateFredPhelps.com" demo, with the original shirt instead emblazoned with the slogan "We'd love to see you in the ground."
A statement from the group on Facebook had vocalist Jeremy Bolm explaining that Touché Amoré were against the Westboro Baptist Church's homophobic practices and protests outside U.S. military funerals and rock concerts. Bolm explained that he had previously attended protests to talk with WBC members about their stance.
"We feel there is beautiful irony in selling an image of a bigot and using the profit towards achieving equality for exactly what they hated," he wrote, explaining that proceeds would go to Human Rights Campaign. "Is it in poor taste? Depends on your taste buds. Poor taste to me is creating an evil cult to protest funerals, discriminate love, and whose website is godhatesfags.com if you wanna just slightly scratch the surface."
Touché Amoré issued their Is Survived By LP last year. You can check out their old "WeHateFredPhelps.com" down below.
Following Phelps death last Wednesday (March 19), the band rolled out the T-shirt design, which features a photo of the godhatesfags.com founder, along with his birth and death dates and the words "Good Riddance." The shirt was an update from a previous piece of merch pressed up in 2008 to support the group's "WeHateFredPhelps.com" demo, with the original shirt instead emblazoned with the slogan "We'd love to see you in the ground."
A statement from the group on Facebook had vocalist Jeremy Bolm explaining that Touché Amoré were against the Westboro Baptist Church's homophobic practices and protests outside U.S. military funerals and rock concerts. Bolm explained that he had previously attended protests to talk with WBC members about their stance.
"We feel there is beautiful irony in selling an image of a bigot and using the profit towards achieving equality for exactly what they hated," he wrote, explaining that proceeds would go to Human Rights Campaign. "Is it in poor taste? Depends on your taste buds. Poor taste to me is creating an evil cult to protest funerals, discriminate love, and whose website is godhatesfags.com if you wanna just slightly scratch the surface."
Touché Amoré issued their Is Survived By LP last year. You can check out their old "WeHateFredPhelps.com" down below.