A guest column from Megan Phelps-Roper.

Dear readers,

As Tangle continues to grow, one of my goals is to expand our stable of writers. We want more people writing under the Tangle banner who can represent the center, center-left, center-right, the progressive left, the MAGA right, and those of us (like me) who just find ourselves complicated, confused, and mixed up in today’s political alignment.

One such fascinating person is Megan Phelps-Roper, the political activist and writer who is best known for leaving the Westboro Baptist Church. The church, founded by Phelps-Roper’s grandfather, is widely regarded as a hate group. Her departure from the church — and then role as one of its chief critics — became a national news story. A few weeks ago, Phelps-Roper and podcast producer Andy Mills reached out to me about a new show they were working on — one in which she revisits her childhood upbringing and reflects on what she’s lost by leaving the church. I was fascinated by the pitch, and excited to learn that Phelps-Roper was interested in writing about it for Tangle.

So, today, I’m thrilled to share her essay reflecting on her departure from the Westboro Baptist Church, but also the ways in which she feels like her religious upbringing has never left her — and how she’s trying, in some ways, to return to it. I hope you enjoy.

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This week, Isaac, Kmele, and a fresh-faced Ari reunite to talk election integrity, Bill O’Reilly, a twist in an old Hunter Biden story, and the challenge of separating political rhetoric from reality. Check it out here.

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Our Executive Editor and Founder is Isaac Saul. Our Executive Producer is Jon Lall.

This podcast written by: Megan Phelps-Roper and audio engineered and edited by Dewey Thomas. Music for the podcast was produced by Jon Lall.

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