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June 6, 2009 at 7:58 pm #591149
hapMemberWestboro Baptist Church will be “protesting” in Seattle next weekend (June 13th-15th). They don’t seem to be going after our LGBT brothers and sisters this time, though–they’re attacking religious groups and high-schoolers.
Here’s the itinerary from the WBC site:
06/13/2009 6:15 PM – 7:00 PM Seattle, WA Stroum JCC of Greater Seattle
06/14/2009 08:45 AM – 09:30 AM Seattle, WA Congregation Beth Shalom
06/14/2009 10:00 AM – 10:45 AM Seattle, WA Mt. Zion Baptist Church
06/14/2009 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM Seattle, WA St. James Catholic Cathedral
06/14/2009 12:45 PM – 2:00 PM Seattle, WA Seattle Pacific University
06/15/2009 07:10 AM – 07:40 AM Seattle, WA Garfield High School
06/15/2009 08:00 AM – 09:00 AM Seattle, WA ADL-B’Nai
I expect counter-demonstrations shouldn’t be too hard to find.
June 6, 2009 at 8:36 pm #669061
flowerpetalMemberYes, there are counter demonstrations. I’m expecting more information. Mostly we are wanting to show support for the sites being protested; rather than getting into a shouting match.
June 6, 2009 at 8:57 pm #669062
CaitParticipantYeah, if anyone has any information about counter protests, it would be most appreciated.
June 6, 2009 at 9:00 pm #669063
tsunaminwMemberThe hatred of any group that goes further than talk is a problem, but people have the right to protest and although I am not a church goer I do know that when I have heard a church or pastor speak on the issue the message has always been “love the person, hate the behavior” and anything that goes beyond that in terms of hate or it going further is a crime regardless of what side they are on.
Trying to say they hate people or are crazies is a sad attempt to paint a group with a broad brush, the same thing you are attempting to stop but you do it yourself. Too much emotion involved.
June 6, 2009 at 9:20 pm #669064
hapMemberYou must be unfamiliar with WBC if you think they are not crazies.
They picket the funerals of murdered gay people and US soldiers. They carry signs reading “God hates fags,” “You’re going to Hell,” and “Thank God for 9/11.”
Please educate yourself about this hate group.
June 6, 2009 at 9:23 pm #669065
WSBKeymasterJust one word of warning.
These folks are sometimes better at stirring up publicity than following through on it.
Not that long ago in my TV days, I remember getting an alert they were coming to someplace around here … counterprotesters showed up, but that’s all.
June 6, 2009 at 10:56 pm #669066
datamuseParticipantYeah, they seem to be developing a habit of claiming they’re going to be somewhere, and then not showing up. Which is too bad, really, because the time they demonstrated on Capitol Hill and got roundly mocked by drag queens was quality entertainment.
From everything I’ve read, Fred Phelps is a deeply disturbed individual. “Crazy” is neither inaccurate nor too broad a term.
June 6, 2009 at 11:38 pm #669067
alki_2008ParticipantI’d never heard of the WBC specifically before, but did a quick search and read a bit about them. I understand that they picket the funerals of gay people because they have an anti-homosexual stance (not saying I agree with them)…but why do they picket the funerals of soldiers. I mean, are they anti-war or anti-military or something? Why picket soldiers’ funerals?
June 6, 2009 at 11:41 pm #669068
charlabobParticipantThey will be on the news tonight; had a heavy presence at Dr. Tiller’s funeral service. They’re primarily one family, including little kids, violent and deranged.
For some reason, this seems to be their year to hit synogogues. I hope TR is right and they stay away. Their schedule also shows them in Tel Aviv and I doubt they’ll make it there either.
June 7, 2009 at 12:00 am #669069
hapMemberRe: why they picket soldiers’ funerals–they aren’t anti-war or anti-military specifically. They say that God hates America for abandoning moral principles and that fallen US soldiers burn in Hell. Also, they stage these events to draw attention to themselves and their message, never mind the grieving families.
And I do hope that they skip Seattle, especially the protest at Garfield. I mean really, a high school? Kids shouldn’t be exposed to that kind of filth.
June 7, 2009 at 12:16 am #669070
TheHouseMemberLack of acknowledgement is usually one of the strongest forms of dealing with these idiots.
June 7, 2009 at 12:50 am #669071
GreenGuyMemberNewsflash: They’re already here. Mars Hill.
June 7, 2009 at 1:44 am #669072
flowerpetalMemberIf you are equating WBC with Mars Hill, I think you miss your mark. I am certainly not defending Mars Hill; but they are not WBC. They pale next in their practices to WBC.
The shocking callous behvior of WBC to vocally protest in front of the church of a fallen soldier, or any individual, while a family and loved ones grieve wrenches my gut. I cannot lack their acknowledgement.
June 7, 2009 at 3:11 am #669073
guidosmomMemberWow! What a random itinerary. Anyone know the reasoning behind their choice of locations? This group makes me sick. I’ve never seen an organization filled with so much hatred.
June 7, 2009 at 4:45 am #669074
JoBParticipantI don’t think ignoring these people works…And vocal counter-protests make them seem too important…
so.. what is our current culture’s version of shaming? standing between them and their target with our backs turned?
June 7, 2009 at 7:20 am #669075
QueMemberThey recently protested at the High School I graduated from b/c it is named after a famous peron who happened to be gay. They had 8 protesters and the teaching staff turned it into a lesson for the students about tolerance and civil rights and freedom of speech.
There were over 500 counter protesters and the Gay-Straight Alliance used it as a fundraiser and sent a thank you note to Phelp’s church for helping them raise the money.
I thought that was beautiful.
June 7, 2009 at 3:57 pm #669076
JoBParticipantnow that’s making lemonade out of lemons…. a good example for all…
June 7, 2009 at 6:47 pm #669077
YardvarkMemberCool Louis Theroux BBC special on these lovely folks:
http://video.google.com/videosearch?q=louis+therouz&emb=1&aq=f#q=louis+theroux+phelps&emb=1
June 7, 2009 at 6:59 pm #669078
YardvarkMemberAs the Gay-Straight Alliance proved, the Westboro Church has strangely done quite a lot of good, both in terms rallying support for civil rights and for calling people out on their often less extremist prejudices.
Though I don’t think it’s okay to lump Mars Hill and Westboro into the same pot so easily, I would definitely acknowledge that parts of Mars Hill are certainly made from the same ignorant ingredients.
I’m just respectfully hoping that the Mars Hill folks can see the more subtle ignorance and bigotry of their organization’s dogma when it’s bared so blatantly naked by the Westboro Baptist Church.
I’d love to hear from some Mars Hill people, though.
June 7, 2009 at 7:05 pm #669079
lrlopez74MemberHere’s the website with info for the counterprotest:
http://www.seattleoutprotest.org/
For more info, to help out, or show support, email:
eduardo@seattleoutprotest.org or call
2532175744
We’re on Facebook, too. Search for Seattle Outprotest & Celebration and
Westboro Baptist Church *Peaceful* GHS Community Celebration
June 7, 2009 at 7:19 pm #669080
JustSarahParticipantThe WBC crew visited my college campus about seven years back when “The Laramie Project” was being performed at our theater. There was a large group of students, including me, who decided to simply carry buckets, mops, and scrub brushes around and “clean” wherever the WBC protesters were. They’d stand on a corner yelling horrible slurs, and we’d simply move in and scrub where they’d stood. I think it threw them off a bit ;-) .
June 7, 2009 at 7:26 pm #669081
JoBParticipanti like that approach too:)
June 7, 2009 at 8:36 pm #669082
datamuseParticipantOoh, SarahScoot, I like that approach. Very nice.
I’m also fond of the Patriot Guard Riders, who don’t so much counter-protest as just, well, drown out Phelps and his ilk. Ever tried shouting over someone cranking a Harley engine? Rather ingenious I think.
For the curious, I highly suggest reading the link I posted previously. It’s quite illuminating, if you have the stomach for it. Basically the WBC is a single family that pretty much makes a living off of protesting, tying wherever they show up back into the “God hates America because of tolerance of homosexuality” stance. (Example: the rationale, if one can call it that, for picketing soldiers’ funerals is that a soldier killed in action is a sign that God hates America, which is because…you get the idea.)
A lot of them are lawyers (Phelps himself is disbarred) and they have gotten very, very good at skating the free-speech line.
June 7, 2009 at 8:41 pm #669083
KenParticipantYes. Nearly every adult over 25 in that family, is a lawyer.
Michael Moore visits with his big gay bus.
http://www.truveo.com/micheal-moore-vs-westboro-hate-church/id/2868896555
June 7, 2009 at 8:41 pm #669084
mayjuneMemberThis group frequently demonstrated at my university. The best response I saw was a counter protest fundraiser in which people pledged to pay a certain amount to a gay rights organization for every minute that WBC was at the event ($1/minute, or whatever… so the longer WBC was there, the more money the fundraiser made). As soon as the demonstrators learned what was going on, they packed up and left very quickly.
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