WBC at my school!

[bicyclecat]

http://www.miamistudent.net/news/miami-to-host-westboro-baptist-church-1.2598853

So, my undergrad is hosting Shirley Phelps-Roper to come in and speak to comparative religion students. Needless to say, my fellow alumni and friends who are current students are up in arms.

To be honest, I'm still trying to get over the whole "WBC at my school" to have a coherent opinion at the moment. Any thoughts from my fellow FJ-ians?

I wonder if there's a way to arrange for the entire class to skip that day in protest.

[demgirl]

There's engaging with people of different beliefs. There is also knowing your enemy. Both have value. But providing a platform for hate spewing, when you know it's only in the interest of self-promotional bullshit? That's just stupid. It's not like WBC never grants access to themselves. They grant access to anyone who will have them. There's no secrecy. There's no question of their aims, their beliefs and their status. This is just ... ill-conceived.

[1004srs]

Just ignore WBC. We see them almost daily and it is easier just to ignore the hate. On the plus side, it has brought interesting protesters to their town.

[lilwriter85]

Ol' Fred makes a point to picket anywhere anybody is putting on the Laramie Project--he's practically one of the props by this point.

And yep--the WBC spews a lot of anti-Catholic rhetoric. Not anywhere near as much or as badly as he hates on the gays, but the hate is definitely there. I figured that if they show up, the longer they protest the more money we could make for the two charities WBC would detest.

I agree gays are their main target. Also Fred and the family love picketing RENT amateur productions as well or form of media that LGBT related. They picketed the American Idol tour back in 2009 because of Adam Lambert. They have picketed Lady Gaga concerts before and I think they even picketed a Glee concert. I wonder if they have ever picketed a Melissa Etheridge concert. She is touring right now and I wouldn't be surprised if WBC showed up at one of her shows.

[1004srs]

THey protested The Magic School Bus production in Lawrence a few years ago. We had people walk us in and shield us from the hate.

[QueenNocturne]

Apparently, Shirley Phelps-Roper will no longer be speaking at Miami: http://www.miamistudent.net/news/religi ... -1.2606880

Instead...the whole dang church is going to picket us October 25th, as well as Ohio State and Oak Hill High School: http://www.godhatesfags.com/schedule.html

[lilwriter85]

Apparently, Shirley Phelps-Roper will no longer be speaking at Miami: http://www.miamistudent.net/news/religi ... -1.2606880

Instead...the whole dang church is going to picket us October 25th, as well as Ohio State and Oak Hill High School: http://www.godhatesfags.com/schedule.html

Thanks for the update QueenNocturne, Do you think people on campus will counter protest the WBC?

[lilwriter85]

Right now I'm looking at Shirley's twitter follower list and it seems that some of her followers are only following her so they can the crazy shit she says. So far some of her followers include a guy in the Army, a few athesits, sports fans, Army wives, a guy who states he hates the WBC and I'm still going through the list. I bet Shriley has looked the profiles of her some of her followers and she probably get kicks out of it.

[QueenNocturne]

Thanks for the update QueenNocturne, Do you think people on campus will counter protest the WBC?

Absolutely. People I know were already planning counter-protests when they heard Shirley would be speaking.

And I can tell you right now that if I was still an undergrad (I graduated in 2010 and am now working on a J.D. three hours away), I would be forming a counter-protest right now.

[1004srs]

The best protests are those who offer $10 or so for every minute they protest. THey give the money to the Topeka Aids Project in WBC's name.