  Ruxy17 Member Username: Ruxy17 Post Number: 10 Registered: 08-2007 |
So the Westboro Baptist Church from Topeka, Kansas is sending members to Grosse Pointe South HS on Friday, November 21 to protest the school’s production of The Laramie Project, an award winning play about the torture and beating death of gay college student Matthew Shepard in Laramie, Wyoming in 1998. If you’re not familiar with WBC, they’re those assholes who protest at U.S. soldier’s funerals saying that God allowed them to die because of the United States’ toleration of “the fag lifestyle.” While I find their message monumentally offensive, I respect the rights offered them by the first amendment. I, for one, plan to exercise MY right to peaceably assemble and will be in Grosse Pointe Farms that evening to let the WBC, but more importantly the students of GPS HS, know that such hateful ideology will not go unchallenged. Who’s coming with me? (hope that the link below works...) http://www.detnews.com/apps/pb cs.dll/article?AID=20088110403 69 (Message edited by ruxy17 on November 04, 2008) | ||
Bike4beer Member Username: Bike4beer Post Number: 20 Registered: 09-2008 |
Unless you have a time machine I suggest you go on November 21st. The link works though. | ||
Gencinjay Member Username: Gencinjay Post Number: 66 Registered: 03-2008 |
That would be Nov. 21. I'd really like to join you. I'll have to check my schedule. If I go I'll be holding a sign saying, "God hates WBC members" | ||
Ruxy17 Member Username: Ruxy17 Post Number: 11 Registered: 08-2007 |
oops... Nov. 21st... | ||
Scs100 Member Username: Scs100 Post Number: 1615 Registered: 12-2006 |
Hey, give me a time and I might be there automatically!  | ||
Kathinozarks Member Username: Kathinozarks Post Number: 1612 Registered: 11-2006 |
I will only be able to be with you in spirit. These folks are vile, offensive, and I feel so sorry for any new souls they bring into this world. The children don't have a chance. They were at a funeral of a young military man here in the Ozarks. There was a Christian Biker Club also in attendance to keep the trolls away. Will the biker groups be coming to assist in keeping the Westboros at a safe distance? They did here. Silently, peacefully deny their entrance to the school grounds. You can take them, they are sad. | ||
Kenp Member Username: Kenp Post Number: 1272 Registered: 03-2006 |
The Biker groups were here in Michigan the last couple years when the church freaks were at some of our soldiers funerals. I'm not sure what the bikers think about this protest however. | ||
Norwalk Member Username: Norwalk Post Number: 412 Registered: 11-2006 |
Whats up with these cristian outsiders! The same thing is happening in my beloved Hamtramck. I had vote today to keep our anti discrimination ordinance. People trying to repeal an anti discrimination ordinance thats just screwed up. | ||
Soomka1 Member Username: Soomka1 Post Number: 148 Registered: 02-2007 |
Everyone knows that South High has always been a gay hotbed. Especially in the late 70's right IrishMafia? | ||
Rj_spangler Member Username: Rj_spangler Post Number: 50 Registered: 10-2008 |
Geez, that is my alma-matter ! I am not digging this at all. | ||
Alley Member Username: Alley Post Number: 748 Registered: 02-2008 |
mine too! | ||
Kenp Member Username: Kenp Post Number: 1274 Registered: 03-2006 |
I remember scouting churches in my area. I have never been much for going to church but thought I would give it a try. I went to this big Baptist church, it was my first ever experience at a Baptist Church. The pastor was talking about lesbians and this evil, "Ellen Degenerate". I dont really have an opinion on the the whole issue but the fact that he was spewing hate at a church I found amazing. | ||
Mashugruskie Member Username: Mashugruskie Post Number: 156 Registered: 09-2006 |
Why are Kansan's (Kansasians, Kansissies, wtf are they called?) involving themselves with Michigan's youths? | ||
Otter Member Username: Otter Post Number: 352 Registered: 12-2007 |
Article about growing up with Rev. Phelps: http://www.ubyssey.ca/?p=5624 What a childhood. As for why? I suppose their belief that 'god hates fags' is strong enough that they believe they need to involve themselves everywhere. Last week I saw a funny photo of someone holding up a sign that said 'god hates signs' next to a Westboro protester holding a 'god hates fags' sign. | ||
Mashugruskie Member Username: Mashugruskie Post Number: 157 Registered: 09-2006 |
I saw a sign that read, "Homosexuals Are Gay!" and almost laughed myself off the road. Still, if God is perfect and makes no mistakes.... | ||
Docterry Member Username: Docterry Post Number: 116 Registered: 08-2008 |
What time? If possible, I'd love to join a party of like-minded people also enjoying the right to free speech. | ||
Cycledetroit Member Username: Cycledetroit Post Number: 39 Registered: 09-2008 |
I would love to join. Thanks for the info. | ||
Ruxy17 Member Username: Ruxy17 Post Number: 13 Registered: 08-2007 |
I emailed someone at the Triangle Foundation, a LGBT rights group based in Detroit, to see if they have anything planned for the evening. I'll post as soon as I hear anything. | ||
Slider Member Username: Slider Post Number: 54 Registered: 06-2007 |
If the Triangle Foundation is smart, they will plan a fundraiser like Aut Bar in Ann Arbor did many years ago. People donated one dollar for every minute Rev. Phelps spewed his intolerance. They ended up raising thousands of dollars for a GLBT non-profit. (sorry, those are the details as best as I recall them) | ||
Omaha Member Username: Omaha Post Number: 248 Registered: 12-2007 |
About 15-20 showed up in Omaha when Creighton University put on the play (those damn liberal Jesuits!) They'd done their homework and had attained a permit to protest for a given amount of time. They came with big bright insulting signs, yelled and chanted insults, and some actually stood on the American flag. They want to rile up folks and get the police involved. They are looking for press. The counter demonstrators (pro-gay rights supporters) outnumbered the WBC protesters about 6:1 Everyone on our side of the street kept their cool, there were lots of pictures taken of the wing nuts from Topeka, there were some taunts hurled back at them. Someone from Creighton nearly got our entire side of the street to chant a variation on Lennon's song: "All we are saying, is give love a chance." This chant was repeated several times during the 90 minutes that I was there. The WBC folks didn't know what to respond. But our counter demonstration was quite calm and peaceful which, I can only assume, pissed off the WBC group. When their protest permit time was over, they folded their tents, left Omaha, and drove back to Topeka. | ||
Mackinaw Member Username: Mackinaw Post Number: 5471 Registered: 02-2005 |
Who the hell are they? This is the most random shit I've ever heard. People actually have time to go from Kansas to Detroit to protest a student play? W..T..F? | ||
Thoswolfe Member Username: Thoswolfe Post Number: 86 Registered: 11-2007 |
That group is more notorious because of their protests at funerals for soldiers killed in action. Way to get a message out- protest at a funeral in front of grieving family and friends, blaming wars on homosexuality, etc. Even Google pulls no punches- if you search for that church (I sure ain't gonna post a link) Google describes it as: " Site of anti-homosexual propagandist Fred Phelps of Topeka, Kansas, who styles himself and his followers as a "Baptist Church " | ||
Rjk Member Username: Rjk Post Number: 1291 Registered: 11-2003 |
"I, for one, plan to exercise MY right to peaceably assemble and will be in Grosse Pointe Farms that evening to let the WBC, but more importantly the students of GPS HS, know that such hateful ideology will not go unchallenged." Everyone loves a (media) circus. I'm sure that group would love for you to attend and add fuel to their fire. They might even pick you up if you need a ride. You people are playing right into their hands. Exactly what to you hope to accomplish by protesting against these people? You should try doing what 99.99% of the rest of us are going to do in reference to this very small group of nut balls. We're going to ignore them because they're not worth our time. You want to piss them off, just don't pay any attention to them. But again, everyone loves a circus. | ||
Thoswolfe Member Username: Thoswolfe Post Number: 88 Registered: 11-2007 |
"We Hate Illinois (Kansas) Nazis !!! (Message edited by Thoswolfe on November 04, 2008) | ||
Chuckjav Member Username: Chuckjav Post Number: 1067 Registered: 09-2007 |
""That group is more notorious because of their protests at funerals for soldiers killed in action"" Folks, please do your level-best to despise these warped people & wish them straight into the Twilight Zone-inspired cornfield; they are EVIL personified. A group of 'em threatened to raise hell at the funeral of a 19 year-old US Army PFC from the high school where I teach. Sickens me to recall that horrible day. | ||
Omaha Member Username: Omaha Post Number: 249 Registered: 12-2007 |
BTW, there were a lot of clergy (12 or so) from various denominations in the counter protest in Omaha. I have no idea how they were organized to show up... The most prominent sign that WBC had and their most common chant was "God hates FAGS!" They occasionally come to Nebraska to protest at the funerals of members of our armed forces who have died in Iraq and Afghanistan. There were attempts to pass legislation to keep protests at funerals a set # of feet away from the funeral to specifically address WBC protests. The WBC crowd is a special group and can provoke a lot of hatred if the counter protest isn't filled with "cooler heads." Inspiring irrational hatred of their "God hates FAGS" crap is just what they want to create. It gives them stuff to put up on their web site. | ||
Docterry Member Username: Docterry Post Number: 117 Registered: 08-2008 |
I realize that they may like the media attention. However, I'm inclined not to be silent because I want the students (and the adults supporting them) to know that there are some who support them enough to also be present. | ||
Ruxy17 Member Username: Ruxy17 Post Number: 14 Registered: 08-2007 |
My thoughts exactly, doc. | ||
Lefty2 Member Username: Lefty2 Post Number: 2771 Registered: 07-2007 |
I thought GP was the antipathy of hate and vile Republican evil. Please stay away and don't give these Baptist freaks any more attention than they want. | ||
Otter Member Username: Otter Post Number: 359 Registered: 12-2007 |
I'd like to see a truckful of the most flamboyantly stereotypically-gay men you could imagine - lots of beefcake, tiny speedos, village people outfits, oiled chests, drag, feather boas, lots of fabulousness, etc. - show up and and start dancing (mit disco soundtrack) real nice and close to the Westboro folks - show them some love! God hates fags, but fags love Westboro! (Message edited by otter on November 04, 2008) |
