Westborbo baptist "church" is protesting at my kids HS next week...

[logosoco]

My son ask me if I was familiar with WBC and I said yes, they are full of hate! And then he said they are going to be at his school next Thursday. I think they are "protesting" because a former graduate was killed in Afghanistan (or Iraq?) over the summer and many of us in the community were out along the highway for the funeral procession.
Anyway...
I was hoping my son just heard a rumor, so I (very quickly)went to that vile site and they do have it listed on their schedule of protests.

So...I would like to be there as part of the counter protest. My son said there is already talk of one.
Does anyone here have any suggestions as to what would be a good way to do this? I thought about something like having a sign that says "God loves everybody", but I wasn't sure if that was appropriate because I don't go to church and don't believe in God like most people.

Any suggestions or ideas would be very appreciated. I really want to do this to show my kids ( a senior and a freshman at this school) that it is a good thing to stand up as a good person against people who want to spread evil and hate.

Thanks in advance!!


BTW...I have been on this board almost daily since 2004, I just don't post much, so don't let the low post count fool ya!!!

[Hekate]

1. They came to my sister's town in Mass., and her UU church led the counter-protest like this...

They Shunned them. They turned their backs on them. They outnumbered the freaks and they refused to engage them in any conversation at all. They refused to be baited.

And, of course, the counter-protestors carried their own signs to speak for them.

These freaks want attention like nobody's business -- they WANT you to scream and holler, they want to get in your face, they crave for you to rise to their bait and lose your self-control. I think my sister's tolerant and open-hearted band of UUs had the right idea: don't give them what they want, but don't let their hate go unchallenged either.

Sis said it went very well on the whole. The only one who broke ranks was her father-in-law, LOL, who tried to engage one of them in meaningful dialog. He can't help himself; he's a talker.

Anyhow, that's one idea, and it's peaceful.

My not-peaceful-at-all fantasy is that someday this cult runs afoul of the Hell's Angels or similar :evilgrin: but as Nixon Himself said, "That would be wrong." Besides they are cowards who pick on the grief-stricken and kick them while they're down.

Hekate

[logosoco]

2. Very good points...

It is going to be hard NOT to yell back. I think I am going to get a hot pink sign that says "All you need is love". I agree that engaging them is the wrong thing to do. I think we need to be there as a wall between them and our kids.

[Hekate]

6. Being there as a wall is a very good idea. I think my sis's friends were doing just that. nt

[Huskerchub]

3. One of the best things I've heard of

was to get people to have a pledge drive. Get as many people as you can together to go gather pledges of money to donate to a worthwhile charity, such as a local AIDS charity. As people to donate from $.10 to $1.00 for each minute that the loonies are protesting. Then print up a sign or 2 thanking WBS for helping in your fund-raising activities for XYZ. Just think of the good a small group of people can do to counteract the bile and hate. This also encourages them to not protest too long as they don't want to be fundraisers LOL. 20 people with pledge sheets 20 pledges of $1.00 per minute, 30 minute protest = $12,000! Yeah not everyone is going to pledge $1.00/min but the possibility is endless.

[Hekate]

7. Another good idea. Early in W's misbegotten term he did something that made one columnist suggest...

... that it might be nice if everyone donated money to Planned Parenthood in his name. And his birthday was coming up. Planned Parenthood was the beneficiary of a great many donations because of that.

Hekate

[PeaceNikki]

4. Another DUer posted this. It's BRILLIANT and wonderful

http://www.phelps-a-thon.com/About.html

[theHandpuppet]

5. Have you ever heard of Angel Action?

Here's a URL : http://www.readromaine.com/laramie/angel.htm

There are many chapters throughout the country but you could always start your own or utilize their techniques for dealing with the Phelps family. I remember seeing the pictures of the angels blocking the Phelps' protest at Matthew Shepard's funeral. It was amazing.

[logosoco]

22. Yes,

I read a book by one of Shepards friends who started that group. They did turn an ugly scene into something beautiful with their huge angel wings! I am thinking of making some hot pink posters that say "all you need is love". My main reason for going is to block this hate show from the kids with a "love show". And to help others there NOT get in trouble.

[donco6]

8. The thing they hate most is to be laughed at.

That's what I would do.

[Telly Savalas]

9. No. The thing they hate most is to be ignored.

If someone were to open an Attention Whore Hall of Fame, these motherfuckers would be charter members.

[mitchtv]

10. seen this?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_XAVzfDU28

[dmr]

14. Westboro Baptist vs. Angry Nevadan Bikers

Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=551rdS5DREY&feature=related

Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ekQIumgq25s&feature=related

Part 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FyO4IQoB-mo&feature=related

Edit:
I was watching some other videos at you tube and found one where WBC got Rick Rolled - that might be a good counter protest for kids to do. There's nothing like a good Rick Roll!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iT7xQJrqUQ8&feature=related

[guitar man]

18. that's fantastic!

I bet they were pissing in their pants when all those bikers showed up :rofl:

[Hekate]

16. Ugh. There should be a warning -- I need to bleach my eyeballs. Their "god" is nasty...

... and evil. They worship hatred.

Hekate

[Ghost in the Machine]

11. I would hold a sign that says "God HATES Fred Phelps"..

.. then let those lawsuit-happy cretins try to sue you over it. Your only defense will be "God told me during a prayer session".... then make ol' Preacher Freddie and his clan prove that god *didn't* tell you :evilgrin: You'll make the douchebag prove there is no god in a court of law...

[cbdo2007]

12. There really is no good way to protest them. They thrive on all of the attention and

getting people all worked up. It's kind of like they have a mental disability where they don't recognize reality and are unwilling to tell the truth, so how do you protest that?

I guess if it were me, and if I absolutely felt like I HAD to protest. I would go stand right next to them with a big sign that says "God Loves Everyone" But don't say anything mean to them or bad to them. You'll look good while they'll look bad naturally, so you'll sort of ruin the moment by saying anything or by *hating* them.

[logosoco]

23. That is so true...

my first instincts said "GO kick their ass out of town! Spit on them!" But then I calmed down and saw the way to react to their hate fest is to create a love fest. I am going to make pink signs that say "All you need is love". I saw on youtube a group of kids over shouting their hate with "God loves everyone!" and I am thinking that would be a chant for the kids to do.

[Angry Dragon]

13. I am a little lost as usual.

Who is WBC and why would they come to your child's school??

[Hekate]

17. Look up Fred Phelps and Westboro Baptist Church. I have no idea why they'd target a school. nt

[logosoco]

21. WBC is a hate group...

they are coming to this school because the school has honored a fallen soldier that graduated from this school. They like to spread hate. I am going to show the kids love.

[Kansas Wyatt]

15. Michael Moore's approach was funny.

The Phelps clan immediately loaded up and left.

[opihimoimoi]

19. OH OH...Things are getting series...now they be after the kids too? Damn.

Hide the children

the Pubs are coming for the children...

Monty would yell out::

"RUN AWAY >>>>RUN AWAY"........>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>run

[EOTE]

20. If I was there, I'd try to provoke them.

Wear assless chaps and perhaps bring a sign reading "Sodomy is the only way!" or perhaps "Breeders suck ass!". I'd wait for one to take a swing at me and do everything I could to defend myself. Then I'd take him/her to court.

[Hekate]

24. That is exactly what they want, you know. Why give it to them?

Just sayin'

Hekate

[EOTE]

25. I don't think that's what they want at all.

They'd get the shit beat out of them plus they'd have a lawsuit on their hands. Seems like a win/win from my perspective.

[Toasterlad]

26. You Can't Provoke Them to Strike You. They Will NEVER Do It. They Want YOU to Hit THEM.

One thing about the WBC is that they know EXACTLY how far up to the line they may go, and they will do everything in their power to force their opponents (ie, everyone else) to cross that line. But they will never cross it themselves.

The only proper way to deal with them is to ignore them.

[LeftyMom]

27. Exactly. Many of them are lawyers. They finance this mess by suing people.

They know exactly how far they can go and still have the law on their side.

[EOTE]

28. If they won't strike me, then at least I could provoke them.

They'd be wise to not let anyone provoke them, but I'd know that it would tear them up inside. Besides, it makes them look like even bigger asses. I've seen some videos of cross dressers and other victims of their hate mingling with them and making them look like even bigger assholes. At the very least, I'd have a good time.

[Toasterlad]

29. You Don't Know What Would Tear Them Up Inside.

They live for attention, and any kind of confrontation, non-violent or otherwise, is mother's milk to them. You can't outsmart the WBC by engaging them in any kind of debate or trying to provoke them. By doing so, you've already lost. They have already beaten you. There is absolutely nothing you can say or do to them that they haven't heard or seen before.

Unless you ignore them, you are helping them get what they want. Now, what's more important: denying them what they want, or you having a good time?

[EOTE]

31. I've seen Fred Phelps confronted by a rather ostentatiously dressed group of GLBT folks.

You could tell he was doing everything in his power to not go postal. I've seen that look in his eyes and it gave me great delight. I think if this group were met with similar responses everywhere they went, they wouldn't be doing these protests for long.

[Toasterlad]

30. You Don't Know What Would Tear Them Up Inside.

They live for attention, and any kind of confrontation, non-violent or otherwise, is mother's milk to them. You can't outsmart the WBC by engaging them in any kind of debate or trying to provoke them. By doing so, you've already lost. They have already beaten you. There is absolutely nothing you can say or do to them that they haven't heard or seen before.

Unless you ignore them, you are helping them get what they want. Now, what's more important: denying them what they want, or you having a good time?

[Mz Pip]

32. I'd carry a big sign

that read: Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.

But if you get a chance to rent the episode of Michael Moore's "The Awful Truth" do so. He staged a counter protest that was pretty damn funny.

[HarveyDarkey]

33. This was pretty funny

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZfZiBRFM5w