Welcome to this week's edition of crazy church. I shouldn't call a church crazy, I know, but the Westboro Baptist Church (WBC) defies logic on so many levels. Take this recent website posting on the Church's page:
“WBC to picket the worthless brats who attend East Lansing High School, as well as their teachers and parents who have taught them from the cradle that God is a liar. You reprobates will hear some truth for the first time in your lives, to wit: God does NOT love everyone and it IS NOT okay to be gay or to fornicate with anyone or thing you please. Instead, you are to flee youthful lusts that war against your soul and seek to live sober, righteous and godly while on this earth."
Yes, the WBC is set to once again protest a site for being pro-gay. Not only will the group target the high school crowd in East Lansing, Michigan, but they also plan on targeting the Islamic Center of America in Dearborn, and Hillel at Wayne State University, both also located in Michigan. The group has twice failed to appear at planned protests in the state, but that hasn't stopped activists from scrambling to formulate a response to their possible arrival.
“These folks have the most disgusting message in America, and that is saying a lot since there is a lot of competition for the label of most disgusting message in America,” says David Holtz, executive director of Progress Michigan. “Except for the brief time they are here, most people will ignore them. Most families have more important things to worry about like jobs.”
School officials are also setting up restrictions for the group's presence on the high school campus. Though the group's free speech rights are protected under the First Amendment, school officials have determined that they are entitled to control the time, manner and delivery of information. Thus, the police will be present, the Westboro crew will not be able to use certain language that may induce volatile behavior, and they will not be permitted on school property.
“This organization feeds on publicity and I don’t want to give them the satisfaction of having a megaphone to spread their message of intolerance and hate,” says Nathan Triplett, an East Lansing City council member. “We should use this as an opportunity to mobilize the community and to recognize that while East Lansing has taken action to recognize the equality of LGBT families our state and nation are woefully behind on this important issue.”
But more than that, community groups on the ground are getting ready to offer a counter message to the WBC's fire and brimstone. Speaking to the Michigan Messenger, Nick Pfost, chair of the Michigan State University Alliance of Queer and Ally Students, said students from campus will be out in full force to show that bigotry is not a Michigan value.
"As a result of the repeated demonstrated practices of the Westboro Baptist Church picketers throughout the nation, we categorically oppose their presence at East Lansing High School,” Pfost said. "We intend to network with other students and student organizations to form a peaceful counter-presence, to ensure the safety and security of students and parents, and to demonstrate that bigotry is not a Spartan or Trojan value.”
Sounds like a powerful message to send, and one that will reverberate thousands of times more than the crazy that the WBC is selling.
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