Young People Strike Back at Westboro Baptist
The Right Wing religious whack jobs of Westboro Baptist Church struck again this weekend with a protest in front of the Omaha Central High School. Students had heard about it, though, and were prepared with sounds and shouting and video cameras. They did not stand for Westboro’s hate, and their parents should be proud.
We all know about Westboro Baptist. They protest at the funerals of soldiers, gay people, and even at the funerals of boy scouts killed in a tornado this summer. These supposedly religious whack jobs make James Dobson look a tiny bit sane. This time the protest was at Omaha Central High School (though one of the Westboro members was facing charges in an Omaha court), scheduled for when the students got out for the day, and the students there had something to say about it. They were ready. From the Omaha World-Herald:
Members of a Kansas church that protests at the funerals of slain service members fled the right-of-way near Omaha Central High School on Friday because police said they could not protect them from hundreds of student counterprotesters.
Students threw hamburgers and bottles of lemonade and milk at several members of the Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kan., students said after the protest. A video of the protest — recorded by 16-year-old student Mason Hartwell — showed one counterprotester on the ground, seated with his hands behind his back and flanked by two law enforcement officers.
Students chanted “Diversity,” “Obama” and “Gay is OK.” At one point, they broke into a chant of the Pledge of Allegiance, yelling, “Liberty and justice for all,” according to the footage. After students dispersed, a flier remained on the ground reading “Zona libre de odio” — Spanish for “Hate-free zone.”
. . .
Students said they were expecting the demonstration: They found out online and through word of mouth.
Ari Brodkey, 16, held a sign reading “This Jew is not afraid of you.” He called the demonstrators from the church “disgusting.”
Counterprotesters included students from Omaha Central and Omaha North High Schools.
The church demonstrators “are wasting their time,” said 16-year-old Patricia Gomez. “They’re not gonna break us down.”
If violence was done in Omaha, I do not condone it, but I am otherwise proud of these students in the freshly blue Omaha, Nebraska. This says good things about our country, that we will not stand for the intolerance of these sorts of people. Yeah, I think this is dandy news, and I hope the students who participated get some congratulations from their parents.
I too am proud of these students, especially since Omaha is where I grew up!
T H R I L L E D.
Put these fringe lunatics back where they belong. On the fringe.