Students stage protest against demonstrators
By JANE ROH Courier-Post Staff
Six members of the Topeka-based Westboro Baptist Church faced off with about 100 students and parents at Cherry Hill East High School before the start of the school Monday.
"We got here probably around 7:10," said Forest Steinberg, a 17-year-old at Moorestown High. About 15 of her classmates got notes [...]
Laura Stansell, 
Tim Carroll, and 
Benjamin J. "Joe" Browning are discussing. 
random2d3, 
EyesofSilver, 
sad
Benjamin J. "Joe" Browning 11:37 pm on December 8, 2009 Permalink |
If you truly desire to bring to a end the antics of the Westboro Baptist Church. Then please read the following:
I have been following the WBC going on twelve plus years. I have read about, seen, and heard Pickets, Protesters, Police, Papers, Preachers, Fire Departments, Relatives, Motorcycle Clubs, Talk Show Host, Talk Radio Hosts, Television News Commentators, Various Independent Countries and their Governments, Attorneys Filing Lawsuits, Legislatures Writing and Passing New Laws, Branches of Our Military and on, and on, and on, and on, and on. All of them attempting to stop the Westboro Baptist Church from continuing with their vile and cruel actions.
HOWEVER, FOR ALL PRACTICAL PURPOSES, ALL HAVE FAILED AND WILL CONTINUE TO FAIL!! NO ACTION YOU UNDERTAKE WILL STOP THEM, EXCEPT FOR ONE!!
The one thing that will stop them is quite simple and requires very little effort to accomplish. You need to simply “IGNORE THEM”!!! I repeat “IGNORE THEM”!!! One more time, “IGNORE THEM”!!Again “IGNORE THEM”!!
Expounding on this. #1 Do not acknowledge them #2 Do not protest. #3 Do not have the Police or Fire Department around their protests. #4 You must consider and think of them as invisible.#5 Do not have your newspapers write articles about them.#6 Do not talk to them. #7 Do not have the Patriot Guard Riders attend. #8 Do not attempt in any way to stop them! #9 Do not give them one bit of publicity, before, during or after their protests. #10 As far as you are concerned the Westboro Baptist Church does not exist.#11 Do not drive by them! #12 Do not curse or throw things at them. #13 Do not write letters to your local Newspaper about them. #14 IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT YOU ABSOLUTELY DO NOTHING TO ACKNOWLEDGE THEM!!
The one thing Westboro Baptist Church Members need and must have is to be acknowledged. One only needs to look at the way they have changed their message in order to get more publicity! The old message of God Hates people, areas, or states, or countries was getting boring. They were not reaching the population. In order to keep at the center of attention! They changed their message. So now beside the standard “God Hates ______!(Fill in the blank.), they added “God Hates Jews!”. Thus getting more comments and more acknowledgement and more publicity.
IF EVERYONE IGNORES THEM, THEY WILL LEAVE QUICKLY AND WILL NEVER RETURN!! IF YOU ACKNOWLEDGE THEM, THEY WILL STAY FOR LONGER PERIODS AND THEY WILL ALWAYS COME BACK!!
Respectfully,
Benjamin J. “Joe” Browning
Tim Carroll 12:29 am on December 9, 2009 Permalink |
Mr. Browning,
I completely agree. The only thing that really keeps these people going is the attention. I do, however feel that the recent movement to donate money to certain charities in response to the WBC’s antics is a good thing. If the WBC feels strongly enough about the fundraising efforts of groups like the Matthew Shepard Foundation and the JDL, then perhaps they will think twice about advertising their hateful opinions.
As much as I doubt this will happen, I still think that convincing people to focus energies on the fundraising efforts of worthy and needful groups cannot be bad, in and of itself.
So, while I really cannot afford it, I give money to these groups “on behalf” of the WBC. Otherwise, I plan to sleep in again, the next time they come to my town.
Laura Stansell 4:35 pm on December 9, 2009 Permalink |
I don’t think we should ignore them. As a parent said in the article, “Acquiescence is tacit approval.”
When Westborough came to out school a few weeks ago over 400 students and community members came together to counter protest. Westborough attacks so many groups that otherwise would not necessarly come together. I think that their protests actually promote tolorance by the peaceful counter protests they generate.
In researching them I was especially touched by the Partoit riders who go to the military funerals to protect the familys from the protests. They provide a honor guard of dozens of bikers with American flags to stand between Westborough and the family.
If Westborough comes back to San Diego I will be there amoung the counter protesters.