According to Westboro Baptist Church’s webpage they are scheduled to picket Redondo Union High School on Monday January 11, from 7 to 7:30 am. I guess God hates late sleepers too. It’s kind of unclear why they are picketing. The press release says, “This is for you, California! It’s too bad you didn’t read and heed these words before you brought these curses down on your children!” We are doomed because we didn’t read something? I haven’t read War and Peace. Am I therefore doomed to be invaded by France? The press release quotes Deuteronomy 28:15-25. I have to say that this scripture makes their god sound like a total dick. But so far the only curse threatened in the passage that has befallen Redondo Beach is the mold. That’s the one problem with living in a beach city.
A counter-picket is being organized via Facebook and other social media. “JOIN US FOR OUR COUNTER PROTEST!!! On January 11, 2016 Redondo Union High School is going to have some unexpected and unwelcomed vistors. Their reason for their vendeta against us is unknown.
“This facebook group is meant to organize a community Gay-Straight Alliance to speak out and plan against their presence in our community. It is our intention to peacefully and lawfully with the permission of our cities law enforcement and school district to block or have permission to speak out against this hate group that seeks to attack our LGBTQA+ youth and make them fear going to school and being themselves. This is not who Redondo is and we will not let them speak over our right to be and love anyone we choose.
They …have scheduled their event when students are coming to school from 7-7:30. In hope that our group does not disturb the learning process as the WBC is trying to do, I encourage alumni that are home from University to come and speak against the hate that they are trying to spread while we let RUHS’s GSA club go to class when they must.
You can contact administration regarding this picket through this site
WEAR YOUR PRIDE ON YOUR SLEEVE AND DON’T FEAR BEING YOU JUST BECAUSE A HATE GROUP TRIES TO SCARE YOU, THAT’S WHAT THEY WANT. DON’T LET THEM GET WHAT THEY WANT!!!! BE PROUD AND COURAGEOUS!
RUHS IS A SAFE PLACE FOR LGBTQA+ YOUTH AND PROUD AND WE WILL NOT REMAIN SILENT”
If you are planning on joining the counter-protest, here are suggestions from people in the Facebook group:
All signs should have a positive message and counteract their hate with love.
Please read this! This group is run by attorneys. Their goal is to get the crowd so upset, throwing things and getting physical, so they file lawsuits and sue the crowd. That’s how they make their money. So they’re doing this to get money from the lawsuits that will come from all the violence that’s going to happen. So everyone needs to stay calm and ignore their message and just be there with your presence.
Tips from a professional protester that I know:
– Do NOT engage: someone will get overheated and it’ll go south from there
– Use humor to garner support, make fun of them, and keep it somewhat light-hearted (no one likes being angry all day)
-** Wear earplugs listen to music while you protest. They shout horrific things, and listening to music will you bring you more peace than absorbing their hate. They can be emotionally damaging.
– Be prepared that you might get burned ou…t/need to do something to help you heal- it can be more damaging than we think
– WATER (bring more than you think you’ll need)
– Remember the police are not your enemy, they are neutral, but they do have a job to do (enforce laws)
– On that note, if you think your rights are being violated, the street isn’t the place to fight it.
https://www.aclu.org/…/what-do-if-your-rights-are-violated-… offers a nice guide on what to do.
10 Nonviolent Ways to Thwart a Westboro Baptist Church Protest
Photo by Frankie Norstad via Flickr
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Love this!