Hundreds protest peacefully against Westboro Baptist Church
7:06 p.m. Sunday, March 30, 2008
They came with signs of love, respect and tolerance in all different races, sexual orientations and age groups, to show members of the Westboro Baptist Church that they too have first amendment rights.
“Standing up is the right thing to do,” said JD Stottlemire, march participant. “I think it's exciting it's the million fag march today, not because it has anything to do with homosexuality but because it dis-empowers the Phelps.”
“I think it’s cool and awesome,” said Elliot Nold, march participant.
Chris Love is the organizer of the march, but you didn't have to be homosexual to participate.
So what's behind the name?
Love said it has to do with the church's use of the word.
“Generally it seems to be the case with them that anybody who's not apart of their church gets called a fag, so in that situation everybody here is a fag,” Love said.
Nold, 12, stood among the hundreds holding her sign "Love It or Leave it."
She said she's grown up seeing the church's message.
“[It] makes me feel sad because they think that that's the truth but it's not because God loves everybody no matter how they act,” she said.
The Phelps have been around for 17 years and have done more than 34,000 pickets.
They were invited to the march to express their views but didn't show up.
“They said that they didn't feel they could be kept safe,” Love said.
With police protection on the ground and in the air participants peacefully walked the streets of Topeka.
And though the demonstrators know they won't change the minds of the Westboro members, Love had this to say.
“You can at least have your voice heard,” he said.
Topeka police say there were no problems with the march.
Because of the large turnout, organizers are planning to make the protest an annual event.
Comments
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Mar. 30, 2008 at 7:18 p.m. (Suggest removal)patchesm27 (anonymous)
I can't wait until next year!
Mar. 31, 2008 at 8:49 a.m. (Suggest removal)squrly666 (anonymous)
I think its great what these people did. They are right God loves everyone. We don't need anymore hate in this world.
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