Not with That Stupid Church

I originally made this sign for use at a hockey game when I knew I'd be seated next to a Barfalo fan. However, it came in really handy when I learned that members of the Kansas family who call themselves the Westboro Baptist Chuch would be in Raleigh to protest outside Elizabeth Edwards' funeral on Saturday, December 11.

I wasn't sure I would attend the counter-protest. I thought, how does one have a counter-protest to a protest at a funeral, without also destroying of the decorum of the funeral that you're trying to protect? My concern turned out not really to be an issue because the protests were three blocks away from the funeral. I hadn't really planned to attend, though, but I happened to be in the downtown area at the right time, and I had thrown this sign in my car just in case.

Despite the steady rain and cold and my lack of umbrella, I decided to go. I was a little late but was pleased to find a spot on the retaining barrier where I could point the arrow on my sign in the right direction. I went by myself, but I found out later that I knew several other different folks in attendance. I chatted with the stranger next to me and got her to hold my sign for this photo.

The Westboro Baptist Church had all of five representatives, compared to, I'd say a couple hundred counter-protesters. My sign got pretty much ruined in the rain, but it was worth it.

I feel like those WBC idiots aren't worth the attention that they get with their "THANK GOD FOR BREAST CANCER" and "YOU WILL EAT YOUR BABIES" logic, and I was concerned that the counter-protest only fuels their publicity. Wouldn't it be better if nobody showed up or noticed them at all?

But on the other hand, what a thing of beauty that so many people came out in the rain together to stand against what they felt was wrong. Some were there in support of gay rights, some in support of veterans. (WBC often protest at military funerals.) Some were there in solidarity with breast cancer victims, some were simply supporting the family of Elizabeth Edwards, or the attendees of every funeral. For whatever the reasons, people still came together. They chanted. They sang. They blew their horns. They waved flags. They drove by with their heads out the sunroof tonguing each other. Everybody seemed like they were having a good time, despite the weather.

Funny how the WBC managed to perpetrate love and peace despite their messages of hate.