Westboro protest is a no-show; counter-protestors celebrate, anyway
BY CORY DE VERA • NEWS-LEADER • AUGUST 7, 2010
Around 200 people gathered outside Juanita K. Hammons Hall today to counter-protest a planned picket by the Westboro Baptist Church, but the Westboro group never showed up.
The Kansas church has sparked outrage around the country for its pickets, which feature profane and derogatory language warning people about the danger of Hell. The group had posted on its Web site an intention to protest a concert at the hall by Adam Lambert, who is gay.
The group typically preaches that God hates gay people, but also preaches God hates Jews, Catholics and America. It pickets the funerals of dead soldiers, saying the deaths are God’s punishment of America for tolerating homosexuality.
Local college students organized the counter protest on Facebook.
“Because they didn’t show up, instead of a protest, now its just a celebration,” said organizer Adam Crawford. “It was a great way to get together and show the community what we are all about.”
Drury student Brandon Landers said he has been traveling to events where Westboro pickets, documenting the events for a photo project.
“This is by far the largest anti-protest we’ve seen,” said Landers. “I saw 20 counter protesters at most at the other places, so this is amazing.”
Oklahoma City resident Julie Willits snapped pictures of the counter-protesters and said she was happy that church group, who she described as hateful people who don’t know the meaning of Christianity, were no-shows.
“If the world had more people who were just as kind as Adam Lambert, you wouldn’t need this crap,” said Willits, who has met the performer twice. “All this stuff he’s put up with, he never once turned around and said ‘I hate you guys, too.’”
The crowd dwindled as the concert was about to begin, then Lambert ducked out to thank those left.
“He was there two or three minutes, and kind of walked the sidewalk signing people’s posters and stuff,” said Adam Crawford. “It was kind of surprising.”
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