Tuesday, October 11, 2005

How Did You Not Know?

Rev. Fred "God Hats Fags" Phelps and the whole Westboro Baptist Church posse are coming to the OKC!

They have stopped in a few times already to picket the funeral of an Iraq War Veteran. It caused such a stir in town that my State Rep. has authored legislation to ban protests at funerals. Now the Westboro gang is rolling into town to stage a "Love Crusade" at Rep. Wesselhoft's Church. For the record, the refer to him as "the Oklahoma Balaamite".

It's sick. It's sick to see this hatred at a funeral of a soldier who has nothing to do with our military's policy. It's sick to see this hate at a church who in most other arenas would stand with Phelps against homosexuality, and it's sick to see hatred to a group of people in the first place. It all just shows how hate spreads. When anyone starts to fling hate, the hate soon hits everyone like a monkey slinging hate poo. I swear after I finished the web search, I had to go look at the baby socks I want to make just to even me out.

I didn't bring my copy of Night home, but we started to read it in English this week. Today, I read the section aloud to my class where Elie Wiesel and his family arrive at Auchwitz. They are shocked to see the ovens and a man confronts them. "How did you not know!?", he shouts (and I am probably misquoting this but the book is at school) "How did you not know about this in 1944?". How did you not know that this hate would hit you eventually?

4 comments:

Jim Jannotti said...

Phelps has no grounds whatsoever for referring to himself as one who bears the Name.

If I wasn't opposed to hatred, I would hate that guy.

I'm sorry he will be temporarily filthifying your city.

Scott Jones said...

It is funny, in the sick humour sort of way, that they'll be protesting at First Southern which they are calling a "fag church."

I looked at Phelps' site today for the first time just to make sure that they weren't scheduling a protest of our church during their visit. One of my members is worried that they'll take the opportunity while here.

At the progressive ministers' coffee this morning, we were discussing this issue. We talked about how, in an ironic way, Phelps actually helps our cause. Because people see the logical end of discrimination and hatred and are repelled by it.

educat said...

It is funny. Some readers may be too young or not down with Oklahoma Southern Baptist lore, but this is the church whose pastor declared when he was SBC President that "God doensn't hear the prayers of the Jews". Now they're a fag church!

I thought of your church as all this came about, but it just seems to obvious, you know?

Scott Jones said...

Yes. And I figure we are too small. Phelps is going to enjoy causing a scene at First Southern.

Plus, they are a big church with money, so if someone hits one of their people, they can sue and fund themselves on the proceeds.