Westboro Baptist Church returning to Indiana--info on countering them

[IndianaGreen]

I got this from my Drinking Liberally group:

"It looks like the Westboro Baptist Church is planning a protest at DePauw on Saturday, and a group of students is planning a counter protest. Can you please let the DL community know this is happening? Here's a link to the Facebook event:

http://www.facebook.com/#!/event.php?eid=325996441327"

If you can make it down to Greencastle to help show the WBC that their hate is not welcome here, check out the link to the facebook page for the counter protest. They want to keep it civil and peaceful.

I'm not sure if I can make it, but if you can or know anyone who would be interested in it pass the link around.

Apparently the cause of WBC's attendance is DePauw putting on a production of "The Laramie Project." I have been unable to get ticket information, but if you are interested in supporting the university and its LGBT community by going to that you might be able to contact DePauw directly for information: http://www.depauw.edu/

[caraher]

1. They will be simulcasting the performance in a large auditorium

So even if you can't get into the theater, you can still see the performance.

According to the student paper, some of the students involved in the production actually alerted the Phelps clan to their performance. From today's "The DePauw" (emphasis mine):

Two actors in The Laramie Project, a male sophomore and a female junior, emailed Westboro informing them of this production and inviting them to visit campus.

In the email, the two students said their intentions were to allow a peaceful protest on campus. They initiated contact without consulting the director of the production or any university faculty.

Shirley Phelps-Roper, daughter of Fred Phelps, the pastor of Westboro, is grateful that these students contacted Westboro.

"We're thankful to know about it because that is a golden opportunity to help a nation that is sprinting to their eminent (sic) destruction," said Phelps-Roper...

"We're going to tell you the word of God, and needs to be sure he does his duty... Since you've raised a violent mob of rebels, he better have his security force, whatever that's called at your university, to do their job and keep the peace," said Phelps-Roper.

I've heard from a number of people involved on the university side that the administration is extremely concerned about the possibility of the Phelps mob inciting someone to do something that could become the basis of a lawsuit from the notoriously-litigious loonies from Topeka. They are therefore strongly advising that people join the Love Rally and not get in the faces of the Phelps clan.

It should be noted - and I have no idea whether the Westboro folks know this - that President Casey is an "out" gay man. I wonder what they'd consider "his duty" in light of that fact?

[caraher]

2. Westboro didn't show

Good news, I think!