2008 Woodie Awards
Hate on display at parade
Westboro Baptist Church's appearance at Parade of Gold example of ignorance
Theresa Macheski
Opinion | 10/6/08
It's the first time that I've cried when I've seen them, and I have seen them several times. They are the people from the Westboro Baptist Church. Their slogan is "God Hates Fags."
They are the kind of people who hate me immediately just because I'm a lesbian. Unfortunately, they are also the first people that I saw at the Parade of Gold this past Saturday. They had an assortment of signs saying, "Thank God for Dead Soldiers," "Fags Doom Nations," "God is Your Enemy," "Thank God for Dead Cops," "They Are Not Heroes," and "God Hates Michael Phelps." Instead of focusing on the achievements of Olympians Michael Phelps and Katie Hoff, the church used the parade as a way to get their message of hate out.
The WBC is a church run by Rev. Fred Phelps, which was started in Topeka, Kansas. They are known for condemning members of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender community, Muslims and Jews.
The church grabbed the attention of the nation by protesting at Iraq War soldiers' funerals.
The sign holders were at the corner of Cross Campus Drive and York Road with police officers barricading them from the parade. Nonetheless, everyone in the parade and in that section could see the hateful signs.
Police officers were guarding them even though they were "Thanking God" for dead cops. Service men and women were parading down York Road reading the signs "Thanking God" for those who have fallen while fighting with them.
More importantly, the returning champions came home to signs saying they were not heroes and that God hates one of them.
The church blames the "fags," Muslims and Jews for the problems in America, but it is not these minority groups' fault. The real problem in America is that people like this feel the need to spew out hatred and ignorance. This is an injustice in our nation.
This is just one of the many reasons Towson students need to stand against hatred and ignorance, even if we don't all agree on things.
I think we can agree that hatred fuels people to kill, and that ignorance leads to self-loathing and self-destructive behavior. It is not enough to just look the other way; we need to talk about it, fix it, fight against it, and we need to speak up. Maybe if we all took the time to fight an injustice, one day I will be able to go to a Parade of Gold and see nothing but pride.
Theresa Macheski is a junior pyschology major with a minor in LGBT and women's studies. She is the president of the Queer Student Union.
They are the kind of people who hate me immediately just because I'm a lesbian. Unfortunately, they are also the first people that I saw at the Parade of Gold this past Saturday. They had an assortment of signs saying, "Thank God for Dead Soldiers," "Fags Doom Nations," "God is Your Enemy," "Thank God for Dead Cops," "They Are Not Heroes," and "God Hates Michael Phelps." Instead of focusing on the achievements of Olympians Michael Phelps and Katie Hoff, the church used the parade as a way to get their message of hate out.
The WBC is a church run by Rev. Fred Phelps, which was started in Topeka, Kansas. They are known for condemning members of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender community, Muslims and Jews.
The church grabbed the attention of the nation by protesting at Iraq War soldiers' funerals.
The sign holders were at the corner of Cross Campus Drive and York Road with police officers barricading them from the parade. Nonetheless, everyone in the parade and in that section could see the hateful signs.
Police officers were guarding them even though they were "Thanking God" for dead cops. Service men and women were parading down York Road reading the signs "Thanking God" for those who have fallen while fighting with them.
More importantly, the returning champions came home to signs saying they were not heroes and that God hates one of them.
The church blames the "fags," Muslims and Jews for the problems in America, but it is not these minority groups' fault. The real problem in America is that people like this feel the need to spew out hatred and ignorance. This is an injustice in our nation.
This is just one of the many reasons Towson students need to stand against hatred and ignorance, even if we don't all agree on things.
I think we can agree that hatred fuels people to kill, and that ignorance leads to self-loathing and self-destructive behavior. It is not enough to just look the other way; we need to talk about it, fix it, fight against it, and we need to speak up. Maybe if we all took the time to fight an injustice, one day I will be able to go to a Parade of Gold and see nothing but pride.
Theresa Macheski is a junior pyschology major with a minor in LGBT and women's studies. She is the president of the Queer Student Union.
Viewing Comments 1 - 10 of 22
ophu
posted 10/06/08 @ 2:22 AM EST
"God hates Michael Phelps"? What's up with these whackjobs?
Justin
posted 10/06/08 @ 6:16 AM EST
Seems that the population self-identified as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender (LGBT) becomes more and more. According to my experience on the site *BisexualMingle dotcom* (a site for LGBT coming out, explore sexuality, etc. (Continued…)
Margie Phelps
posted 10/06/08 @ 7:54 AM EST
The parents of doomed america are to blame. They raised you brutish brat beasts called college students to think it's all about you, 24/7/365. They NEVER told you that you had a duty to God – to know his word; to fear him; to obey him; and to give him the glory. (Continued…)
Kara
posted 10/06/08 @ 8:17 AM EST
Theresa,
Please ignore what that Margie Phelps said. That was an excellent article you wrote and you are so brave to write that. I completely agree with what you said. (Continued…)
Brian
posted 10/06/08 @ 8:49 AM EST
Hey Margie, what would Jesus say if he heard you talking this way? I am a Towson grad and a former soldier, and I take offense to your assertions that Towson students are naive, brattish, or irreverent. (Continued…)
Danielle
posted 10/06/08 @ 8:55 AM EST
Hey Margie Phelps. If your hate filled church hates America and Americans so much maybe you should all move out of the country. The whole nation would be better off without you here anyway, and then you won't have to deal with being such a filthy American yourself. (Continued…)
Stop the Hate
posted 10/06/08 @ 9:21 AM EST
Shut your mouth with all your talk about what you want and what you think and what you like. God doesn't give a rat's ass- Margie Phelps
As a self proclaimed agnostic and someone who attended parochial school for 14 years and has read the bible I'm going to take a venture and say that God or god or the gods or the flying spaghetti monster probably doesn't give a rat's ass about what you have to say. (Continued…)
Neighbor Karl
posted 10/06/08 @ 10:23 AM EST
Please don't dignify WBC with a response. That's precisely what they want. Prolonging their discussion gives them more exposure.
Neighbor Karl
Jean
posted 10/06/08 @ 12:12 PM EST
I feel so very sorry for Margie Phelps and all of her siblings. How very sad to live a life of such hate and fear. I can't even imagine what her and her brothers and sisters had to have gone through as children to end up like this. (Continued…)
Joe hates westboro baptsit church
posted 10/06/08 @ 12:48 PM EST
in the words of a band that feels the same way i do:
Compassion no more, the angel sleeps in her blood.
Guilt will ruin... you rest no more.
I will always watch. (Continued…)
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