Should people counter-protest?
For those who don't know, the Westboro Baptist Church (WBC) is a church run by Fred Phelps which goes around preaching hate. They claim God hates America and God hates fags and God hates... well... everyone who isn't part of the church, really. They're the ones who protest outside of the funerals of soldiers, claiming that those who died deserved to do so for protecting a country which allows the faggot agenda to continue. These are the people with signs that say "Thank God for IEDs" and indoctrinate their kids to hold hateful signs.
The WBC has protests/pickets scheduled for every day of the year, and one of those pickets is in my town, outside a performance of the Laramie Project, a play about the reaction to the murder of Matthew Shepard. Naturally, there's a counter-protest planned even though the expectation is that the WBC probably won't show - the announcement of a picket is just to draw attention to themselves.
Counter-protests against this group are increasingly common and range from altercations (which the WBC uses to their advantage to sue the pants off of counter-protestors - the other thing these guys do with their time is go to law school) to parody. There's been some thought that the counter-protests actually play into the WBC's hands by giving them more publicity than they deserve.
I've been thinking on this last point for the past few days, ever since I heard the WBC might be coming. I think there's some merit to the idea that a counter-protest brings more publicity to the original protest, but I don't think that's the complete picture in this case. If counter-protesters arrive to directly confront the WBC, then I agree that WBC wins. But there's been a shift from direct confrontation to using the WBC's presence as a reason to draw the gay community together and raise awareness of homophobia. It's become increasingly common to raise money at WBC protests for things like AIDS awareness, pride centers, charities and organizations which support equality....
Take, for example, the counter-protest here. In the few short days since the counter-protest has been organized, it's gone from "a bunch of folk who want to show the colours" to an organized event including speakers such as the MP and MLA for the area, the director of the Laramie Project, Nate Phelps (estranged son of Fred Phelps and pro-LGBTQ activist), one of the founders of the Trans Equality Society of Alberta, as well as a performance of transgendered singer/songwriter Rae Spoon. Donations to the Pride Center are encouraged, and a thank you card is being sent to WBC for helping to raise awareness in my city.
Sure, publicity is publicity and it can give power to the WBC. But it gives power to us too. It's us taking control of that publicity and spinning the story so it's a positive message. It says, "You may call yourselves Christians, but we're the ones promoting love and inclusiveness. You may say that we're damned, but we're the ones showing that there's hope for a better future. You may feel righteous, but we're the ones fighting for justice. This is OUR event - you're an excuse."
Normally, I don't go to protests or "raise awareness" style events. I'm not a "draw a line in the sands" kind of person, and I don't go in for the "us vs them" dichotomy. Tonight, though, I'm going out to hang out with a bunch of queers and Christians and atheists and other folk. I'm going to hope that the WBC folk show up so that I can hold up my Free Hugs sign and show anyone who drives by the difference between them and me. And, even if they don't, I'm going to get some hugs out of it. :D
The WBC has protests/pickets scheduled for every day of the year, and one of those pickets is in my town, outside a performance of the Laramie Project, a play about the reaction to the murder of Matthew Shepard. Naturally, there's a counter-protest planned even though the expectation is that the WBC probably won't show - the announcement of a picket is just to draw attention to themselves.
Counter-protests against this group are increasingly common and range from altercations (which the WBC uses to their advantage to sue the pants off of counter-protestors - the other thing these guys do with their time is go to law school) to parody. There's been some thought that the counter-protests actually play into the WBC's hands by giving them more publicity than they deserve.
I've been thinking on this last point for the past few days, ever since I heard the WBC might be coming. I think there's some merit to the idea that a counter-protest brings more publicity to the original protest, but I don't think that's the complete picture in this case. If counter-protesters arrive to directly confront the WBC, then I agree that WBC wins. But there's been a shift from direct confrontation to using the WBC's presence as a reason to draw the gay community together and raise awareness of homophobia. It's become increasingly common to raise money at WBC protests for things like AIDS awareness, pride centers, charities and organizations which support equality....
Take, for example, the counter-protest here. In the few short days since the counter-protest has been organized, it's gone from "a bunch of folk who want to show the colours" to an organized event including speakers such as the MP and MLA for the area, the director of the Laramie Project, Nate Phelps (estranged son of Fred Phelps and pro-LGBTQ activist), one of the founders of the Trans Equality Society of Alberta, as well as a performance of transgendered singer/songwriter Rae Spoon. Donations to the Pride Center are encouraged, and a thank you card is being sent to WBC for helping to raise awareness in my city.
Sure, publicity is publicity and it can give power to the WBC. But it gives power to us too. It's us taking control of that publicity and spinning the story so it's a positive message. It says, "You may call yourselves Christians, but we're the ones promoting love and inclusiveness. You may say that we're damned, but we're the ones showing that there's hope for a better future. You may feel righteous, but we're the ones fighting for justice. This is OUR event - you're an excuse."
Normally, I don't go to protests or "raise awareness" style events. I'm not a "draw a line in the sands" kind of person, and I don't go in for the "us vs them" dichotomy. Tonight, though, I'm going out to hang out with a bunch of queers and Christians and atheists and other folk. I'm going to hope that the WBC folk show up so that I can hold up my Free Hugs sign and show anyone who drives by the difference between them and me. And, even if they don't, I'm going to get some hugs out of it. :D