infuriating...
Okay, so I'm putting this up here because I know a few of the people that might see this are Rutgers alumni or at least personally offended by what is going on here...
Read this article in the Daily Targum, it explains the situation and has all the details:
http://www.dailytargum.com/news/anti-semitic-group-to-protest-at-u-hillel-1.2025949
If not, basically the Westboro Baptist Church from Topeka, Kansas is coming to RU and protesting outside the Hillel House (http://www.rutgershillel.org/about.php, center for Jewish community and life at RU)... their message: pure hate. They are anti-Semitic, anti-Catholic and anti-gay [See their websites: http://www.godhatesamerica.com/, http://www.godhatesfags.com/]. (And I mean, I'm kind of anti-Catholic too, but for a totally different reason)
Counter-protest: WED OCT 28th 8:45 AM , Hillel Center on College Avenue on Rutger's Campus in New Brunswick, NJ
Most would say that it's better to ignore the group... they have a right to assemble, and a right to free speech, so if they want to picket they can, but if everyone ignores them they'll go home feeling unsatified and they won't come back... wrong. The reason why I'm especially mad about this is really more related to WHERE they will be picketing, and not even what they are protesting. I'm used to the occasional zealot bantering on the corner, passing out flyers with pictures of dead babies and signs that say "Homo sex threatens national security" [never got that one]... but usually they pick a public corner, near a bus stop or a parking lot, a place that doesn't serve as a safe haven or community center to any particular group of people... but THIS time, they are making it clear that they will be picketing right in front of the Hillel center, which I feel is wrong. The people who started the Hillel center did it because they wanted a place where students felt comfortable about their faith or culture and now every student that has to pass through them to get inside is going to get that awful knot in their stomach when they do it, and that's wrong. They shouldn't have to feel that way. And for those of us that live on campus, this is practically like them coming onto our front lawn and picketing. It's suppose to be an academic setting, and making people upset about who they are and the lifestyle they have definitely detracts from that. I know a lot of people (including myself and my sister) who came to RU seeking a place that was more tolerant and less ignorant than the place they originally came from. People come from all over the country to escape these kind of idiots...so the idiots have decided to start traveling outward to these places. EVEN WORSE: before they come to RU COLLEGE Campus they will be on the New Brunswick HIGH SCHOOL campus... they picket at high schools? WTF? Why? In the past, these guys have even picketed within close proximity to funerals from troops whom died in Iraq and Afganistan. I think that's just too far. I think that certain places should be off limits: schools, especially those with younger children... funerals (ESPECIALLY)... and places of safe haven or worship... the nature of these places is to provide a safe place for learning and growth, and picketing at these venues is inappropriate.
So a whole bunch of RU students and alumni and even others who just live in the New Brunswick area will be launching a counter-protest on WED Oct 28th at 8:45 AM. I'm willing to offer up space in my apartment to anyone who wants to travel down the night before and stay. The group I will be going with represents more of the gay community at Rutgers than the Hillel but we've all decided to work together and abide by the guidelines set by Hillel, which is that the counter-protest should be peaceful and any words, actions, or media used to convey our message be tasteful, creative, and intelligent. I think a bunch of girls are planning to form a line around them where they just make out with each other... and though I personally think this is fucking awesome... I also think that just reinforces the stereotype of hypersexuality in the community. And our "legitimate" affection shouldn't be something to be gawked at by haters, but sometimes private and intimate between individuals, so I'm not really supporting that but some might.
Any ideas you have would be appreciated...if anyone wants to get involved in this we can do something creative to show them that RU and NJ residents in general won't tolerate their bullshit...they can take their hate back to Kansas because we won't have it here. I feel like there's a reason why I didn't go to school in the Midwest, so I'm pissed that the scum of middle America has taken it upon itself to come here. My hope is that they find themselves grossly outnumbered and outshined by the counter-protest that the students going to the Hillel that day will feel empowered and supported by their fellow student body as they cross the picket, rather than degraded and hurt.
- Nicole <3
Read this article in the Daily Targum, it explains the situation and has all the details:
http://www.dailytargum.com/news/anti-semitic-group-to-protest-at-u-hillel-1.2025949
If not, basically the Westboro Baptist Church from Topeka, Kansas is coming to RU and protesting outside the Hillel House (http://www.rutgershillel.org/about.php, center for Jewish community and life at RU)... their message: pure hate. They are anti-Semitic, anti-Catholic and anti-gay [See their websites: http://www.godhatesamerica.com/, http://www.godhatesfags.com/]. (And I mean, I'm kind of anti-Catholic too, but for a totally different reason)
Counter-protest: WED OCT 28th 8:45 AM , Hillel Center on College Avenue on Rutger's Campus in New Brunswick, NJ
Most would say that it's better to ignore the group... they have a right to assemble, and a right to free speech, so if they want to picket they can, but if everyone ignores them they'll go home feeling unsatified and they won't come back... wrong. The reason why I'm especially mad about this is really more related to WHERE they will be picketing, and not even what they are protesting. I'm used to the occasional zealot bantering on the corner, passing out flyers with pictures of dead babies and signs that say "Homo sex threatens national security" [never got that one]... but usually they pick a public corner, near a bus stop or a parking lot, a place that doesn't serve as a safe haven or community center to any particular group of people... but THIS time, they are making it clear that they will be picketing right in front of the Hillel center, which I feel is wrong. The people who started the Hillel center did it because they wanted a place where students felt comfortable about their faith or culture and now every student that has to pass through them to get inside is going to get that awful knot in their stomach when they do it, and that's wrong. They shouldn't have to feel that way. And for those of us that live on campus, this is practically like them coming onto our front lawn and picketing. It's suppose to be an academic setting, and making people upset about who they are and the lifestyle they have definitely detracts from that. I know a lot of people (including myself and my sister) who came to RU seeking a place that was more tolerant and less ignorant than the place they originally came from. People come from all over the country to escape these kind of idiots...so the idiots have decided to start traveling outward to these places. EVEN WORSE: before they come to RU COLLEGE Campus they will be on the New Brunswick HIGH SCHOOL campus... they picket at high schools? WTF? Why? In the past, these guys have even picketed within close proximity to funerals from troops whom died in Iraq and Afganistan. I think that's just too far. I think that certain places should be off limits: schools, especially those with younger children... funerals (ESPECIALLY)... and places of safe haven or worship... the nature of these places is to provide a safe place for learning and growth, and picketing at these venues is inappropriate.
So a whole bunch of RU students and alumni and even others who just live in the New Brunswick area will be launching a counter-protest on WED Oct 28th at 8:45 AM. I'm willing to offer up space in my apartment to anyone who wants to travel down the night before and stay. The group I will be going with represents more of the gay community at Rutgers than the Hillel but we've all decided to work together and abide by the guidelines set by Hillel, which is that the counter-protest should be peaceful and any words, actions, or media used to convey our message be tasteful, creative, and intelligent. I think a bunch of girls are planning to form a line around them where they just make out with each other... and though I personally think this is fucking awesome... I also think that just reinforces the stereotype of hypersexuality in the community. And our "legitimate" affection shouldn't be something to be gawked at by haters, but sometimes private and intimate between individuals, so I'm not really supporting that but some might.
Any ideas you have would be appreciated...if anyone wants to get involved in this we can do something creative to show them that RU and NJ residents in general won't tolerate their bullshit...they can take their hate back to Kansas because we won't have it here. I feel like there's a reason why I didn't go to school in the Midwest, so I'm pissed that the scum of middle America has taken it upon itself to come here. My hope is that they find themselves grossly outnumbered and outshined by the counter-protest that the students going to the Hillel that day will feel empowered and supported by their fellow student body as they cross the picket, rather than degraded and hurt.
- Nicole <3