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I wanted so badly to go to Comic Con this year for the many, many geektastic panels (Avengers, True Blood, Scott Pilgrim, Green Lantern … sigh). But when I found out that my nerdy brothers and sisters counter-protested the Westboro Baptist church in a spectacular display of creativity and humor, my disappointment in not attending grew exponentially.
You’ve probably heard of the nutcases at Westboro before. They’re the same church that protested Constance McMillen’s graduation and are often seen carrying signs reading things like, “God hates fags” or “Thank God for Dead Soldiers” or “God Hates America.” The real feel-good small town church messages. About community and whatnot.
The church’s website proudly proclaims that it is the:
“Site of anti-homosexual propagandist Fred Phelps of Topeka, Kansas.”
So, we get it — they hate the gays. But while I’m sure there were homosexuals at Comic Con as, indeed, there are homosexuals just about everywhere, one might be a little confused about why an anti-homosexual baptist church from Kansas planed, trained or automobiled all the way out to San Diego to picket a comic book convention.
If you think the answer is probably crazy, well my goodness — you’re correct! Dennis Rayburn from Airlock Alpha explains:
According to a statement from them posted on the Internet, “Are you kidding?! If these people would spend even some of the energy that they spend on these comic books, reading the Bible, well no high hopes here.They have turned comic book characters into idols, and worship them they do!” After a quotation from the Book of Isaiah, the statement continues, “It is time to put away the silly vanities and turn to God like you mean it. The destruction of this nation is imminent – so start calling on Batman and Superman now, see if they can pull you from the mess that you have created with all your silly idolatry.”
But those idol-worshipping sinners with their …
… Archie comics and their sexy new Wonder Woman and their controversial cartoon Princess Dis fought back with a counter-protest. For the most part, their signs were just plain funny. There was very little hate being directed back at Westboro. Instead, the Comic Con conventioners chose to have some fun, making Westboro’s pointless protest all the more ridiculous.
Josh Board of Sandiego.com described some of the best signs from the counter-protest:
Those folks had signs that included “God Hates Jedi,” “Kill All Humans,” “Fags are Sexy Beasts,” and my personal favorite – “God Hates Kittens.” The cat pictured had a Hitler mustache on it.
And, of course, this:
The anti-protester seven got a mock rally cry going. It went “What do we want? Gay sex! When do we want it? Now, now, now!”
Evidently the Westboro Church packed up shortly thereafter. So the question remains: Where will our friends at Westboro take their hate train next?
That includes a stop in Iowa City, for the funeral of a soldier that died in combat. Another in Lincoln, Nebraska. That’s for a judge they felt was soft on crime. They end the paragraph on that with: “God hates Nebraska. Nebraska is going down…town clown!”
There were too many protests to list.
Ah, yes. Nebraska. The gayest state.
Look, I’m taking a flippant tone with this, and from a couple of my other posts it’s clear that I support homosexuality. But this is not about arguing over the rightness or wrongness of gay rights. This is about questioning the motives of a church that seems to be obsessed with hate. That, and media coverage.
The Westboro Baptist Church is scum no matter how you look at it. Their message, their tactics, all of it. And, at the very least, the people at Comic Con gave us all a chance to laugh at Westboro instead of clenching our fists in rage. And I say that if more people want to hilariously counter-protest the Westboro Church, then they should… make it so. Anyone? Anyone?
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I loved this story. I think everybody everywhere should do this from now. Let’s organize a ZL road trip to their home church!
I’m in!!
“Ah, yes. Nebraska. The gayest state.” Made me lmao
Me too!
Like there isn’t enough hate in the world… They clearly missed the chapter in the bible about love, in fact I think they missed the point entirely on a lot of things.
This, to me, is a group of people so afraid of reflecting on their own actions that they have to project their self hate on others 100% of the time.
I live in KS, so fellow ZL readers, you have a place (albeit small) to stay here in the Sunflower State, should you want to organize any type of protest against WBC.
As a side note, not all Kansans are gay-hatin’, funeral-protestin’, bible-thumping nut jobs. It makes me cringe when I see stories about Phelps or the WBC in AP news or on blogs somewhere.
The bible says to not judge, but Westboro hasn’t gotten that message. Maybe they should spend a little more time reading the bible?
Psh, protesting those evil gays in Nebraska is WAY more important than the Bible! Duh!
The counter-protest made me laugh. I officially love the people that went to Comic Con.
[...] – this is merely another vessel for those who choose it, and choose to use it correctly, unlike some certain religious zealots. But this kind of group support and transcending acceptance is precisely the kind of stuff that [...]