Westboro's visit to Greensboro
Considering their message, all was relatively quiet as the infamous Westboro Baptist Church made an appearance to protest the Southern Baptist Convention's annual meeting.
About 15 anti-gay protesters stood across from the Greensboro Coliseum on Lee Street holding defamatory signs to protest Wednesday's unveiling of a statue of the Rev. Billy Graham. Their signs, mostly held by children, slammed Graham, the SBC, homosexuals, American troops and the U.S.
The church and its members, which are based in Topeka, Kan. and not part of the SBC, have come under fire for its demonstrations at the funerals of soldiers.
Rev. Fred Phelps, who heads the church, was not at the protest as originally planed. He was traveling to Bismarck, N.D., to demonstrate at the funeral of a soldier, said his daughter, Shirley Phelps-Roper, an attorney for the church.
The church members were in Greensboro to protest Graham’s statue because they feel he should do more to condemn homosexuality and the statue is a false god the Baptists will worship, Phelps-Roper said.
"He is a lying, false prophet and they are worshiping him," she said.
About 15 counter-protesters were also on hand, several of them members of the military.
"I felt like we owe it to our brother Marines," said Tyler Kurtz, 20, a Marine from Greensboro who later ran past the protesters shouting a marching chant with another Marine on the opposite side of Lee Street.
Most people walking near the protesters ignored them. But some drivers honked their horns or yelled out their windows at the group. Some local residents showed up just to see the protesters, who have garnered large amounts of publicity nation-wide for their actions.
"It's a freak show," said Matt Cravey of Greensboro. "These are bad people."
Both groups of protesters plan to be outside the coliseum at noon and 5 p.m. Wednesday.
Comments (4)
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It's always a tragedy to see children being raised this way. What a terrible waste -- the chances they have of freeing their minds of the fear and hatred their parents are teaching them look pretty slim.
Posted on June 14, 2006 10:35 AM
Not really Eric, some of the Phelps klan have left the church/family! So, there is ALWAYS hope!
Shalom
Posted on June 14, 2006 4:46 PM
Hope, yes, but awfully faint. Depressingly faint indeed.
Posted on June 14, 2006 6:34 PM
Last night the Westboro Baptist Church members visited our TV station in Reidsville. Here's a report I filed on my blog about their visit, with several photos.
Posted on June 14, 2006 9:19 PM