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Four Westboro Baptists meet 1,000 protesters at UW-Stout
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Also by Carolyn Potts:
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- Council approves new rules for finance group (April 10, 2008)
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by Carolyn Potts
Friday, April 11, 2008
Four members of a Baptist church in Kansas who came to the University of Wisconsin-Stout Thursday were met with the force of 1,000 students voicing their outrage against the church.
Members of the Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kansas, carried signs saying “God Hates Fags” and “God Hates America,” and said three UW-Stout students were recently killed in a campus-area blaze because America has “brought the wrath of God down on their heads.”
“God is killing the children of America because they have been raised for the devil,” said Shirley Phelps-Roper, daughter of Westboro Baptist Church founder Fred Phelps. “They were taught that God is a liar and that they can live any way they want. They have littered their landscape with lying false prophets … (who) say it is okay to be gay. God, pursuant to his precious promises, is killing the children of America.”
UW-Stout spokesperson Doug Mell said the students turned out to rally in support of diversity and to honor their fellow students who died in the fire.
“They (the students) totally reject the abhorrent and hateful message that the members of this church were trying to send,” Mell said.
According to Mell, UW-Stout administration had nothing to do with the protest but provided police presence to keep order. He said though the university did not endorse the rally, it supports free speech and the free flow of information, adding administration supports their students “in rejecting the outlandish hate that these guys were trying to bring to our campus.”
UW-Stout Student Senate President Michael Lubke, who did not participate in the demonstration, said, “the main message the students were trying to get across was the protesters were not welcome; they (the students) wanted them to leave so we can all mourn in peace.”
He said the group from Westboro Baptist enjoyed the students’ protest.
“They were smiling and eating it up when the students started chanting or getting in their face,” Lubke said. “This is because they feel when they are persecuted they are like Jesus when he was persecuted.”
According to UW-Stout student Ryan Marsel, the group left 25 minutes before the scheduled end of the protest.
“I believe that can go down in the books as one for the good guys,” Marsel said. “In no way whatsoever do I believe that any one of the members of that group who were here today feel that they had any impact for their cause on our campus today.”
Phelps-Roper said the last time the group was confronted with the force showed Thursday was at a protest they had against a Madison high school putting on “The Laramie Project,” a play surrounding the murder of a homosexual college student.
“I have to tell you the brutish children of Wisconsin are a cut above the rest in their rebellion and disobedience and filthy behavior,” Phelps-Roper said.
Anonymous (April 11, 2008 @ 6:02am):
Combined with the various video postings and this sanitation of their conduct, UW/Stout is a perfect picture of today's college atmosphere. Wild, vulgar, no-self-control-having, freakish beasts surround four people -- screaming incessantly the most vile things their filthy little minds can dream up. Local law enforcement so scared of the beasts (and the bilge that spawned them) that they don't even pretend to have any control over the scene.
It's exactly like it was in the days of Sodom -- as that history is recorded in Genesis 19. Beautiful stuff! Chiefly, because the result will be the same. UW/Stout has heard the message from God's prophets in this age. Now, when the siege comes (and it is most certainly coming), there will be nobody able to claim they didn't know.
WBC told you!
Magormissabib!
Anonymous (April 11, 2008 @ 6:56am):
I think it's troubling that UW-Stout takes a stand against constitutionally protected speech. I despise Fred Phelps and everything he and his church stand for, but he does have the right to say it. Let students, not a university spokesman, do the sifting and winnowing.
I'm proud to be in a state that features all kinds of filthy behavior. Way to go Stout students to stand up against these nutjobs.
Anonymous (April 11, 2008 @ 8:49am):
“I have to tell you the brutish children of Wisconsin are a cut above the rest in their rebellion and disobedience and filthy behavior,â€
I should put this onto two bronze plaques. Keep one in my room, and the another at the entrance to Bascom.
From the wacky dregs of society, I take that comment as a complement. So should every person.
Anonymous (April 11, 2008 @ 9:34am):
It is disgusting that people like these hateful protesters take our freedoms so lightly . It is this type of outlandish action and abuse of our rights that are destroying our very freedoms. They take to much license for their beliefs and as a christian i was taught and believe that it is Gods job to judge not some protester who has a message of hate , especially in such a time of grief. These people should be embarrassed for their actions, I am deeply saddened for the loss of these students and am saddened not only for loss to friends and loved ones, but that this kind of abuse of our freedom has added more stress to such a grievous time.
Anonymous (April 11, 2008 @ 10:25am):
If there was a god, those Westboro clowns would have been struck down by lightning long ago, ergo, there is no god.
Anonymous (April 11, 2008 @ 10:31am):
The first two posters are so obviously WBC members (or batshit crazy). America's college kids are freakish? Too bad this generation has, across all marks, been more compared to the WWII generation than any other. I suppose the "Greatest Generation" is freakish and evil too. Dearest Christians, read the New Testament..you know..the part about JESUS...thats the part that you're supposed to follow...then again..taht would require all sorts of characteristics that you associate with the devil. Question your religion, not ours.
Anonymous (April 11, 2008 @ 10:42am):
Westboro cult members are a great example of what's wrong with American, exploitation of the American justice system by suing people who attacked them (who wouldn't attack them if they were protesting at your funeral).
Their "I'm right you're wrong my viewpoint is the only one" is the funniest elitist attitude I have ever seen too.
Also getting arrested for stealing their signs is pretty funny...oh well.
Anonymous (April 11, 2008 @ 10:59am):
I am proud of UW-Stout and proud to be "more filthy than the rest". We stood up for what we believe in and that most definately is not what those nutjobs were preaching. We deserve to mourn for the loss of our fellow students in peace.
To whoever said "WBC told you" you are obviously part of their insane cult. I hope one day you realize that GOD is LOVE, however, if you don't realize that I will sleep soundly knowing that you are burning in hell :) And to your comment stating that "local law enforcement was scared of us and had no control over the situation"...they weren't scared they just wanted you freaks out as bad as we did.
Anonymous (April 11, 2008 @ 11:12am):
I'm gonna have a party the day Fred Phelps dies.
Anonymous (April 11, 2008 @ 11:20am):
The fact that this group of inbred radicals, even makes a blip on the news radar anymore amazes me. They preach ideals they do not follow and judge others when they have no right to. The Spokesperson/Lawyer for the group has a son born out of Wedlock, which in the eyes of their own preachings she will be banished to hell for. How can you judge others on ideals you dont hold yourselves. They are forbidden to marry outside of their crazy little cult so if we just ignore them long enough they will either die out or thier children will become too mentally handicapped to learn basic fine motor skills, essentially the problem will solve itself. But for now continue to OWN them everytime they try to protest, and honestly "wild, and vulgar"? your signs are more offensive than anything yelled at you.
Anonymous (April 11, 2008 @ 11:21am):
I'm a parent and I believe in teaching my children to understand the difference between good vs. evil. The parents of the Westboro "church" protesters should be very embarrassed that they were not able to teach their children the difference between a good and loving church vs. a spiteful, hate-filled cult. I sincerely hope that their "congregetion" never grows. Good luck and God bless to those mourning at UW Stout! My thoughts are with all of you at this sad time!
Anonymous (April 11, 2008 @ 11:36am):
I honestly cannot figure out what these Westboro Nutjobs were protesting against in the first place. Was one of the victims of the UW-Stout fire gay? Were the Westboro Nutjobs protesting because two unmarried women and an unmarried guy lived together??
Oh... and as far as the first poster who posted his/her/it's vitriol at 6:02 on 4/11/08?? You need your head examined.
Anonymous (April 11, 2008 @ 12:19pm):
How can anyone who claims to be following Jesus (Who may I remind you was very loving while on Earth) write such vulgar words and display them proudly? I'm not so sure God or Jesus would ever protest with such written hate. Furthermore, I also don't believe that EVERY child in Wisconsin is a brat, and a sinner. I'm pretty sure that is called Stereotyping. I'm sorry for the loss of the Wisconsin students, and I am sorry that you had 4 lousy members of the WBC who claim to be spreading the word of God by protesting with hateful messages. Clearly not everyone can read and this is proven by the WBC. The Bible is being misinterpreted by people who only see what they want to see.
Anonymous (April 11, 2008 @ 12:20pm):
EXCUSE ME. I don't believe that you have anything to say about the Stout protest because it doesn't sound at all like you were there. The police were laughing at the stuff we had to say to these freaks. You know nothing so please don't walk around like those freaks and act like you do.
Anonymous (April 11, 2008 @ 12:48pm):
I'm proud of my campus. We stood up to these hateful, crazy people. We showed them that they will not have an impact on us and they were not welcomed on our campus. These people need to be stopped. They do nothing but tourment people. Way to go STOUT!
Anonymous (April 11, 2008 @ 12:49pm):
"I think it's troubling that UW-Stout takes a stand against constitutionally protected speech. I despise Fred Phelps and everything he and his church stand for, but he does have the right to say it. Let students, not a university spokesman, do the sifting and winnowing."
Those students had all the right in the world to stand up for their opinion. That "Church" group can say what they want, but those students that lost 3 of their friends only 6 days before had a right to say what they wanted too. It's not a one sided thing here... Protestors come to their college with hateful messages they can stand up for their messages as well!
Anonymous (April 11, 2008 @ 12:52pm):
"Brutish children of Wisconsin..." I like that. "Rebellion and disobedience," the only effective forms of combat against fascism. Even better. America should be more like us.
Anonymous (April 11, 2008 @ 12:54pm):
I were not fighting against their freedom of speech! we were just using ours with greater numbers and louder voices.
I am so proud to be apart of this community, bringing together that many people in under 12 hours, that early in the morning (remember we are college students).
regarding the first post, you really think thats the most vulgar stuff we could come up with. trust me that was us holding back. It was pretty vulgar when you were praising the death of our friends as a good thing, did you expect us to take it lightly and just let you have your way with their memory. You get this treatment everywhere you go! maybe you should take a hint and just keep to yourself for your own safety.
Epic win for Stout and WI/MN!
Anonymous (April 11, 2008 @ 12:58pm):
You're lucky, they are a bunch of lawyers.
They announce their protests and then hope that someone will get pissed off and throw a punch, then they sue any one they can.
They are getting desperate because they lost a big case and need more lawsuits to pay for the judgment against them.
Anonymous (April 11, 2008 @ 1:48pm):
i was there yesterday, and if anyone thinks they can come to the middle of our campus and blame our fellow students for their deaths they are sadly mistaken. I would have no opposition to attending the so called Westoboro "church" dressed in a rainbow colored speedo, making out with a few men at one time. Free speech right?
It's pretty sick when your country will let a group like this come into your town, and then give them a police escort right out.
Yes, God may have a good and evil side, like ying and yang I suppose, but I'm pretty sure the bible does not teach hate and the spread of sorrow.
Maybe these Westboro fools don't believe in the Devil, just that God is Satan too.
Either way, if someone came into your home, apartment, or car telling you that it's your fault your mother or friend died, would you just sit and let them do it?
Anonymous (April 11, 2008 @ 2:00pm):
i was at the uw-stout protest as well as the madison high school one they mentioned. i'm very proud we showed them that they are not welcome, though i think it would have been more effective if not a single person showed up to hear them. yes, i believe strongly that even the WBC, like everyone, should have a right to free speech, but to upset a time of mourning by coming to funerals is crossing a line and i don't think the parents of my dead classmates deserve that.
Anonymous (April 11, 2008 @ 2:05pm):
Awesome job, UW Stout students!!!
Anonymous (April 11, 2008 @ 2:16pm):
I am proud about our student body who clearly stood up against the message of hate and the police who did not interfere the peacful demonstration. There is no room in our school for this self-proclaimed "church" who preaches hate instead of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Anonymous (April 11, 2008 @ 3:03pm):
To the first anon poster....you claim that the vulgar students should be ashamed of themselves but if you really think about it, then you should be, too.
Last time I checked, "fag" was considered to be a vulgar term. Say that in any high school classroom and tell me what happens :)
Anonymous (April 11, 2008 @ 3:23pm):
WBC sucks at life!!!!!!!!! God hates nobody and I think it's sick and wrond that they try and preach to everybody their stupid bullshit. If there is a hell, which nobody would even know that, they would burn.
Anonymous (April 11, 2008 @ 3:33pm):
Check out this funny crank call to Shirley Phelps
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWPdMt4qAz8&feature=related
Anonymous (April 11, 2008 @ 3:33pm):
God hates the Westboro Baptist Church.
Anonymous (April 11, 2008 @ 3:36pm):
The Westboro Baptist Church and it's followers are nothing less than hate mongers who carry hate and ill will in their hearts. They are truly forsaken.
Anonymous (April 11, 2008 @ 4:14pm):
Wild, vulgar, and no self control??? I would say holding signs that say "you will eat your babies", "Thank God for 9/11", "THANK GOD FOR MORE DEAD STUDENTS" are a worse sign of VULGARITY. For the record, the only reason these college students lashed out was due to the disgusting signs being pushed down their throats in the first place!
AND for anyone who thinks that it's "troubling" for the students to take a stand, what would you do if one of your friends died in a tragic accident that people deemed as "God's wrath" or that "God sent the flames"? I'm proud of these students for coming together to take a stand against WBC who is filled with hate and judgement!
Anonymous (April 11, 2008 @ 4:28pm):
Jesus loves me and Jesus loves you.
God is not hate and Westboro Baptist is not a church.
TJ (April 11, 2008 @ 4:36pm):
"It is disgusting that people like these hateful protesters take our freedoms so lightly . It is this type of outlandish action and abuse of our rights that are destroying our very freedoms."
Uh, they didn't violate anyone's freedoms; they were just zealous assholes.
"Doug Mell said the students turned out to rally in support of diversity and to honor their fellow students who died in the fire."
I don't know if anyone at the Herald watched the Youtube videos, but the Stout students are just swearing and screaming. Support of diversity? The students basically said "We don't want your kind 'round here."
Anonymous (April 11, 2008 @ 6:36pm):
Way to go Stout!! The WBC may be guaranteed free speech but way to use your rights and speak back against them!
Anonymous (April 11, 2008 @ 10:50pm):
First off, if WBC believes that America is such an awful place and we are all doomed then why the HELL do they live in America? If they hate it so much then find somewhere else to live!!
Second, I don't know what Bible they read from but it sure as hell isn't the one everyone else in the world reads from. When they back their points up with Bible messages they need to get the Bible verses RIGHT and not TWIST and MAKE UP their own words.
They're just a bunch of brainwashed people who have no hope in the world. What a bunch of sick people.
Anonymous (April 11, 2008 @ 11:09pm):
My daughter was a student at Stout for two years. When the students died this weekend in the fire, my first thought was I really hope it wasn't any of her friends. My second thought was about their parents, family, friends and the rest of the UW-Stout students. Never did it ever enter into my mind about their lifestyle. My daughter sent me the video of the protest on campus this week with the church group. I dont understand how a CHURCH could take away from the mourning of these students. I was very proud of all the students of Stout who came to the defense of there fellow students. If we could all open our eyes and see things from the perspective of the new generation-What would we see? Acceptance, tolerance, protests-a whole new beginning!! Somehow "We" (my generation) forgot to fight for what we truly believed in
Anonymous (April 12, 2008 @ 9:13am):
Letters Editor, 12 April, 2008
First I extend condolences to all of you who knew any of the UW-Stout students who became fire victims.
Fred Phelps' cult claims that U S Military deaths are God's punishment for US tolerance of gays. I claim that US military deaths are our punishment for invading and occupying Afghanistan & Iraq.
Let's scientifically test these two rival hypotheses. Let's keep US gay policies the same for 6 more years and bring ALL US troops home during 2008.
If MORE US troops are killed during 2009-'14 than were killed during 2003-'08, that would prove me WRONG. However if FEWER US troops are killed during 2009-'14 than during 2003-'08, that would be scientific proof that Fred was WRONG, all along ! Ready, Set, Come HOME.
PS. I was born in Kansas and when Phelps' cult came to Wisconsin, I painted and carried a sign, "KANSAN AGAINST BIGOTS".
Other folks from Kansas expanded the message to "KANSANS ..."
SEE http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21566280/ and
http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/law/10/31/funeral.protests.ap/
Please, share with families and friends of the UW-Stout house fire victims.
Ron Renkoski, rcrenkos@studnets.wisc.edu 1027 Sherman Ave, Madison, WI 53703
no home phone now.
http://media.www.stoutonia.com/media/storage/paper1199/news/2008/04/03/News/Three.UwStout.Students.Die-3305136.shtml
http://badgerherald.com/news/2008/04/11/four_westboro_baptis.php
Anonymous (April 12, 2008 @ 2:41pm):
I reject WBC and their message of hate. However, I find this ironic: "UW-Stout spokesperson Doug Mell said the students turned out to rally in support of diversity ..."
How is it showing support for diversity to yell at people you disagree with to "Go Home!"?
Anonymous (April 12, 2008 @ 3:54pm):
the westboro church does what it does to make money. they are a group of con-men, who announce their protests and think up horrible things to say, in hopes that someone will get pissed off and start a fight, so the westboro church can sue everyone's ass. they are a bunch of jokers who like to make money and feel self-righteous at the same time, nothing more. the westboro church picks on christianity and catholicism for being monopolizing, greedy organizations... but that's exactly what the westboro church is.
Anonymous (April 12, 2008 @ 5:05pm):
pertaining to the first comment, what were the kids supposed to do, nothing? Is that how change gets done? By plugging yourself into an ipod and ignoring everything around you?
no. If someone decided to start a war here in america, what are we supposed to do, just ignore them and tell them that we respect their right to fight?
Anonymous (April 12, 2008 @ 6:33pm):
"How is it showing support for diversity to yell at people you disagree with to "Go Home!"?"
When the people you disagree with are racists, bigots, and hatemongers, telling them to go home is absolutely showing support for diversity. You see, there is a tremendous difference between supporting diversity and condoning idiocy.
Anonymous (April 12, 2008 @ 7:58pm):
I hate these people and so does God. If God was so unforgiving these people would have been strucken down by his hand long ago. These people spread pain and hate everywhere they go. Im not even sure they believe what they preach. I think there must be some other motivation for these actions such as attention and money from lawsuits won agaist suffering people who were provocted so badly they became violent.
Anonymous (April 13, 2008 @ 9:46pm):
I wasn't there, but I heard plenty of catcalls on the several minutes of youtube videos I've watched...none of which were "in support of diversity", so Mr. Mell's statement seems like a bit of [completely unnecessary] whitewash, or an attempt to portray the protest as something other than what it was: an indignant bunch of townsfolk hassling and scolding outside scoundrels until they left town. Why pretend it was anything else?
That said, since the WBC takes such pleasure in being yelled at, perhaps a more productive protest would have been to have sung patriotic or spiritual songs, rather than hounding them and blowing smoke in their faces. WBC crackpots believe their place in Heaven is increasingly assured by every insult thrown at them. They believe they're surrounded by beasts. Blowing smoke in their faces, screaming in their ears, flipping them off as they leave, etc. this just makes them feel justified in their stupidity. There are plenty of ways to show these people they're not welcome, that don't reinforce their insane ideas. Sadly, if any of the students who showed up had that in mind, their efforts were far overshadowed by their more audacious and raucous schoolmates.
Anonymous (April 14, 2008 @ 9:51am):
Wow...how troubling to see that UW Stout behaves in the same manner as the Westboro group. Nothing has been accomplished by either legion. What a shame.
Anonymous (April 14, 2008 @ 12:16pm):
Shirley Phelps had a child with someone she wasn't married. Joke is on her when the "wrath of god" comes down on her on judgement day.
Anonymous (April 14, 2008 @ 8:08pm):
To the person that posted at 9:51 am on april 14th...you were not there...it started as a silent protest...but then the dumb people that were there taht day to hold up stuff that said our friends should have died because our school does not judge any homosexual, it really makes you mad. Many people knew the three students and I was in class with two of them and it took a huge impact on everyone and we were all very sad and also very mad to have these people "on the day of April's funeral" to be there sending their "word". They also went to the funeral how would you feel if that happened to you? So if we shamed you, so be it, we stood up for April,Amanda, and Scott. We all love them.
Anonymous (April 14, 2008 @ 8:09pm):
NONE OF THEM WERE HOMOSEXUAL
Anonymous (April 15, 2008 @ 2:33am):
To all of those that commented about the ironic behavior of the Stout students, and how they weren't in "support of diversity"...were you there? Yes the YouTube videos show swearing among other things. But what they don't show is the students who gathered for hours to pray beforehand. The videos don't focus on the messages of love and acceptance, nor do they give you a complete picture.
Media often portrays the bad because that's what people want to see. If you were at the rally you would have felt the support, understood the campus' mourning, and saw the majority of people who remained peaceful throughout. Just because you saw a few videos showing people yelling does not mean that that was all that went on that morning.
The campus, even before this event, has supported diversity, and will continue to do so afterwards. We're not "an indignant bunch of townsfolk." Although the many that were peaceful may have been overshadowed in the videos, on campus it was a completely different feeling.
Love goes out to Stout! I'm proud to come from a school that stands up for what they believe is right!
Anonymous (April 16, 2008 @ 9:36pm):
EVERYONE IN THE UNITED STATES IS AGAINST THE WBC. HOPEFULLY, THE WORLD!
Anonymous (April 20, 2008 @ 11:18pm):
Thank God for UW-Stout! More people need to stand up to those freaks of the Westboro Baptist Church.
Anonymous (May 19, 2008 @ 2:16pm):
To the first poster...did you know that before God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, he spared them because fewer than 10 righteous people lived there, because Abraham asked Him to?
And did you know that God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah because after all the time He gave them, they rejected Him?
Read your Old Testament, take things in context...don't just take the bits and pieces you like.
God does not punish people for something they did or didn't do that was wrong. That is not how He works. God is love, and He loves all people and wants them to come to a knowledge of the Truth. He gives all people a time on this earth (aka their lifetimes) to hear His Word, and He gives them a chance to believe. My church body calls it the "time of grace".
The Truth that I believe is that God loves us all so much that He came up with a way for us to not suffer the ultimate punishment for our sinfulness. Jesus, His Son and our Savior, took our punishment for us and died for us. And then He came alive again on the third day to prove His power over sin and death.
In no way was God punishing those students for the sins of America. It was simply their time to go.
Way to go students, for standing up for your friends' memories and to keep those hate-filled false prophets off your campus.
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