The good people of the “God Hates Fags” movement have expanded their hate-filled rhetoric to include Jews. The Westboro Baptist Church, famous for its hatred of gays, and picketing the funerals of fallen soldiers, is now picketing synagogues with signs that read, “God Hates Israel,” “The Jews Killed Jesus,” and “God Hates Jews.”
How do we respond to these people? Some Jewish leaders suggest we ignore them. Others suggest that we fight them. I suggest we join them.
If ever these folks come to Murfreesboro, my plan is to rally the ten Jews of my town and join with the Westboro Baptists picketing against us. Seriously. I’m planning to print huge signs that read, “Killing Messiahs; It’s What We Do,” “God Hates Israel; God Loves Ahmadinejad,” “God Hates Jews, God Loves Hitler,” “God Hates Jews, That’s Why He Let His Son Die.”
My signs would dwarf the puny handheld signs of the Baptists. True, my sarcasm would be lost on the Baptists of Westboro, but I am not trying to change their minds at all. You can’t change these people. You can’t shame them. And you can’t kill them. So join them.
(I am hoping there is another option. I just can’t think of it. Please help me out.)
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7 comments:
Ah the bigots are getting together to rage and spew. Much ado about not much.
I like the first amendment that the people in the U.S. enjoy, and I certainly wouldn't want to force all the looneys of the world underground (where they might be able to plan something damaging). Better to have them feel free to vent their spleens in the open. This provides the rest of us with a lot of priceless entertainment and it gives law enforcement a chance to keep track of who's who.
While I wouldn't fight them, I think any attention we (normal folks) pay them serves their purposes and -- even though I find Fred Phelps mighty cute, and even if I wouldn't kick him out of bed -- I wouldn't waste any of my time as a counter-protestor or a spectator in his ridiculous little sideshow. Watching paint dry seems more entertaining.
Fred Phelps is cute? Cute? My God he is stunningly handsome. And so fit. You have to be to win 14 Olympic medals in swimming. But what does my blog post have to do with swimming?
Or was that Michael Phelps? Hmmm, I will have to check.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, Gregoire.
I'm not a fan of giving groups such as these any airtime, yet on the other hand to ignore them is also perilous. Dialogue is unlikely to have any effect on a person who seems to be driven by a wild fear of the things he rails against. If you know what I mean.
It seems that they have too many resources at their disposal - perhaps a campaign of civil suits against the organization which will keep them busy defending themselves?
Plan a really big event that takes the attention off of the Westborites. Or, do what some towns do when the KKK is coming-- close all of the businesses for the day and stay home. That way, Phelps and his ilk get no attention and have nowhere to get something to eat or go to the bathroom. Genius!
I think here in Canada, our anti-hate laws are clearer in regulating how we deal with 'hate crimes'. Your 'free speech' is a little too open for my taste.
When in doubt, I would quote a rabbi I met and perhaps the signs could say...
May you be free from fear...
May you be free from compulsion...
May you be blessed with love...
May you be blessed with peace.
Happy Hannukah and Merry Christmas to all.
jan
I suggest joining them with signs that are meant to add on to the Westboro Baptists signs.
"God Hates Fags!""... that's why we don't light fires on Shabbas." (A "Fag" was originally the logs of wood carried to burn homosexuals at the steak.
"The Jews Killed Jesus." "If they hadn't, Christianity wouldn't have been established and so we thank them!"
"God Hates Israel!" "Ever since 'The Rock' quit, WWE has never been the same.
(Israel means struggle-wrestle)
Nicely done, Y'all.
Merry Christmas.
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