How Dare They...

Michael F. · May 25, 2007

My school friend in Virginia saw this article in the UVA college paper and forwarded it to me a while ago. At the time I think we were chatting on CC about elements of that shooting rampage, including the availability of guns for purchase. Well, this is a whole other can of worms. Anybody read about this?

From the UVA college paper:

***********************************************

Students rally against religious protestors at Tech
funerals
Online groups decrying anti-gay protestors grow
rapidly

Max Hall, Cavalier Daily Associate Editor
Students across the nation are taking to Facebook in
response to planned anti-gay protests at the funerals
of Virginia Tech shooting victims.

Shirley Phelps-Roper, attorney for the Westboro
Baptist Church of Topeka, Kan., confirmed that the
organization is planning to protest at the funerals of
Tech students killed in Monday's shootings.

Virginia Tech junior Victor Kasoff expressed his anger
at WBC leader Fred Phelps' decision to protest.

Virginia Tech "should do anything in their power to
stop this guy from coming," Kasoff said.

At press time, one open Facebook group, "Stop Fred
Phelps & WBC from protesting at fallen VT students
funerals!!," created to stop the WBC funeral protests
had 32,923 members and had at one point gained more
than 1,000 new members in an hour.

Phelps-Roper placed the blame for the Tech killings on
tolerance for homosexuality, saying the attack was a
result of "those young people sitting in their
classrooms being taught rebellion against God [and]
being taught that God is a liar ... He says 'Thou
shalt not lie with mankind as with womankind,' and
you're teaching it. That's a lie: It's OK to be gay."

Kasoff said he found these claims to be absurd and
offensive.

"The fact that [Phelps] thinks my friends, my Hokies,
died because of America's decision to let people make
their own decisions completely sickens me, and I hope
they do everything in their power to stop him."

J.T. Segal, University Queer Student Union
President-elect, echoed a similar sentiment, saying no
one was to blame for Monday's tragedy other than the
gunman.

Northwestern University senior Zak Kirchner, a member
of the Facebook group, described the outpouring of
support for Virginia Tech at Northwestern and his
outrage toward Phelps and the WBC.

"As a Christian, it infuriated me," Kirchner said.
"He's an overzealous hate-mongerer. He gives all the
Christians out there who are praying and being as
supportive as we can a bad name."

Kirchner suggested busing students from surrounding
universities to the funerals of Tech students, saying
a large showing by students might discourage the
protesters and convince them to leave.

"I wish I were closer so that I could join the efforts
in person," Kirchner said.

Rachel Skytt, a junior at the University of
California, Davis who is also member of the group,
said she was familiar with Fred Phelps and the WBC
from their protests at funerals of soldiers killed in
Iraq.

"The families and friends of the victims are going
through so much right now and it just makes me sick
that Fred Phelps wants to cause these people even more
pain," Skytt said. "I just hope that the students can
counter-protest in a peaceful way, because you can't
fight hate with more hate."

Kasoff said he hoped such Facebook groups would
successfully mobilize students against Phelps'
organization.

"I don't want anyone who thinks like that to step
anywhere near my campus," Kasoff said. "After what's
happened we don't need to have to deal with morons
like him."
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How Dare They...

Michael F. Moderator/1st CC Member Registered Member