I know it must seem like I have a one-track mind right now. And yes, if we were to speak on a daily basis, you would find yourself learning strange trivial facts about Adam Lambert. But this really is not about him. OK, it is, but only because of the role he is playing in our society's evolution right now.
Do you know who these yahoos are?
These are the protesters from Westboro Baptist Church in Kansas. They like to show up at military funerals and wave these signs and scream hateful things through megaphones. Unfortunately, they have cars, so they planned to come over to Springfield, Missouri today to protest the Adam Lambert Glam Nation concert. It's like hating two birds with one stone for these people, since he's both gay and Jewish.
But a funny thing happened on the was to the coliseum. The Westboro folks announced their intentions, and the Glam Nation responded. The pic above is one of the Adam-supporting anti-protesters. Here's another picture.
I think part of the reason his fans are so ardent is because he seems (from time to time) to be under attack, not for any specific thing he has done, but for who he is. But that's the crazy part, because really, he see,s like a nice guy with amazing talent who happens to be gay.
Adam rarely responds to protesters at all, throwing off the blaze' "everyone has a right to their opinion" quote provided by his PR people, but I guess he was inspired by the show of support and tweeted this: "Amazing Anti-Hate protest outside venue. Completely outnumbered the Westboro Bastard Church of Ignorance. Love overcomes hate. I LOVE FAGS!!" His fans are now trying to trend #ILoveFags on twitter.
I don't know if this is even interesting to any of you, but it occurred to me that Adam has (perhaps unwittingly) become a trailblazer, not for gay rights necessarily, but maybe for gay acceptance. After all, would you want to be "tolerated?" Or do you want to be loved?
Let me disagree with you here...
ReplyDeleteWAIT, WAIT!!!
NOT about the Westboro Baptist Church hate group! They are obviously giving Christianity a bad name. Their theological views about God's hatred of people and the supremacy of one particular sin (by which they justify their hate and cruelty) places them squarely in the camp of a cult IMHO--and a particularly harmful cult at that.
I just wonder about the idea of counter-protesting them. That may give them a lot more attention than they deserve. Obviously the hate and heartlessness of their actions are not winning them any "converts" to their point of view. If that's not actually their goal, then perhaps all they really crave is attention--in which case, the best idea may be to largely ignore them.
Now, if protesting them IS a good idea, I'd like to see a real Christian group be one of the first to take on the challenge. Fighting them from within the basis of their own beliefs is much more powerful than fighting them from a stance outside of their beliefs.
-Jason
I'd like to see that too, Jason.
ReplyDeleteBenjamin Biskie Died from an IED in Iraq on Christmas Eve 2003, when we held a memorial for him at Fort Leonard Wood, this group of idiots from the WBC were there. Since I was active duty Army I was forbidden to engage them in any way. Ben was a good friend to me, his wife is still a good friend...I was outraged that this group was allowed anywhere near the entrance to the post but due the freedoms they are allowed because of Ben and so many other soldier's deaths....they stood about 50 feet from the main gate. There were about 25 from the WBC...The local churches and residents from the Waynesville/St Robert area came out in full force that day. WBC was outnumbered by 100 at least. They were surrounded by not only loal people but also the Patriot Guard, who are a motorcycle club that line the streets for Soldiers funerals. I am certain that on the day we celebrated my friends life and the sacrifice he made for all of us, that it did not matter to anyone that there were people in the crowd that were gay, straight, black, blue, purple or red...They were all there to counter the idiots of the WBC!
ReplyDeleteNow that I am living outside of Fort Hood, which is the largest military post in the free world, I have witnessed them on several occasions. No longer in the military, I have to remain composed as to not stop and beat the crap out of them! Personally I think that is what should happen!!!