Great... Westboro Baptist Church coming to my School

[Godless]

So yeah, apparently the Westboro assholes want to come to my school, Virginia Tech, on April 9th and pick at our wounds from the shooting from several years ago. As students, we plan to counter-protest these douchebags. What's really despicable is that they said this about Virginia Tech:

"God sent the shooter because of your proud sin! You raise your kids to believe they can disobey God with impunity, and that His commandments are all on the table to be disposed of whenever you please. That's why they think fornication, adultery, and sodomy are all just in good fun (instead of the filthy practices they are), and that's why the wrath of God is on them. God is cursing you by killing those same children that you have lied to all their lives. VA Tech was just GodSmacked -- another of your students murdered -- and you still refuse to heed and obey the standards of God. Woe unto you"

There's already been a strong reaction to this. I actually found out about them coming from Facebook. If you have any interest and you live in Virginia and feel like coming down to counter-protest, go to the Facebook event page:
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/event.php?eid=112180475459617

[skwurll]

That's just despicable, for them to mock those who lost their lives on that tragic day, it's disgusting. The world would be better off without the WBC.

[Whitney]

I just don't get them....they think every bad thing that happens to anyone is the result of personal evils.  I wonder if they flog themselves if they stub a toe 'knowing' that they stubbed the toe due to some sin they must have done on accident (or more likely on purpose since those who are the most preachy seem to be the most sinful).

btw, I move your post to the meetups/activism area so that anyone looking for that sort of thing might find it more easily and posted the event link to the HA facebook page.

[Will]

Diffuse their hatred with absurdity. Show up to the protest with your own sign that has nothing to do with the topic at hand. Show up with a sign that says:
"I have a sign"
"Being back Firefly!"
"Why is it spelled "plaid" and not "plad"?"
"I support the right to free Screech!" (with a picture of Screech from Saved by the Bell)
"Smoke em if you got em."
"I'm looking forward to Iron Man 2"
"God is indifferent on the issue of homosexuality"
"This is the sign that never ends, yes it goes on and on my friends. Some people started reading it not knowing what it was, and they'll continue reading it forever just because..." and then write the same thing on the back.
"Can I be a sheeple, too?"
"I support a woman's right to cruise" and include a picture of an unwed, pregnant mother in a lowrider
or my favorite "They're just here to get attention. Ignore them."

[Whitney]

I think you should have a series of people holding up the following:

"god hates figs"
"god hates shrimp"
"god hates pork(ing)"

then a couple people on the ends "Do you really think he'd let the lot of us idiots speak for him if he were real? case in point"

[hismikeness]

I'm against picketing, but don't know how to show it.

[Kylyssa]

This is nuts.  Are the KKK going to come speak at your school next?

[Godless]

This is nuts.  Are the KKK going to come speak at your school next?

I hope not.

Do you guys have any  DOs and DON'Ts for dealing with the WBC?

[Whitney]

godless, see the pics and comments on the happy atheist facebook page.  Apparently you can tell them you are just messing around taking stupid pictures and WBC doesn't care.

[theTwiz]

"Battlefield Earth Sucked"

^^my fav protest sign eva

or stop by the atheist image dump thread and take your pick.

[Jolly Sapper]

Something I read recently...

Using Westborow Baptist Church as a Fundraiser
"UIC student Jason Connell used the protest as a way to raise money for the organizations that are subject to the wrath of WBC. Groups like the Human Rights Campaign, International AIDS Foundation and the Chicago-based Jerusalem Open House."

[youtube:zwpkphmn]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j7Of_2ykZpQ[/youtube:zwpkphmn]

[Whitney]

^that's awesome!

[Jmersh]

I would bring a sign that says, "God told me to shoot everyone in WBC.  That's when I knew he was fake."