Des Moines High school counter protests anti-Gay Phelps group

[sportage]

I once attended this high school many many many years ago. These are great kids!!! Photo

Des Moines Register

More than 200 students gathered at the northeast corner of Lincoln High School's campus Tuesday afternoon to counter a protest by about a half-dozen anti-gay pickets from a controversial Kansas church.

Zach Toillion, a Lincoln senior, used the social networking Web site Facebook to urge students to protest across from the pickets, who stood along Southwest Ninth Street. The students carried signs that read "God loves all" and "unity" and cheered at honking cars.


"I just thought it would be a good idea to make sure people don't necessarily engage the protesters, but rather they have positive messages and represent Lincoln in a good way," Toillion said.

Pickets from the Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kan., scheduled seven stops in Des Moines on Tuesday, including the Polk County recorder's office, the Jewish Federation of Greater Des Moines and the Iowa Supreme Court.

The group picketed Lincoln because a student received a scholarship last year in honor of Matthew Shepard, a gay Wyoming college student who was slain in 1998. Members of the Westboro church picketed Lincoln's 2003 graduation because another student had received a Shepard scholarship.

Tuesday's protests at Lincoln occurred at the end of the school day and lasted about 30 minutes. About a dozen police officers stood watch.

Pickets from the church gathered at the northeast corner of Southwest Ninth Street and Bell Avenue, carrying signs reading "God hates fags" and "America is doomed."

Shirley Phelps-Roper, daughter of Westboro Pastor Fred Phelps, said the crowds they met grew as the day progressed.

 

[theflyingpig]

This is equivalent to feeding a troll. Everyone knows this.

Edit: This is my first timewarp to OP. This is a significant milestone in my life, and it shall be remembered forever.

 

[Double Trouble]

I agree with their cause, but it seems like a waste of time and effort. The westboro crazies want attention, and they got it...

 

[bamacre]

Originally posted by: Double Trouble
I agree with their cause, but it seems like a waste of time and effort. The westboro crazies want attention, and they got it...

Agreed. They need to be ignored.

 

[CADsortaGUY]

Originally posted by: bamacre

Originally posted by: Double Trouble
I agree with their cause, but it seems like a waste of time and effort. The westboro crazies want attention, and they got it...

Agreed. They need to be ignored.

Yep, i don't think anyone supports those morons outside of their little group.

 

[JeffreyLebowski]

I don't give a shit about gay's and their rights, but I absolutely detest the Phelps

 

[frostedflakes]

Originally posted by: CADsortaGUY

Originally posted by: bamacre

Originally posted by: Double Trouble
I agree with their cause, but it seems like a waste of time and effort. The westboro crazies want attention, and they got it...

Agreed. They need to be ignored.

Yep, i don't think anyone supports those morons outside of their little group.

It's not like this is a large congregation, I think it's only a few families. But they brainwash their kids to believe this crap and thus the cycle of hate continues. That's the thing that really makes me sad.

But yeah, best thing you can do is ignore them, these morons thrive on attention.

 

[OCGuy]

The magic man in the sky does not like broadway, fashionable male hairstyles, or sword fights. Everyone knows this. It is undeniable.

 

[seemingly random]

Originally posted by: OCguy
The magic man in the sky does not like broadway, fashionable male hairstyles, or sword fights. Everyone knows this. It is undeniable.

You're gonna have to try harder it you wanna be a bigger dick than the piglet...

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: OCguy
The magic man in the sky does not like broadway, fashionable male hairstyles, or sword fights. Everyone knows this. It is undeniable.

But he likes douchebags?

 

[OCGuy]

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus

But he likes douchebags?

 

[sportage]

And more good news from the iOwa state !!!

Harkin Changes View, Opposes Gay Marriage Ban
AP Staff Writer
May 8, 2009

U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin says he's changed his views on gay marriage and would oppose any effort to overturn an Iowa Supreme Court decision last month that legalized same-sex unions.

Harkin acknowledges his views on the subject have changed since he voted for the Defense of Marriage Act in 1998. That measure defined marriage as between one man and one woman.

Speaking Friday on the public television program "Iowa Press," Harkin says if a constitutional amendment were put to voters to ban gay marriage, he'd vote no.

Some Republicans have promised to make gay marriage a key issue in the 2010 election, but Harkin says other concerns will matter more to voters, such as the economy and health care.

 

[GenHoth]

You are surprised that Harkin would suddenly go along with this? Psh. BTW, your upbringing in Des Moines explains so much

 

[CADsortaGUY]

Originally posted by: sportage
And more good news from the iOwa state !!!

Harkin Changes View, Opposes Gay Marriage Ban
AP Staff Writer
May 8, 2009

U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin says he's changed his views on gay marriage and would oppose any effort to overturn an Iowa Supreme Court decision last month that legalized same-sex unions.

Harkin acknowledges his views on the subject have changed since he voted for the Defense of Marriage Act in 1998. That measure defined marriage as between one man and one woman.

Speaking Friday on the public television program "Iowa Press," Harkin says if a constitutional amendment were put to voters to ban gay marriage, he'd vote no.

Some Republicans have promised to make gay marriage a key issue in the 2010 election, but Harkin says other concerns will matter more to voters, such as the economy and health care.

lol, that asshat doesn't really even live here anymore so i doubt he'd even come back to vote if an amendment got that far.

BTW, what the hell does that have to do with this thread except the fact that both he and phelps are asshats?

 

[n yusef]

Originally posted by: JeffreyLebowski
I don't give a shit about gay's and their rights, but I absolutely detest the Phelps

It's lovely that you are honest with yourself and others about your bigotry.

 

[Ichigo]

Originally posted by: n yusef

Originally posted by: JeffreyLebowski
I don't give a shit about gay's and their rights, but I absolutely detest the Phelps

It's lovely that you are honest with yourself and others about your bigotry.

QFT.

Their rights are the same as yours.

 

[ProfJohn]

I thought this thread was about the swimmer.... oops