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Councilmembers Garcia & Schipske Denounce Westboro Baptist Church Anti-Gay Protest by Ryan ZumMallen | Archive | 02.18.10 |
+ 6:00am | Long Beach City Councilmembers Robert Garcia and Gerrie Schipske issued a joint statement in opposition to the Westboro Baptist Church (WBC) planned anti-gay protest at Wilson High School in Long Beach. The WBC known for its anti-gay positions and protesting at military funerals, will promote their message during a demonstration at Wilson this Friday at 2:45pm. Anti-WBC counter-protests are also planned at Wilson. Both Councilmembers Garcia and Schipske are gay. In a joint statement, Garcia and Schipske said: “We stand in strong support of the peaceful demonstrations against the Westboro Baptist Church. The anti-gay, anti-Semitic, and anti-American views of this organization are in stark contrast to the diversity and strength of our City. We will be joining our fellow citizens in a peaceful counter-protest at Wilson High School on Friday." On Monday, Greggory Moore reviewed the upcoming protest: "A circus is coming to town. Not the good kind. No, I'm talking about a sort of DIY tour that's being put on by the Westboro Baptist Church (WBC). Never heard of them? Maybe you recognize them by their self-styled sobriquet: the "God hates fags" folks. These are the charming men and women—and, alas, their children—who, for starters, go to military funerals so as to disrupt them by screaming that the United States deserves these casualties—and 9/11, and so much more—because of (among a litany of other sins) being overly permissive toward same-sex couples.” Related Coverage Long Beach Wilson High Students Drown Out Anti-Gay Protestors Long Beach Dilemma: Protest Or Ignore The Gay Hate? Click here to read our policy on covering the Long Beach City Council.
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Raul A. Anorve Please remember to attend the free Educational Forum for GLBTQ Youth and Allies tonight, February 18, 2010, from 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm. It will take place at Immanuel Center for Conscious Living located at 3215 E. 3rd Street (@ Obispo Avenue). With all of the attention being focused recently on reacting to the hateful speech of Westboro Baptist Church and their anti-gay protest at Wilson High School, it is easy to forget that there are groups that are working hard daily to bring safe and inclusive schools for all students here in Long Beach. The City of Long Beach Human Dignity Program along with CCEJ, The Center Long Beach, the Anti-Defamation League, the City of Long Beach Human Relations Commission, Orange County Human Relations and many others will host this educational forum for lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, transgender and questioning youth and their allies. The purpose of the forum is to help educators understand the laws surrounding educational equity compliance, learn about hate crimes and the importance of reporting, raise awareness about the challenges LGBTQ youth face, and provide support and resources for them and their families. Again, please join us for this timely and extremely important forum tonight. proof-reading is good Seriously - does nobody double check their work anymore. This kind of mistake is inexcusable for our elected officials or a trustworthy news source. LBUSD Mom Sure hope the LBUSD is requiring and charging for all kinds of extra security for these idiots. Ridiculous that they were allowed to hold their event right after school like that. InkPeace Not in my city. As a resident and business owner, as well as a parent of a gay child, I also denounce these people of hate. Reviewing their protest schedule and comments made me sick to my stomach. Phil If you click on the WBC link, it takes you to www.GodHatesFags.Com. Unbelieveable that this sort of thing is still going strong in our supposedly enlightened and peaceful society. Any message that starts with God Hates is clearly a perversion since God is about Love, not Hate. Nikol Ill be at the LB Convention Center for the Protest tomorrow at 7:15 pm. This group is just terrible. jf Why isn't this self-proclaimed hate group disbanded as a hate group! At the very least they should lose their tax exempt status. All you lawyers out there get on this! rickatsea I may not agree with the entire views of the people from that Baptist Church but I do feel they have a right to voice their opinion. I do not agree that those who are not in lock step with the agenda of the Gay Movment are all haters. To me, that says if you are not going to love us than we hate you because you are haters. That is un-American! The Gays must first TRY to be dignified to earn respect. They need to stop lableing all others as haters. jon in 90808 Shame on Schipske for heading out of district to protest the ONE Wilson High attack, while ignoring the FOUR WBC attacks in her own district! The Albert JCC is a much larger target for these wackos, who are planning FOUR stops there - AND is in her district. Way to once again poorly represent the citizens of the 5th! John District 5 Whether the councilmembers, my family or family member or me are gay really doesn't matter, the only issue is this unwanted and unamerican attack by the WBC. I'm not gay, but I will stand behind in support or in front as a shield to aynone who choses their own life style, period Pat Sometimes small minds with great issues have little to do with their time except criticize. Jon, what do you stand for? I think Gerrie is the best thing to hit Long Beach in a long time and she doesn't march to outside drummers which you appear to be. Find somewhere else to spew your hatred..are you going to be in front of Wilson and on which side of the street? Geoff Maddox I am extremely happy to see that Council Members Garcia and Schipske will be joining us, and hope to see you there! We'll be arriving at Wilson High School at 2 p.m.! Randy LB Res Congratulations Schipske for stepping out of the box and being supportive of your "Community" as a whole to protest with us. Yes, you've stepped away from your district but you're frying a bigger fish! You are truly one to be commended!! I share LBUSD Mom's concern that this hateful event is right after school. And, how ironic that one would ask how the WBC's demonstration suggests that it is a "gay thing," well as Phil confirmed, Google "WBC," and up comes "GodHatesFags.Com" and that doesn't sound heterosexual, nor anti-American. Mr. Garcia, you also deserve recognition and I applaud your support, Sir!!! Curious To John in 90808.. are you saying that Schipske chose to speak out against the anti Gay protest... but is not speaking out about the Anti Semantic protests? That is sad...Phil is right, anything that states "GodHates" at the beginning is not of God... a little defense for the Jewish people would be nice here and appropriate.. but sadly it seems Gay folks often view religious people as the enemy because of people like WBC.. either way it appears prejudice. Garry Bowie According to Tom Head, author of Civil Liberties Guide - Why We Protest? -- Policy debates can be abstract, and even seem irrelevant to the people who are not most directly affected by them. Protest events put warm bodies and heavy feet out there representing an issue, taking up real space and real time, attaching the cause to real faces and real voices who care enough about the cause to go out there, if only for a short time, and be ambassadors for it. So the media notices when a protest event happens. Bystanders notice when a protest event happens. Politicians notice when a protest event happens. And if the protest is staged well, it will invariably make somebody look at the cause with new eyes. Protest events are not persuasive in and of themselves, but they invite persuasion. They invite change. While we do need to bring those already with a community stake such as the Education Forum into collaboration, let's not forget the purpose or mission of the organization - to make a difference in the community "They Serve". While I applaud CCEJ, Raul and Rene's choice to collaborate with other organizations to bring "educational equity compliance", The Center's mission statement states - "... it provides services to support, inform and connect the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities through programs of information and education, health and well-being, cultural and social activities, and social justice. We advocate for the inclusion of all individuals into a free and just community, without judgment or restriction due to sexual orientation or gender expression." Supporting the SILENT COUNTER-PROTEST is not a question of giving credence to uninvited groups exercising their constitutional rights, but also goes to protecting one's own rights. A SILENT PROTEST is smart, non-confrontational and effective. As Tom Head indicates, "Solo activism isn't usually very effective. It also gets dull really quick. Protest events give activists a chance to meet, network, swap ideas, and build community. Most activist organizations, in fact, got their start with protest events that united and networked their like-minded founders." Staying true to the mission statement requires "Core Meta Values" that serve the larger community. If an organization doesn't believe in it's own Core Values, then one needs to change the mission statement of the organization to reflect the reality of what it does or does not do to serve the community. cccal The LBUSD must have reviewed the request of this organization to hold this protest demonstration so one wonders what they were thinking! C.W. For my information I wish that I could learn how groups, especially a group of this ilk could get a permit to use our local, pubic high school to spread their "message" in the first place? To LBUSD Mom's point, where and how would they obtain such a permit? Although I agree with Councilmembers Garcia and Schipske's sentiments towards this group I still wonder if just completely ignoring them and their hateful message is not the best way to make them go away. I truly believe that these types want the protests and confrontation and somehow feel validated by it. g. marchese Here, here to Garcia and Schipske. Ignorance and intolerance spells trouble. Why all the hating and fear? I thought the LBC had progressed past this waste of time junk. Stand against the small mindedness that promotes divisiveness. We need to unite with all our fellow citizens. I have hope in my heart that this type of thing will fall away. CHARLIE Well for once Garcia & Schipske are doing something I approve.:>) The big question is - Will Garcia be moving to OC also? Howie This too will pass and dont forget we practice free speech, or those of you who want to protest, keep in mind you too need to show respect.. Joe in LB Join the LB people showing up in numbers with ABSURD SIGNS (just like their signs are ABSURD!) - it worked in San Francisco (SEE THE LINK BELOW)...it can work in Long Beach http://laughingsquid.com/san-franciscos-answer-to-westboro-baptist-church/ BRING YOUR ABSURD SIGN to counter protest!!!! Ed Buck GOD DOES NOT HATE Caring for all peoples Prejudice rears its ugly head in many forms. It always amazes me when one group or person abhors prejudice against them but actively pursues it against others. This was the case when the Äfrican-American churches opposed gay-marriage--even when not so long ago blacks could not marry whites, etc. I see this as a similar situation when Gerrie Schipske would deny access of patients to medical marijuana (in the form of excessive restrictions). It's just another form of prejudice against another group of people. Thank you Robert Garcia that your caring extends to all peoples. Wilson parent Just to clarify, the Westboro Baptist Church protest scheduled for tomorrow at Wilson High School is to take place on the sidewalk out front, which is public property. The principal has assured the students and parents that this group does not have the permission to set foot on school grounds, and will be prevented from doing so. Because of the first amendment right to free speech, it is unfortunate that this group of vile people-haters cannot be stopped from voicing their hateful beliefs. This is also true for the JCC and the Temples that they are scheduled to protest in front as well. They are not permitted on private property, and any attempt to do so will result in their being removed from the premises by the police. As a parent of a Wilson student and also a Jew, I am disgusted at the thought that they will be staging these protests, and pray that no Wilson students are injured as they leave school, as well as the young adults attending the weekend Jewish Festival at the JCC, and all others attending services at the targeted temples. These protests are typically non-violent, but several anti-Westboro Church groups are planning counter protests. It's difficult to know what is the right approach to deal with this group, because although ignoring them is a good idea, it would be so unrealistic to think that we can all sit by and watch them spread their evil message of hate. LBCityGirl Thank you, Gerrie and Robert! I wish the City of LB and LBUSD would make the same kind of statement--one that supports the counter protests right to speech. I don't see any reason at all that the City and LBUSD can't make an "Anti_WBC" statement. It won't violate their(the WBC's) right to free speech to denounce them entirely. GH This protest is not good; it's a horrible representation of God's heart to mankind. We are all fallen creatures in desperate need of His mercy and redemption. Like Jesus says, "He that is without sin let him cast the first stone....Stop judging others, and you will not be judged. For others will treat you as you treat them. Whatever measure you use in judging others, it will be used to measure how you are judged. And why worry about a speck in your friend's eye when you have a log in your own? How can you think of saying, 'Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye', when you can't see past the log in your own eye? Hypocrite! First get rid of the log from your own eye; then perhaps you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend's eye." jm I just want to know how in the h#@! did this kind of event ended up in a public high school? Is this a desparate situation that the school needs money so bad that they succumbed to themselves to this level?? The SHAME!!!! to jm The protest at the high school is on the sidewalk, which is public property. Believe me, no school (especially in Long Beach) would harbor and provide westboro a forum to express their hate. These nutjobs put christianity to shame with their distorted and extremist views. Mary God bless the Westboro Baptist Church. Doing the Lord's work preaching to DOOMED AMERICA ... who won't listen and won't repent. They love living their sins the way a pig loves rolling its own filth. Stu C. Seems like I've been commenting quite a bit these past few days......but this one, I REALLY had to jump on, because I thought, and I thought, and I figured it out! When a person resides in Kansas, there is often times, little to do to amuse oneself. True, this is not always the case, as there are some educated and honorable people who have resided, and still reside there. HOWEVER, when brothers and sisters get bored, and, to put it nicely, EXPERIMENT, their offspring ends up as members of the Westboro Baptist Church! Can you really blame these nut-jobs for being so messed up? I mean, when your mother and father are also your AUNT and UNCLE? These poor chumps weren't just picked on all through school or picked last on the teams. They are MUTANTS, through no fault of their own. As for me, I'm going to McKenna's On The Bay at 7:00 tonight to hear some great music, and maybe say a brief prayer for these very screwed up "people." Stu C. Forgot to add---I'm not gay, but I am Jewish, so they probably only half hate me....... Michelle When they came to the Bay Area in Northern California to protest at schools,students responded by having joyous rallies across the street in the name of love and diversity..I think that's the best response, better than silence. Check out the clips for yourself on "Not In Our Town" on the link below,to get some ideas. http://preview.niot.org/blog/phelpswestboro-visit-sparks-proactive-community-response Cheers! student of wilson I attend Wilson and it was amazing how the school reacted. Every one was participating in an anti-Westboro protest surrounding the Westboro "church" members. Many had counter attack signs saying things like "free pizza", "look up", and "annex the moon!" The whole event turned into a display of how diverse and supportive Wilson is. I was surrounded by other students from every walk of life, race, religion, and sexual orientation. The feeling of the crowd was unity and peace. Did we want them there? Hell no, but we did what we could to get the message across that we are very much anti-hate and they're insane ideals are not welcome at our school. I am very proud to be a Wilson student today. Go Bruins! And Go Gays! CHARLIE I think the Westboro Baptist Church is a bit confused on what Our Blessed Lord was teaching, as is Elton John on his summation of Jesus... Jerry Gerrie Shipske should be voted out of office. Squandering tax dollars to please people that don't even live in her district. I hate to quote Nixon but she need to stand up for "The Great Silent Majority", who, in district 5, are white middle class families. Shame on here. I am so glad she LOST her bid for the U.S. Congressional seat. She has a very good opponent for the next election, a family values conservative...Mike Bridges. tech9iner ahem.. confused why the below here where this WBC org uses word hate consistently? how can any one seem to imply there was something 'un-american' in this thready? /facepalm fail.. "..To me, that says if you are not going to love us than we hate you because you are haters. That is un-American! The Gays must first TRY to be dignified to earn respect. They need to stop lableing all others as haters.." Savon Have they not read their own bible where it says "judge not that you be not judged, for the measure that you are measuring out will be measured (back) out to you"! And what ever happened to "love thy neighbor as thyself"? We are "ALL" Children of the "Source", "Force", Buddha, Krishna, God, Allah, etc, and in the words of the infamous Rodney King "can't we just all get along?" Do they not realize that all anyone wants is to love and be loved... no more, no less... this is the bottom line for everyone here on this planet... "Love Is All There Is" (The Beetles) Mauro Worldwide campaign asking SLAYER to play in front of the Westboro Baptist Church #slayer http://on.fb.me/geiDJv
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Ryan ZumMallen has served as the managing editor of the LBPOST.com since 2007. He graduated from CSULB with a degree in Print Journalism in 2008 and is a member of the 2009 class of Leadership Long Beach. You can find him on various basketball courts around the city.
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