Westboro Baptists have some new neighbours

Westboro Baptists have some new neighbours

Tonington

#1 Top Rated PostMar 19th, 2013

Westboro Equality House: Aaron Jackson Paints Rainbow Home Across From Anti-Gay Church

The Westboro Baptist Church is about to get a big surprise in the form of a new neighbor who plans to give the notoriously anti-gay group a taste of its own medicine.

Aaron Jackson, one of the founders of Planting Peace, a multi-pronged charity that has in the past concentrated on rainforest conservation, opening orphanages and deworming programs, bought a house that sits directly across from the church's compound six months ago. On Tuesday, March 19, he and a team of volunteers are painting it to match the gay pride flag.

The project -- which the nonprofit is calling the "Equality House" -- is the first in a new campaign Planting Peace plans to wage against the group. Westboro is known for its intimidating tactics of protesting (or threatening to protest) what they refer to as America's pro-gay, anti-God agenda, in close proximity to pride parades, soldier funerals and other events like the Sandy Hook memorial services.

I wonder if they will be neighbourly and bring over some freshly baked cookies? Yeah, probably not!

Here's a few pics of the house:

SLM

Re: Westboro Baptists have some new neighbours

Mar 19th, 2013

Love it!!!!!

gerryh

Re: Westboro Baptists have some new neighbours

Mar 19th, 2013

good for them

Retired_Can_Soldier

Re: Westboro Baptists have some new neighbours

Mar 19th, 2013

LOL too funny.

Colpy

Re: Westboro Baptists have some new neighbours

Mar 19th, 2013

'Tis wonderful.

Goober

Re: Westboro Baptists have some new neighbours

Mar 19th, 2013

Quote: Originally Posted by Retired_Can_Soldier

LOL too funny.

A Gay Pride Parade should be organized. Spur of the moment, secretive to prevent the other wackos from gathering.
Then bango- How do you like us so far eh.

damngrumpy

Re: Westboro Baptists have some new neighbours

Mar 20th, 2013

You can ask how do you like us but you can's say "how do you like us so far eh"
"Eh" is a Canadianism and it would be like these people using maple leave pins
on their collars that won't do, being gay and Canadian too.
I love this these people need a taste of their own medicine

Tecumsehsbones

Re: Westboro Baptists have some new neighbours

Mar 20th, 2013

Kinda funny. Not sure it qualifies as "Planting Peace," though.

lone wolf

Re: Westboro Baptists have some new neighbours

Mar 20th, 2013

Just the sort of colourful neighbourliness Westboro won't likely celebrate

petros

#10

Re: Westboro Baptists have some new neighbours

Mar 20th, 2013

L Gilbert

#11

Re: Westboro Baptists have some new neighbours

Mar 20th, 2013

Cool. Be also kind of neat if Hindus, Pagans, wifeswappers, Martians, etc. moved next to them, too. heheh

lone wolf

#12

Re: Westboro Baptists have some new neighbours

Mar 20th, 2013

...don't forget the signpainters.... Lotsa demand there...

L Gilbert

#13

Re: Westboro Baptists have some new neighbours

Mar 20th, 2013

If I were American, I'd entertain the thought of opening up a GLBT sex toy shop next door.

petros

#14

Re: Westboro Baptists have some new neighbours

Mar 20th, 2013

Quote: Originally Posted by L Gilbert

If I were American, I'd entertain the thought of opening up a GLBT sex toy shop next door.

Sno Cones. Everybody loves Sno Cones.

L Gilbert

#15

Re: Westboro Baptists have some new neighbours

Mar 20th, 2013

ok. I'd open up a a GLBT sex toy/ smoothie/ snowcone shop.

petros

#16

Re: Westboro Baptists have some new neighbours

Mar 20th, 2013

And yogurt. People seem to be eating alot of yogurt these days.

Sex yogurt.

SLM

#17

Re: Westboro Baptists have some new neighbours

Mar 20th, 2013

Quote: Originally Posted by L Gilbert

ok. I'd open up a a GLBT sex toy/ smoothie/ snowcone shop.

Have you now discovered the joy of smoothies? The other day you didn't know what they were, lol.

Quote: Originally Posted by petros

And yogurt. People seem to be eating alot of yogurt these days.

Sex yogurt.

Aha! Frogurt! Problem solved.

CDNBear

#18

Re: Westboro Baptists have some new neighbours

Mar 20th, 2013

I think I found a new charity to donate to.

gopher

#19

Re: Westboro Baptists have some new neighbours

Mar 20th, 2013

Bravo for Equality House.

shadowshiv

#20

Re: Westboro Baptists have some new neighbours

Mar 20th, 2013

Hopefully these Westboro idiots don't decide to do something about this "affront"(in their eyes). I wouldn't paint my house all those colours (makes my eyes hurt!), but good on them.

SLM

#21

Re: Westboro Baptists have some new neighbours

Mar 20th, 2013

Quote: Originally Posted by shadowshiv

Hopefully these Westboro idiots don't decide to do something about this "affront"(in their eyes). I wouldn't paint my house all those colours (makes my eyes hurt!), but good on them.

What could they possibly do? Picket it? Lol. That'll keep 'em occupied for a while. Anything over and above that would be illegal.

I'm taking much delight in the thought of their suffering, I really am.

shadowshiv

#22

Re: Westboro Baptists have some new neighbours

Mar 20th, 2013

Quote: Originally Posted by SLM

What could they possibly do? Picket it? Lol. That'll keep 'em occupied for a while. Anything over and above that would be illegal.

I'm taking much delight in the thought of their suffering, I really am.

They could try and burn the house down in the middle of the night.

Of course, they're mainly a bunch of cowards, so I doubt they would try anything like that. They could be annoying idiots and picket, but I am sure they have other "targets" in mind.

SLM

#23

Re: Westboro Baptists have some new neighbours

Mar 21st, 2013

Quote: Originally Posted by shadowshiv

They could try and burn the house down in the middle of the night. Of course, they're mainly a bunch of cowards, so I doubt they would try anything like that. They could be annoying idiots and picket, but I am sure they have other "targets" in mind.

Yeah that would be illegal, lol. Not that I'm wishing a Not For Profit house would get burned to the ground but once WBC crosses that line, they're as good as finished. They've already got members slowly abandoning them, it's only a matter of time before they are a thing of the past. They won't be missed.

shadowshiv

#24

Re: Westboro Baptists have some new neighbours

Mar 22nd, 2013

Quote: Originally Posted by SLM

Yeah that would be illegal, lol. Not that I'm wishing a Not For Profit house would get burned to the ground but once WBC crosses that line, they're as good as finished. They've already got members slowly abandoning them, it's only a matter of time before they are a thing of the past. They won't be missed.

Alas, I am sure that some hate-filled group would fill the vacuum after they were gone.

SLM

#25

Re: Westboro Baptists have some new neighbours

Mar 22nd, 2013

Quote: Originally Posted by shadowshiv

Alas, I am sure that some hate-filled group would fill the vacuum after they were gone.

Actually I find groups such as that can be incredibly beneficial to society as a whole. I think they highlight the stupidity of the actions involved in persecution, oppression. Irrespective of how people think, and there will always be people who judge other people by various superficial, irrational reasons or, quite frankly, for things that just have absolutely nothing to do with them or that affect their life in any real or meaningful way, I think they can actually push people away from their viewpoint into more of a conciliatory "you do your thing and I'll do mine" kind of place.

Tecumsehsbones

#26

Re: Westboro Baptists have some new neighbours

Mar 22nd, 2013

Quote: Originally Posted by SLM

Actually I find groups such as that can be incredibly beneficial to society as a whole. I think they highlight the stupidity of the actions involved in persecution, oppression. Irrespective of how people think, and there will always be people who judge other people by various superficial, irrational reasons or, quite frankly, for things that just have absolutely nothing to do with them or that affect their life in any real or meaningful way, I think they can actually push people away from their viewpoint into more of a conciliatory "you do your thing and I'll do mine" kind of place.

That works well when the hate group is isolated and extreme. Not quite so well when the hate group is more popular and mainstream, like the Klan.

SLM

#27

Re: Westboro Baptists have some new neighbours

Mar 22nd, 2013

Quote: Originally Posted by Tecumsehsbones

That works well when the hate group is isolated and extreme. Not quite so well when the hate group is more popular and mainstream, like the Klan.

I don't think the Klan is popular and mainstream at all. I don't think they hold the same kind of power that they once did, they don't have the same kind of sway over larger populations. They may still in more isolated pockets, but certainly they are not the force they once were on a grand scale. Further, I think they've gotten this way because they were more exaggerated and extreme in the past.

Everyone seems to always forget about the quiet majority of the people, the middle class, the 'average' person. They are the ones with the real power in society. When these groups highlight themselves to such as degree that their ridiculousness shines like a lighthouse beacon, do you think it attracts or repels them?

Tecumsehsbones

#28

Re: Westboro Baptists have some new neighbours

Mar 22nd, 2013

Quote: Originally Posted by SLM

I don't think the Klan is popular and mainstream at all. I don't think they hold the same kind of power that they once did, they don't have the same kind of sway over larger populations. They may still in more isolated pockets, but certainly they are not the force they once were on a grand scale. Further, I think they've gotten this way because they were more exaggerated and extreme in the past.

Everyone seems to always forget about the quiet majority of the people, the middle class, the 'average' person. They are the ones with the real power in society. When these groups highlight themselves to such as degree that their ridiculousness shines like a lighthouse beacon, do you think it attracts or repels them?

Good point. I should have said "like the Klan was in its heyday." As I said before, when the group is like the Westboroites, unpopular and extreme, I think they have a small beneficial effect on society by turning the "silent majority" against such bigotry and hate.

Still, it's a precarious thing. The Klan may be a joke now, and the conduct of many Southerners in the 50s and 60s may have accelerated civil rights by shocking the consciences of the "silent majority," but the Klan murdered a lot of people in its time. And the "silent majority" let them get away with it in most cases.

petros

#29

Re: Westboro Baptists have some new neighbours

Mar 22nd, 2013

Quote: Originally Posted by Tecumsehsbones

but the Klan murdered a lot of people in its time. And the "silent majority" let them get away with it in most cases.

Still do.

SLM

#30

Re: Westboro Baptists have some new neighbours

Mar 22nd, 2013

Quote: Originally Posted by Tecumsehsbones

Good point. I should have said "like the Klan was in its heyday." As I said before, when the group is like the Westboroites, unpopular and extreme, I think they have a small beneficial effect on society by turning the "silent majority" against such bigotry and hate.

I shouldn't have said "incredibly" beneficial, I don't want to overstate their more positive, though not intentionally so by them, impact upon society as a whole. But while the 'silent majority' has, I think, proven in the past to consistently take the higher road when they are forced to by having the issues brought so front and centre, their (or I should say 'our' since I consider myself as a non-extremist to be in that group) Achilles Heel has to be complacency.

Quote:

Still, it's a precarious thing. The Klan may be a joke now, and the conduct of many Southerners in the 50s and 60s may have accelerated civil rights by shocking the consciences of the "silent majority," but the Klan murdered a lot of people in its time. And the "silent majority" let them get away with it in most cases.

They are something of a joke now but they might not always be. That requires diligence on our part to see that they don't return to their 'glory days' of power and influence. And I think that's served best by not forcibly shutting them down but allowing them, and others like them, to die out on their own naturally, if that ever happens completely. We can't force people into acceptance, if some idiot (my term) wants to think the colour of someone's skin makes a measurable difference, they are going to think it. Where we, as the majority, need to step up legally is in preventing such groups from enforcing their worldview on the rest of us, think job or housing denial on the basis of race, etc. Where we need to step up socially as a group is in counter protest, such as the OP highlights.

Where I feel a measure hope for humanity is that when we do step up to counter protest. we're doing so in a more positive way. In other words, we aren't sinking to their level. Now, world over we have a hell of a long way to go but it's the little glimmers of hope that can help to drive us, and inspire us, forward.

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