I have a lot of thoughts on the Westboro Baptist Church's Supreme Court decision, but not a whole lot of time to really voice them, so I will be brief and expound upon a thought I had elsewhere
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I hadn't thought of it as an act of contempt, but yeah, I can see that. Works for me, sorta. I prefer to think of it as, "If they'll protect their speech, they're sure as hell protect MINE."
I was appalled to see a representative from the VFW say that "We need to shut them up so maybe they'll go away." Talk about totally missing the point!
Yeah, I see the "Well, maybe if we shut them up, they'll learn their message isn't welcome" people, and it makes me a little sad.
I also have friends from other countries who say "How can you allow someone to spread hate like this? Aren't you afraid he'll reflect badly on you?" to which I say "What reflects well upon us is our response to him."
Before he protested military funerals, Fred Phelps protested the funerals of those killed by AIDS and those who spoke for them. I was doing AIDS education and activism when he began that path, and it made me so hurt and angry on several occasions that I barely refrained from driving to where he was and punching him in the nose. He threatened Ryan White, for crying out loud.
Perhaps I have simply had longer to overcome that anger than you have.
Absolutely. I think that what his hate says about us is a tiny drop of water against the flood of what he inspires us to say in refutation.
To keep that going, we really do need to make sure we're building a wall of loving, empowered, defiant words to stand behind. I have admired you for speaking your truth for years now, for all that you put into making sure we stay better.
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I was appalled to see a representative from the VFW say that "We need to shut them up so maybe they'll go away." Talk about totally missing the point!
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Yeah, I see the "Well, maybe if we shut them up, they'll learn their message isn't welcome" people, and it makes me a little sad.
I also have friends from other countries who say "How can you allow someone to spread hate like this? Aren't you afraid he'll reflect badly on you?" to which I say "What reflects well upon us is our response to him."
Love,
Rowan
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Much love,
Rowan
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(The comment has been removed)
Perhaps I have simply had longer to overcome that anger than you have.
Much love,
Rowan
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I'm trying to write more, using this for my thoughtful or funny entries and facebook for my "how life is going" stuff.
Much love,
Rowan
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(The comment has been removed)
To keep that going, we really do need to make sure we're building a wall of loving, empowered, defiant words to stand behind. I have admired you for speaking your truth for years now, for all that you put into making sure we stay better.
*hugs*
Much love,
Rowan
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