Westboro Trolls doing their thing
No, my Irish Catholic upbringing tells me God does not hate anyone -- even bigots looking for media attention.
By now you've probably heard the Westboro Baptist Church is coming to Amherst to hassle UMass basketball player Derrick Gordon, for his recent well received coming out. Obviously they are simply looking for a reaction, which they will no doubt get.
Of course the only way to deal with agitators looking for attention is to deny them what they want. Easy for me to say.
In fact I'm sure I will be accused of hypocrisy since I will be at the corner of Massachusetts and Commonwealth Ave on Wednesday afternoon camera in hand to cover the staged "event." But I honestly hope nobody shows up from either side of the "controversy."
Recently a Cowardly Anon Nitwit left racist notes in bathrooms at Amherst Regional High School targeting a female teacher of color. In left leaning Amherst, a guaranteed way to stir up controversy. If you let it.
On a lesser scale the UMass Republicans are sponsoring John Ashcroft as a guest speaker Wednesday night. And if that speech is disrupted like Karl Rove was last year, it will generate far more press than if the protesters stayed home and his speech droned on as scheduled. And probably puts the audience to sleep.
#UMassUnited plans to counter-protest the WBC with 2,200 folks having signed on as "going," out of 6,000 invited. Yikes! The corner of Massachusetts and Commonwealth Ave are not designed for that large a standing crowd, so public safety becomes an issue.
Maybe the Westboro Baptist Church will pray for the safety off all concerned. Assuming they know how to pray.