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'Church' to spread hate-filled message at LCC

Monday, November 24, 2008 1:06 PM PST

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Commentary by Mark Bergeson
For The Daily News

Many of you will remember that last year around this time, an Aryan Nations hate group, masquerading as a Christian church (The Church of Jesus Christ — Christian), planned an organizational and recruitment meeting to try and spread themselves into our community.

There was a large, visible and unifying response from our community in the form of celebration of diversity gathering and also a cold, wet and well-attended march from Civic Center Park, down 15th Avenue and Delaware, to Victoria Freeman Park.

Now, a different hate group is rearing its ugly head in our local community, this time with a very specific focus: Lower Columbia College and, in particular, the college’s theater program, Center Stage.

Center Stage is producing “The Laramie Project” on this, the 10th anniversary of the brutal murder of Matthew Shepard in Laramie, Wyo., which is the subject of the play. LCC’s production is scheduled to be picketed the evening of Dec. 5 by a specialized hate group which, coincidentally, also masquerades as a Christian church.

The hate group in question is the Reverend Fred Phelps’ Westboro Baptist church (WBC) located in Topeka, Kansas. This group has become infamous in their incessant picketing, not only of “The Laramie Project,” but also the funerals of American military personnel and, recently, even Barack Obama’s grandmother’s funeral. They have put us on their radar.

Numerous LCC student organizations are coordinating a peaceful, non-confrontational response to this picketing effort, and we expect large numbers of LCC faculty and staff to support their efforts by being involved. But this is not just an LCC issue — it should involve an overall community response as well.

There are literally thousands of people in Cowlitz County whose lives have been touched, even influenced, by Lower Columbia College. LCC has been an important local presence since 1934. If you feel a connection to LCC, this would be a wonderful time to show it. If you care about the arts and want to express this, this would be a wonderful time to show it. If you just want to stand up and say that hate is not a Kelso/Longview/Cowlitz County value, and it is important to make this clear to outside groups, this would be a wonderful time to show it.

The WBC picketing is scheduled from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 5. People who want to counter-demonstrate peacefully should start gathering between 6 and 6:30 p.m. on public property in vicinity of the new Rose Center.

This counter-demonstration (it will not be a march) must be all about the opposite of hate. There is no room for confrontation or direct contact with these picketers. It must be an absolutely peaceful gathering. They are well-known for recording their events, and credible sources say that they are lawsuit-happy, so care must be taken. This can be a family event if you wish. Polite, family-friendly expressions in the form of signs, songs, etc. are encouraged.

Although my time to respond will be very limited, I am listed in the phone book and you can call me with questions. You can also attend planning meetings to discuss how to respond. There will be a meeting Tuesday, Nov. 25, in the LCC Student Center upstairs at 6:30 p.m., and another Thursday, Dec. 4, in the commons area at LCC at 6:30 p.m.

Mark Bergeson is a Longview resident.

Previous

lvparent wrote on Nov 24, 2008 2:15 PM:

" Hopefully these despicable hate mongers are travelling here from elsewhere, if they even show up. I'd hate to think of them living in our community. I, for one, will be proud to buy tickets for the play Dec. 5. Not only is it a good way to show solidarity against bigotry, it appears to be an excellent play at a nice new venue. "

El Gabilon wrote on Nov 24, 2008 4:51 PM:

" For those who wish to see this production, go and see it. Ignore the picketers and don't confront them. There is nothing like a "no show" or "ignore" attitude that defuses their actions. A counter "confrontation" is just adding fuel to the fire and usually ends up with someone getting hurt. The primary reason for any organization to picket is to get attention. Without the attention they are like a collapsed baloon. On the other hand, it is not nice to attempt to sell tickets to a production using a possible picketing as the means to do so. "

lvparent wrote on Nov 24, 2008 5:16 PM:

" Who on earth is using possible picketing to sell tickets to a play? I certainly didn't get that impression! "

taintersniff wrote on Nov 24, 2008 9:17 PM:

" Hopefully tickets wont be sold out the the WBC. It's likely that the WBC will buy tickets and at some point walk out of the production or create some other kind of scene. "

jamiefan2005 wrote on Nov 25, 2008 7:44 AM:

" As a current LCC student, and a supporter of diversity in this area that I grew up in, Mark has my support in this peaceful counter protest. This will be nonconfrontational. I believe that just like last year we need to let these hate groups know that we do not condone their actions in our community. Please join our protest and show your support for diversity at LCC and Cowlitz County. "

problemsolver wrote on Nov 25, 2008 10:50 AM:

" Did anyone notice this is the same group cited in the article about Silverton's Mayor today? Sounds as if they're from Kansas but they must be making the rounds in our area. "

The1Who wrote on Nov 25, 2008 11:23 AM:

" Leave it alone!!! Like El said its likely to ad feul to the fire.. "

The1Who wrote on Nov 25, 2008 11:26 AM:

" Let God sort it out!!! "

Me who else? wrote on Nov 25, 2008 3:42 PM:

" I saw the play last weekend - they did an excellent performance! "The Laramie Project" is not a play for everyone, but thinking adults should see it. Many of the issues discussed from 10 years ago in Wyoming are very relevant to Longview today. I can't attend the counter-protest, but will anyone be taking a hint from the play and show up as angels? "

mad monkeys wrote on Nov 25, 2008 7:30 PM:

" How this church could say they are of God is beyond me. Look at their site (http://www.godhatesfags.com/ ). Go to their page, click on the section of protest schedule, go down the list and sure enough, and then you will find their scheduled to be here on December 5, 08. Today of course, they are in Portland OR. In addition, it made me sick to my stomach. I am a LCC alumni and I, my family participated in the march, and we will probably participate in the silent counter protest against hate. These people actually have signs saying GOD HATES ****, that is definitely a church I would never step foot in. I can tell you if they protested my husbands funeral, or my fathers, or any of my family members who are military I might have to be held back. To protest a funeral is cowardly... To protest a play about an unfortunate and tragic event is cowardly. These people really need to look at their bible, get a new pastor, and re- think the phrase WWJD- What Would Jesus Do? He sure would not behave like this Hypocritical, Neanderthal-behaving group! Their message, God is about Hate is no where in my bible. "

slowburn wrote on Nov 25, 2008 7:37 PM:

" I say we all show up with signs that say "God Hates Nags" "

jimmy joe bob wrote on Nov 25, 2008 10:23 PM:

" These sick people showed up at Matthew Sheperds funeral and it was really sad what they did there.They will get theres in the end "

disappointedinthistown wrote on Nov 26, 2008 1:50 PM:

" We all know who is really behind this group's actions... and the god I know doesn't HATE anyone. "

cynic954 wrote on Nov 27, 2008 8:40 AM:

" Just like with zack beck and his scam with his so called church, once again tdn is giving free advertisement to another group like this. Who is worse the one who does or the one who advertises? "

cheney119 wrote on Nov 27, 2008 9:49 AM:

" The Reverend Fred Phelps Westboro Baptist church group is despecable. But so was Measure 8 in California. Isn't there a look down their nose, church lady attitude at ALL CHURCHES? For a christian religion that preaches love and judge not, that's not what I see from any religion, least of all christians. It's more like everyone should be religous because we are so perfect and pious. Now prove I'm right and attack and condemn me. "

two cents wrote on Nov 28, 2008 8:09 AM:

" Just thinking...has anyone noticed that this is also around the same time the City's 'Home for the Holiday' parade and the annual lighting of the Civic Circle will be taking place? "

bobe374 wrote on Nov 28, 2008 9:21 PM:

" Cynic this is not an advertisement for this group. TDN is letting us all know that these people are coming and to be prepared, and to come top the play to show we are not like them. We all should be out there showing this group of evil that it is not tolerated here. "

cynic954 wrote on Nov 29, 2008 12:59 AM:

" bobe374; If it wasnt for the medias coverage of the aryans last year who would of known that they were having a meeting? What maybe 5 people? thanks to the "media" the word of the meeting was spread all over the northwest mainly, via the newspaper tdn, news channels 2 and 8. Groups like these thrive on the attention that is almost lavished upon them by the media. Travel for this group isnt cheap. By showing other shall we say mis-guided people that they are in this paper so many times or this channel etc. etc. the money that makes it possible for them to do all this keeps flowing to them. I hope this ad will do wonders for the attendance of the play. "

northender wrote on Nov 29, 2008 11:04 AM:

" Hate-filled speach.... sounds like many at LCC for the past 8 years! Your diversity marches are filled with lack of respect for freedom of speach . Intolerant?... Look in the mirror and listen to yourselves! look at the current poll on TDN. Does this show intolerance , or the freedom of belief no matter what side you come down on? The attitudes expressed leeds one to believe that confrontation is desired by the diversity marchers! If you pick at these issues, they will get bigger... leave them alone, they will just go away. Face facts... you will not change minds of the picketers but only bolster, in their minds,the ability to gain attention . "

kelsograd wrote on Nov 29, 2008 12:35 PM:

" Odd that the aryan nation has a "church" called "the church of Jesus Christ - Christian" when Jesus was a Jew that they supposedly hate. "

Canine_Caretaker wrote on Nov 29, 2008 9:47 PM:

" Now I have beliefs of various religions, some of them happen to be Christian in nature, and that's exactly what I wish they would be like, the man who said "he who be without sin, cast the first stone". I will be there when they have the protest, this community has enough problems without all this hate mongering. "

Beer&Skittles wrote on Dec 4, 2008 4:56 PM:

" WWJD? What Would Jesus Do? I see these bumper stickers, banners, etc., all the time. I'm not of the "Christian" faith, but I still respect it. And, after attending seminary for several years, I can actually get away with saying that I know more than a lot of people about Jesus. I think he would be disappointed by all the haters, and pray for them all to love. But he'd also be reasonable and tell everyone that they MUST stand up for LOVE AND PEACE FOR ALL PEOPLE - no matter who they are - gays, or ugly stupid WBC church people. "

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