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Counter-protestors show up at Foley's memorial.
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Counter-protestors ready for Westboro at Foley’s memorial.
Counter-protestors ready for Westboro at Foley’s memorial.
Counter-protestors ready for Westboro at Foley’s memorial.
The Rev. Deb Conklin readies for Westboro Baptist.
Counter-protestors show up at Foley’s memorial.
Tom Foley’s funeral was held on Gonzaga’s campus.
Tom Foley’s funeral was held on Gonzaga’s campus.
A small group of counter-protestors gathered across from St. Aloysius Church on Friday to stand with supporters of Tom Foley, and demonstrate against members Westboro Baptist Church.
Foley, former Speaker of the House and representative of Spokane’s 5th Congressional District, passed away on Oct. 18. A memorial for him was held on Gonzaga’s campus on Friday morning.
Westboro stated in a press release that they were going to protest the memorial because of Foley’s pro-choice views and his Catholic faith. Members of Westboro, though, didn’t show. Westboro has a history of threatening to protest at funerals and not showing up.
Tracy Simmons is an award-winning journalist specializing in religion reporting and digital entrepreneurship. In her approximate 20 years on the religion beat, Simmons has tucked a notepad in her pocket and found some of her favorite stories aboard cargo ships in New Jersey, on a police chase in Albuquerque, in dusty Texas church bell towers, on the streets of New York and in tent cities in Haiti. Simmons has worked as a multimedia journalist for newspapers across New Mexico, Texas, Connecticut and Washington. She is the executive director of FāVS.News, a digital journalism start-up covering religion news and commentary in Spokane, Washington. She also writes for The Spokesman-Review and national publications. She is a Scholarly Associate Professor of Journalism at Washington State University.
I am thankful that the WBC did not show up. I have struggled over the past few days to find words other than “BAD/WRONG” to describe how I feel about people who protest funerals. The ones I could come up with are:
“Desecrate” (literally “make not sacred”)
“Despicable” (deserving hatred and contempt)
Anyway. Thank you, counter-protesters, for being ready.
Under the principle that turning on the lights causes the cockroaches to scatter, while it is a nice thing that the bigots didn’t show up for their own affair, one should not lapse into thinking they have creased to exist, or that others of like mind are not out there, radiating their shriveled philosophies under the radar. Thinking of the Southern Poverty Law Centers long years of hard work, there is a certain advantage to people of ill will revealing themselves, to be seen in contrast to those of good will, that all may be seen for what they are and what they truly stand for.
To paraphrase, by their fruits shall ye know them all.
I am thankful that the WBC did not show up. I have struggled over the past few days to find words other than “BAD/WRONG” to describe how I feel about people who protest funerals. The ones I could come up with are:
“Desecrate” (literally “make not sacred”)
“Despicable” (deserving hatred and contempt)
Anyway. Thank you, counter-protesters, for being ready.
Under the principle that turning on the lights causes the cockroaches to scatter, while it is a nice thing that the bigots didn’t show up for their own affair, one should not lapse into thinking they have creased to exist, or that others of like mind are not out there, radiating their shriveled philosophies under the radar. Thinking of the Southern Poverty Law Centers long years of hard work, there is a certain advantage to people of ill will revealing themselves, to be seen in contrast to those of good will, that all may be seen for what they are and what they truly stand for.
To paraphrase, by their fruits shall ye know them all.