[Vision2020] North Idaho Residents Stand Against Hate Message

[deb]

Or, check out:
http://nyarbb.com/kyep/links-kye.html
some of this is BS, but some great links here.....
Debi R-S

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Tom Hansen" <thansen at moscow.com>
To: "Moscow Vision 2020" <vision2020 at moscow.com>
Sent: Saturday, October 23, 2010 8:32 AM
Subject: [Vision2020] North Idaho Residents Stand Against Hate Message


Courtesy of today's (October 23, 2010) Spokesman-Review.

---------------------------------------------------------

N. Idaho residents stand against hate message
Alison Boggs, The Spokesman-Review

Large crowds of counter-demonstrators turned out in the early morning
darkness in Coeur d'Alene today to answer the small group of protesters
from Westboro Baptist Church that plans a second day of denouncing gays,
soldiers, Jews, the United States, and private and public colleges and
schools.

The seven members of the extremist group from Topeka, Kan., were out
holding signs at the corner of Fourth and Dalton streets, next to Coeur
d'Alene High School, by 6 a.m., while at least 50 counter-demonstrators
met them with messages of their own.

"I don't like the way they treat veterans at the funerals," said Greg
Prado of Hayden, a Marine who served in Operations Desert Shield and
Desert Storm. Prado attended with his son Cade, 6, and wife Amy.

"We can't let people come into our town and bully us without saying that's
not right," Prado said. "They're hiding behind the First Amendment."

Darby Lopp, 12, a Woodland Middle School seventh grader, displayed a
rainbow-colored sign she had made to show support for gay people. The sign
stated "This is our community," and also included the Star of David.

"I don't think this is right. I think we need to stand up for what we
believe in," Lopp said.

The Westboro group moved on to Lake City High School, where school
administrators held an indoor assembly for students to keep them inside.
About 100 people demonstrated against Westboro outside. The
counter-demostrators took up three of the four corners of the intersection
of Ramsey and Hanley avenues and numerous cars and trucks honked while
passing, drawing huge cheers from the group.

The next stop was North Idaho College in Coeur d'Alene, whose presentation
of the play "The Laramie Project," sparked Westboro's appearance in the
region. At NIC, there were an estimated 200 counter-demonstrators and a
significant police presence surrounding the Westboro demonstrators, who
set up in the middle of campus, across from the student union building.

The counter-demonstrators included carloads of students who drove north
this morning from the University of Idaho in Moscow.

At NIC, one counter-demonstrator whose boyfriend is in the military and
who wore a T-shirt that said "I love my soldier," ran up to the police
fencing surrounding the Westboro group waving her sign and yelling her
message of love.

Shaun Winkler, of Spirit Lake, a former member of the Aryan Nations under
the late Richard Butler, appeared with a sign saying, "May there be plenty
more Matt Shepards," a reference to the young gay man murdered in Wyoming.

Winkler's sister, Christine Newman, carried another sign that said, "Keep
fags from our schools."

Shepard was found alone and cold and tied to a split-rail fence in a
remote area east of Laramie 12 years ago this month. He died a few days
later from a severe beating by two men from the region.

One UI student, Caitlin Boland, 22, said, "It's inspiring knowing there
are that many out there who believe that love is the most important thing.
By their protesting," she said of the Westboro group, "they are bringing
us all together."

On Thursday, the Westboro group demonstrated at Gonzaga University, Moody
Bible Institute, Whitworth University, Ferris High School and Eastern
Washington University. Hundreds of local residents turned out to counter
the group.

Westboro picketers have gained national attention by shouting anti-Semitic
and anti-homosexual remarks and for carrying insulting signs at funerals
for victims of violent homophobia and U.S. military casualties of war.

---------------

Far left, Alisha Nowoj,18, of Coeur d'Alene helps counter- protest the
members of Westboro Baptist Church at North Idaho College on Friday,
October 22, 2010 in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho.

http://media.spokesman.com/photos/2010/10/22/srxid_Counter_protest_t620.jpg

---------------------------------------------------------

And from North Idaho College . . .

(Courtesy of today'sSpokesman-Review)

---------------

Protest of play gets eager pushback
NIC production addresses gay man's beating death
Alison Boggs, The Spokesman-Review

A play dealing with the aftermath of a young gay man's beating death
that's being staged at North Idaho College has attracted more attention
and donations since an extremist Kansas hate group cited it as their
reason for protesting in Spokane and Coeur d'Alene.

The NIC theater group performed its opening night of "The Laramie Project"
on Thursday before an audience of 109 people, said theater instructor Joe
Jacoby. The play is free and depicts a series of monologues by people from
Laramie, Wyo., following the 1998 beating death of Matthew Shepard.

When word spread that the anti-gay, anti-Semitic Westboro Baptist Church
was coming to the Inland Northwest, three people called the NIC foundation
offering to cover the $450 royalty fees for securing the play. Another
woman offered to help distribute posters. And when the student cast walked
into a human rights rally in Coeur d'Alene on Friday, holding high their
play posters, the 200-plus people in attendance greeted them with a
deafening cheer.

"It's greatly increased the awareness and interest in the play," Jacoby
said. However, he added, "It's a double-edged sword. As much as it's
benefiting us, you just don't want people with that kind of hatred in your
community. But this community has responded so wonderfully. It's turned
into a very constructive, positive event. I am really proud today to be a
resident of Coeur d'Alene and a part of North Idaho College."

The human rights rally capped a series of protests beginning at 6 a.m.
Friday with Westboro demonstrations at Coeur d'Alene's two public high
schools and at NIC. Each demonstration was met by between 50 and 200
protesters.

The Westboro group demonstrated Thursday at various locations in Spokane,
and hundreds of local residents turned out to counter the group there as
well.

Westboro pickets have gained national attention through their hate speech
and for carrying insulting signs at funerals.

"I don't like the way they treat veterans at the funerals," said Greg
Prado, of Hayden, a Marine who served in operations Desert Shield and
Desert Storm. Prado attended all the North Idaho protests with his son
Cade, 6, and wife, Amy. "We can't let people come into our town and bully
us without saying that's not right. They're hiding behind the First
Amendment."

Darby Lopp, 12, a Woodland Middle School seventh-grader, displayed a
rainbow-colored sign she made to show support for gay people. The sign
said, "This is our community" and also included the Star of David.

"I don't think this is right," Lopp said. "I think we need to stand up for
what we believe in."

At Lake City High School, school administrators held an indoor assembly to
try to keep students inside. About 100 people demonstrated against
Westboro outside and passing cars and trucks honked in support, drawing
cheers from the crowd.

"Speaking hate to children is wrong," said Michelle Hoagland, of Coeur
d'Alene, who attended the counterprotests with her husband, Scott, and
friend Shaleena Ralston. Michelle Hoagland was among several
counterprotesters who expressed concern about the recent suicides of young
people, attributed to gay-bashing and bullying. "What if this puts one kid
over the edge?"

The next stop was North Idaho College, where the Westboro group set up in
the middle of campus with a significantly increased police presence. An
estimated 200 protesters yelled and chanted from across the street, in
front of the student union building. They included carloads of students
who drove north at 4 a.m. Friday from the University of Idaho in Moscow.

At NIC, Alisha Nowoj, of Coeur d'Alene, whose boyfriend is in the
military, ran up to the police fencing surrounding the Westboro group
waving her sign and yelling "I love my soldier!"

Shaun Winkler, of Spirit Lake, a former member of the Aryan Nations under
the late Richard Butler, appeared with a sign that read: "May there be
plenty more Matt Shepards," and tried to join the Westboro group but was
kept away by police. He attended with his sister, Christine Newman, who
carried a sign that said "Keep fags from our schools."

But the message of love and acceptance appeared to win in the end. The
rally at the Human Rights Education Institute was packed with more than
200 people including representatives from the Coeur d'Alene Tribe,
veterans groups, local politicians, high school and college students, a
Catholic priest and officials from Idaho's colleges.

Racine Balough, president of NIC's Gay Straight Alliance, said she wanted
to thank Westboro for visiting the Inland Northwest.

"It gave us a chance to think about what values are important to us," she
said. "They tried to hurt us today. As a community, we didn't let them do
it. With the dignity and poise with which we handled this, ladies and
gentlemen, we won."

---------------------------------------------------------

Idaho is too great for hate, V-peeps.

http://www.moscowcares.com/TooGreatForHate.htm

Seeya at the Homecoming Parade, Moscow.

Tom Hansen
Moscow, Idaho

"The Pessimist complains about the wind, the Optimist expects it to change
and the Realist adjusts his sails."

- Unknown


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