Baptist Church to Protest at Mason

By Connect2Mason Breaking News Director Matt Todd

Westboro Baptist Church will be at George Mason University March 30 to protest Pride Week, which takes place March 29 to April 4. They will be congregated just outside the campus along Braddock Rd. and Route 123 (Ox Rd.) from 7:40 a.m. to 8:20 a.m.

Their website, www.godhatesfags.com, refers to Mason students as “nasty little DOOMED American brats” and goes on to say Mason is having a “festival of evil.”

WBC says they will be preaching in favor of the condemnation of homosexuals. They will stress the point that “God hates homosexuals and condemns them all to hell,” and there are only two gay rights: AIDS and hell.

2009 Ms. Mason winner, senior, Ryan Allen (a.k.a. Reann Ballslee) had some things to say about WBC remonstrations. “I’m so glad that WBC is coming to celebrate Pride Week with us,” says Allen. He adds, “I'll probably be resting up for the Drag Show on Friday, April 3rd instead of standing on the side of the road and I'm sure plenty of other Mason students should use their time and energy to study or rest as the semester's coming to an end and we all have exams and projects right around the corner.”

Senior graphic designer Allison Howard says, “They’re ridiculous. Their views are homophobic and very closed-minded.” She also added, “They have freedom of speech and have a right to be here.”

According to their website, WBC will picket outside of Fairfax High School protesting the school’s “Rebel Pride” from 6:45 a.m. to 7:25 a.m. before making their way to Mason. Following the Mason protest, they will later go to the embassies of Germany, Turkey and the Netherlands. Their final Washington D.C. stop will be at the White House and they will end their day at the Federal Courthouse of Baltimore, Maryland.

A group of Mason students are assembling a counter-protest. More information can be found on http://pride.gmu.edu/phelps.php.