My daughter (Taylor) and I participated in a counter-protest yesterday, and it was a beautiful thing to behold. Our small community (Port Orchard, WA) was visited by five members of the Westboro Baptist Church. They were here to protest at a memorial service held for a local soldier, Sgt. 1st Class Johnny C. Walls.
Soldier Lived Life of Putting Others First
By Ed Friedrich (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)
Originally published 06:51 p.m., November 30, 2007
It didn't take being shot in Afghanistan for Sgt. 1st Class Johnny Walls to become a hero. He earned that stature long ago among family and friends who attended his memorial service Friday afternoon at Christian Life Center.
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Walls, 41, died Nov. 2 in Uruzgan, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit with small-arms fire. He was a cannon crew member serving as an adviser to the Afghanistan military and police. He was buried Nov. 13 at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Va.
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Three medals were awarded posthumously to Walls — the Bronze Star, Purple Heart and the Afghanistan Campaign Medal. They were displayed with other awards and ribbons, his American flag and snapshots of his life. "He gave his last and final defense to protect the members of his team," read the Bronze Star certificate.
When I heard that the minion spawn of Fred Phelps was coming to town to protest this memorial service, my first thought was "Something Wicked This Way Comes...and why the hell are they coming here?" (They announced their impending arrival, like Cooger and Dark's Pandamonium Shadow Show.) I grappled (briefly) with how to respond to their planned presence here - should I shun them? fight them? where is "the high road" here? Ultimately, I simply couldn't ignore them; nor could 200 other members of this small, military community.
The 200 counter-protesters were divided among the four corners of a busy intersection, a short distance from the church where the memorial service was being held. A hundred flags snapped in the cold, brisk breeze. My daughter and I stood near a young man who was holding a sign that said "God Hates Fred". On other corners of the street, we saw signs that said "Gay Is OK", "Separate Church and Hate", "Thank God for Our Troops", and "WTF?". I was struck by the diversity of the messages, as well as the diversity of the messengers.
Counter Protest Draws "Almost Opposites" Together
By Andrew Binion, Kitsap Sun (Bremerton, WA)
Originally published 06:54 p.m., November 30, 2007
Some were young, some old. Some had mohawks and lip-rings, some had veteran patches and Marine Corps caps.
They waved flags, held signs and outlasted and outnumbered the protesters they came to counter by about 20 to 1.
What brought together such traditionally disparate people at a chilly intersection in Port Orchard Friday, pro-military and pro-gay, were a handful of followers from a Kansas church that believes that U.S. solders are killed in Iraq and Afghanistan because of divine retribution for the U.S. tolerating homosexuality.
"It is actually quite ironic," said Shawn Jones, 20, of Port Orchard, who came with friends and hand-painted signs showing support for the family of Sgt. 1st Class Johnny C. Walls and gay rights. "It's sort of like they are bringing people together. They're unifying two almost opposite groups."
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Sara Phelps, grandaughter of the church leader, said she and four other members of the church came to Port Orchard of their own accord, volunteering on their own time. They held various signs. One said "Pray for more dead kids."
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The protesters were treated to taunts and shouting, with supporters draping American flags over the groups' signs to conceal them from view.
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There were no reports of violence and no arrests, said Kitsap County Sheriff's Office spokesman Scott Wilson, who noted the diverse nature of the counter protest. He saw veterans, military supporters, gay rights supporters and fundamentalist Christians.
"It's like, whoa," Wilson said of the groups that seldom fall on the same side of an issue, and even less often join each other on the street corners. The counter demonstration, numbering about 200, started early and strong. The Westboro members left after about 15 to 20 minutes when they were escorted to their vehicle by deputies. The counter protesters remained.
I'm proud of my community's response, and I'm glad my daughter and I participated in the counter-protest. It was a cold and windy day, but as I stood there, freezing, I realized that some of my cynicism was melting away. On the way home, I asked my 14 year old Taylor what she thought about the experience. She replied,
"I felt like a citizen today.
I was proud to be there,
saying something that needed to be said."
I attended the protest with my daughter, but went home with "a citizen". That, too, was a beautiful thing to behold.
Video Coverage from KING5/Seattle