Link: Chicago Maroon story
Monday, March 9, Westboro Church, an extremist Christian group that protests at the funerals of our fallen soldiers, thought it would be great to stage a six-person protest at the University of Chicago: punishment for employing Barack Obama. They probably should have picked a spot that wasn't next to the frat house.
Unfortunately, for the WBC, their presence was transformed into a joyful event for the campus:
The party included a s’mores roasting station, hot chocolate, a dance performance by Rhythmic Bodies in Motion, and musical performances by individual students and the a capella group Men in Drag. There were also petitions to be signed in support of overturning Proposition 8, a California ballot initiative making gay marriage unconstitutional, which was passed in November and is now being debated in the California Supreme Court.
Large banners with slogans such as “Many Identities, One Community” were available for students to sign. Klein said the banners were there so that people could express “more positive messages about who we are. We are a diverse campus and we love us.”
The party also raised over $500 for the Broadway Youth Center, which provides health services for the LGBTQ community.