Q. What are good ways to respond to hate vendors or preachers when they announce plans to come to our campuses?

A. Several people offer ideas for your consideration:

Dave Barnett, formerly of the University of Illinois at Chicago, generated these options:

Option 1: Give the preachers permits for protesting on campus but schedule them far away from the site of other events that are happening, especially when they may be there to protest. Surround them with university police officers to make it difficult to see them. Restrict use of amplified speakers or bullhorns because they will interfere with the educational function of the university.

Option 2: Use the "Angels" strategy used by allies at Matthew Shepard's funeral. People wear white gowns and construct HUGE angel wings which they wear. The angels go to the protest. They would then stand silently with their backs to the preachers and open their wings, blocking from view their messages of hate. Some of these preachers have horrific signs that they will hoist up to repulse passersby.

Option 3): Counter-schedule another event at the same time as the preacher's event. Invite people to attend that event which will promote unity. Ask people to boycott the preacher's group and come to your community event instead.

Option 4): Form a "moving circle of love." Ask people to come and surround the hate vendor's group and walk in a continuous circle. Participants can sing songs of remembrance, songs from their own churches, favorite songs of those who have died (if this is an AIDS-bashing visit by the hate preachers), etc. but should keep the focus on your campus community and how they can come together in this time of pain and be there for each other. If participants like, they can bring positive signs to carry (e.g., God loves everyone, We Care! etc.). You don't want to match their level of hate -- you will lose. You could consider making the event a candlelight vigil.

Option 5): Hope that the hate preachers don't come. They often threaten to come to campuses and protest and then cancel at the last minute. Don't give them a lot of advance notice. They thrive on negative publicity.

Bev Tuel, of CU Boulder shared her experiences:

When a hate preacher came to our campus, we did a positive campaign of rainbow ribbons (both worn & posted) around campus and big banners prominently displayed which read "CU Supports All Members of Our Community" with large rainbow ribbons. We asked parents (because it was during parents weekend) to wear the ribbons (and many did) as a symbol of support. We had the banners up before the hate preacher got there. Also a group of students did an impromptu counter-demonstration 200 yards away from the preacher's crew with positive signs, and they received lots of cheers from passersby.

We also had allies keep an eye on the preacher and his demonstration. At CU he used the school logo (without authorization) on his signs. We took pictures and had the campus attorney send him a cease & desist letter for unauthorized use. In this case, the preacher was also an attorney, so we communicated speaking his language.

Some people on campus suggested turning the hatred-filled event into a fundraiser. (Idea taken from Southern Poverty Law Center as an idea to deal with white supremacist demonstrations.) This would involve taking pledges for each minute the hate event continues, or every time a hate-speaker opens their mouth, or number of protesters, or whatever. The idea would be to make the fundraiser, rather than the hate vendor, the media event and also to raise money for our causes. Also, it really puts them into a bind! The longer they do their stuff, the more money they raise for you! The preacher might even leave sooner than scheduled if they knew they were helping you raise money! Although we did not do this, I was intrigued by the idea.

Suggestions from Rev. Michael Piazza, Cathedral of Hope Metropolitan Community Church, Dallas

Hate preachers have picketed us a dozen times. My two best observations are these:

1. They are the best friends you could have. Their nasty signs etc. make any sane person run the other way. Even Jerry Falwell doesn't want to be associated with some of them. If your folks behave civilly you always come out looking like the better person.
   
2. The other is a bit more serious. Warn your people to stay away from them. It is our custom here to offer cold water to those who picket the church (it's a biblical thing) but not some particular groups. Some of these groups have made a living suing people who they claim "touched" them. Don't pat them on the shoulder or even try and shake their hands. This is how they fund themselves.

(Note: For a legal ruling on whether campuses can regulate where and when preachers speak on campuses visit: http://www.law.emory.edu/4circuit/dec95/951307.p.html)

Shane Windmeyer of Lambda 10 suggested:

Don't use the preacher's name; do not give him any reference or any media attention. I know this may be difficult, but publicity and visibility is what they want. If they do not anticipate any publicity then they may not even come.

Doug Bader offered:

If you have contact with an open-minded campus or community religious leader, you might enlist her/his help to enlist those from various faith communities who understand the need to respond to the kind of hideous actions of hate-filled preachers. I assume you can gather students to stand in silent protest or hold candles or whatever. How much more effective if you could have religious leaders (in clerical garb) and members of various faith communities (students, kids and the elderly, families, etc) standing in solidarity against such despicable behavior. One respected religious leader in the community might be able to help you pull this off. A coalition (progressive clergy association) would be even more effective.

From Tom Asimos:

I would give serious consideration to doing nothing at all about some hate preachers. That is, who better to show the world how crazy they are than them and their own gangs? Look at the reactions when preachers protested the Matthew Shepard funeral. Even many, many people who oppose homosexuality were mortified that some would stage a protest at the funeral of someone who had died such a cruel death. Sure, there were people who agreed with him, but nothing you might do would change those peoples' minds. Although I suspect that his visit will bring up pain, its possible that in the end something good would come of his visit. That is, the more people who are exposed to these messages, which are so OBVIOUSLY un-Christian (even to many conservative evangelicals), the more people that will know just how off his rocker he is.

The following items, from Brown University and Ohio University, are from press releases about events at those campuses.

Brown University:

Members of the Westboro Baptist Church were holding up large colored signs and at one point singing hymns with antigay lyrics. Across the street, Brown students watched at first, and then began to mock the . . . protesters by launching into choruses of "Amazing Grace" and "This Land is Your Land."

Shifting gears, the students began to dance in the street when one student's portable stereo began to blast Aretha Franklin's "I'm Coming Out" and Gloria Gaynor's "I Will Survive."

"What's great is that this is funny, people are laughing at this," Brown student Liz Loeb told the Herald. "There's a sense of how absurd [the protest] is."

Ohio University

ATHENS, Ohio -- What was supposed to be a debate turned into a fiasco Friday afternoon at Baker Center after one side stood silently in protest and tried to block out the other, refusing to move until police arrived.

"Brother Jed vs. Swarm of Dykes" was to feature an hour-long debate between Christian preacher Jed Smock and members of the Ohio University lesbian activist group. The special edition of You're Wrong, a public access television show produced by the student group Conservative Front Inc., was shown live on channel 23 at 5 p.m.

However, immediately after Reuben Perdue, off-campus president of Conservative Front, introduced Swarm of Dykes members including Tyle Fernandez, stood up and turned around, and about 20 people came out of the audience and stood in front of the podium with their backs turned to the camera. They had fliers taped to their backs that read "Our vulnerability in this culture will not be exploited for your entertainment." Several also had tape over their mouths.

When Smock tried to make his opening statement, some of the protesters moved in front of him. When he climbed on a chair, four protesters climbed onto tables to stand between him and the audience.

When the protesters came forward to stand in front of Smock, Perdue threatened to call the police if they did not leave or return to their seats. No one moved, and Smock proceeded to make an opening statement, followed by questions from the audience.

Smock is well-known at several colleges around the Midwest, including OU, for publicly preaching his interpretations of the Bible. His sidewalk speeches frequently include denunciations of homosexuality, and have sparked shouts of protests on College Green many times.

The following item is adapted from a press release from Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Keith Orr runs a gay bar in Ann Arbor, Mich. When he heard that Fred Phelps was coming to town to picket his place, Orr immediately came up with an inspired strategy. He turned Fred's demonstration into a fund-raiser for an Ann Arbor gay advocacy group. He simply sent emails to some 270 customers and friends, asking them to pledge any amount of money they chose for every minute Phelps & Co. picketed. The demonstration, featuring the usual crude, cruel anti-gay signs, lasted an hour. Unknown to Fred, he'd helped raise $7,500 for gays. Word of the Ann Arbor counter-maneuver has spread and has been sucessfully used in Madison and Topeka and groups in San Francisco, San Antonio and Las Vegas are ready if Fred comes to town.

Submitted by Bev Tuel. She may be reached at <Beverly.Tuel@Colorado.EDU>

Take me to this section (choose one below): LGBT Campus Offices/Centers About the Consortium Our email list Resources Frequently Asked Questions Job announcements Meetings Fundraising Search the Consortium site Feedback