The Westboro Baptist Church is one of the most despised groups in the country. They manage to appear everywhere and protest everything.
The group began in 1955 and is not ashamed to shove its ideals in your face. Even their homepage’s URL is enough to make anyone uncomfortable. There is respectfully disagreeing with a person and then there is the obnoxious way the WBC shoves it in your face. They despise homosexuality and gay marriage.
Here is a list of some of the worst, most hateful things they have done and ways people have tried to stop them.
Protesting funerals for veterans
The WBC has protested the funerals of our heroes who have paid the ultimate sacrifice for their country fighting in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. People have become so annoyed by this that they have tried to keep them from coming. Back in December, we wrote about the Texas A&M students who formed a human wall to keep the WBC from protesting Texas A&M alum Lt. Col. Roy Tisdale’s funeral back in June.
Protesting Celebrity Funerals
For some reason, the group enjoys annoying fans of musicians, actors and other celebrities when they die. Just last week, they said they would protest Slayer guitarist Jeff Hanneman’s funeral before the family has even had a chance to make its plans. In April, they said they would picket legendary film critic Roger Ebert’s funeral, but they didn’t show up. Back in March 2011, they said they would picket Elizabeth Taylor’s funeral, citing her status as an icon in the gay community and her dedication to the fight against AIDS. They even protested Heath Ledger’s funeral in 2008.
Protesting concerts
Just like their protests of funerals, the WBC loves to show up at concerts to protest. They have protested Justin Bieber and Lady Gaga shows. The Foo Fighters’ Dave Grohl even sang an anti-WBC song at a concert in September 2011.
Protesting the NBA because of Jason Collins
The moment NBA player Jason Collins became the first openly gay male athlete in a major American sport, you knew the WBC was planning on some outrageous way to protest the NBA. After his Sports Illustrated essay was published, the group vowed to protest at games, notes The Huffington Post.
Protesting funerals for the Boston Marathon Bombing victims
As a Boston area native, it seems unfathomable that they would have the guts to protest at the funerals of the three people who were killed by the bombings in Boston last month. But, as US News reports, they planned to do it. Hacktivist group Anonymous swooped in and threatened the group if they went through with it.
Thankfully, people despise the WBC
People cannot stand the WBC, which is becoming more obvious after every one of their threats to protest. Back in December, the most popular White House WeThePeople petition was one that asked President Obama to label the group a “Hate Group.” One of the best anti-WBC moves came in March when an organization called Planting Peace bought a house next to the WBC’s Kansas headquarters just so they could repaint it in gay pride colors.