Anti-protesters support "rebellious brats" of Heritage

Sheets were flung over shoulders creating make-shift wings and flags were raised as a cluster of "angels" marched about a mile to speak-up for their beliefs against Westboro Baptist Church rhetoric. Honks, waves, and shouts from passers-by encouraged the group, who yielded a sign reading "God loves all, Westboro a little less."

Clark College's Queer Penguins gathered June 1 at a nearby Fred Meyer's parking lot to assemble signs and organize a parade to Heritage High School in Vancouver, where they spoke out against members of the Topeka, Kan. congregation.

Seven members of the WBC, notorious for protesting funerals of fallen soldiers with banners that read "Thank God for 9-11" and "God hates fags," faced strong protest to their presence at Heritage.

The WBC chose to picket outside Heritage because of their opinion the student body exhibits rebellious behavior. The group's online picket schedule called for speaking out against the "Rebellious brats and lying teachers at Heritage High School."

Pam Dunham, whose granddaughter goes to Heritage and also attends Clark as a running-start student, wore a specially-made T-shirt proclaiming herself a "Rebellious Brat."

"I feel that what these people are doing today is bullying our children," she said.

The church, under founder Fred Phelps, has "not quite a 100 members," said Shirley Phelps-Roper during a FOX news broadcast April 24, 2006. "About 80 percent are our family," she said.

Jael Phelps of the WBC said, "We came here because this school has a large student body."

Amanda Gallagher, president of Queer Penguins, said Clark students and the other approximately 300 other counter-protesters were there to support Heritage from being targeted by the WBC.

Dustina Haase-lanier, alumnus of the Queer Penguins, said her son will attend Heritage next year. "I feel strongly as a parent to show some love to these students," she said.

The Queer Penguins, along with running start and other Clark students, headed to the site of the protest an hour before the WBC was scheduled to arrive.

Niea Vickstrom, said, "We're here to show people what we're [gays] about as opposed to them [WBC] saying what we're about."

About Two-dozen law-enforcement officers shut down Northeast 130th Ave. as a safety zone for the protest.

Sgt. Tim Bieber said he was concerned for public safety and, using a layered system, had enough staff there for any problem that may arise. He said more police were on-call if needed.

Carol Fenstermacher, Evergreen School District's Director of Communications, said Heritage ran a school-wide video sixth period telling students their rights and encouraging them to not engage in the protest. "At first students asked "why us?". Now they want to show what Heritage is all about," she said.

Legacy High School student, Hope Dierks, heard about the occurrence on facebook. "Every Web-site that teenagers use has something about this on it," said Dierks.

"I think they're going off a really big stereotype of high school students," said Heritage student Dylan Peterson. "I have military family and think it's hugely disrespectful what they do."

"For me, they're about as un-American as it can get," said veteran Nicholas CareFelle of Ft. Lewis. "They should be strapped to the front of a Humvee and see how it feels. Be sent to the other side of the world where they can't do something like this."

With bullhorns and signs reading "God does not hate anyone" and "1, 2, 3, thanks to soldiers we are free," people jeered and chanted, "Go home" as the self-proclaimed "prophets" arrived, timed with the 2:20 p.m. end of the school day.

The WBC walked to their pre-designated area carrying signs and wearing shirts proclaiming God's hatred for "fags" and America and singing, "God destroys you with his might and your army goes marching to hell."

WBC member Jacob Phelps said it's Heritage parents' fault the group was there. "This is the only gospel preached to these kids," he said. "[We know] the reaction is going to be angry. We hope they will be angry to see these words."

"We are in the area because it's one of the largest schools in the area. We'll get the most media coverage here," said Joshua Phelps. "I'm not sure what better way to get this message out; it's not OK to be gay."

In contrast to the WBC's reputation for funding demonstrations by inciting reactions in order to sue, the cluster remained relatively passive.

The crowd of anti-protestors cheered as the WBC left 25 minutes after arriving.

Clark student Sami Hanson said she was glad to see the community come together, but felt relief when the protest was over.

"We were hoping for the best, and this was pretty much what we were hoping for," Sgt. Bieber said. "Both groups got the chance to exercise their first amendment right safely."

Hours before the protest began, a support rally for lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, trans-sexual, trans-gendered, and questioning persons (LGBTQ) was sponsored by the YWCA of Vancouver and held at their Main Street headquarters.

According to a YWCA official, about a dozen people were expected to show. Instead, more than 100 people listened to keynote speakers Reverend Tom Tucker, pastor of Vancouver Heights United Methodist Church, Former Pastor Maxwell Farley, and Rabbi Elizabeth Dunsker of the Congregation Kol Ami Synagogue in Vancouver.

Rain threatened but held as passers-by honked and waved. A white gazebo covered 11 seated persons while scores of others formed a standing semi-circle on the grass around the speaker's platform.