Originally Posted by SECdomination
(Post 1615180)
I copied this from an Auburn facebook group. The students are trying to stop Westboro picketers.
Listen up everyone!
I'm a student at Northern Illinois University and I spent the majority of last month helping out with the counter-protests happening here on campus. I have some valuable information for you so spread this around. My college was SUCCESSFUL at keeping these people away from our memorials and funerals.
1) Most WBC members are lawyers. They are unemployed because they make enough money through LAWSUITS against those who hit them, slander them, dump water on them, and throw things at them at protests. DO NOT FUND THEIR NEXT TRIP by doing any of these things!
2) At a funeral, the mourning family does NOT want to see a poster-board debate outside the building. Even though we ALL know the WBC is hateful and cruel, this doesn't meet the Burk family wants to see your posters either. Here is what NIU did: sheets and tarps. Attach sheets and tarps to tall poles and BLOCK the WBC from sight - let the family mourn. This was wildly successful at several NIU funerals, so much so that the WBC packed up and LEFT. Someone from your school needs to head up this project to arrange rides, tarp-building activities, etc. YOU CAN DO IT!
3) If you must make signs, do not make them a counterargument. Our favorite sign read "God Loves Ryanne Mace." In this way, you are showing support for the family rather than flashing a witty slogan to the WBC - who, by the way, don't care what anyone has to say.
4) While holding tarps and sheets, WEAR YOUR iPOD, and turn up the volume. You'll be hearing lots of hatred and screaming from these people. Don't be tempted to react! Just stand there, listen to some music, and block them out entirely. You will drive them absolutely wild by doing this.
5) The Patriot Guard is unable to assist at the funerals/memorials of victims like the NIU students or even Lauren. As their mission statement says, their organization exists to support the families of fallen military members. Though this often involves drowning out the WBC, this does not mean it is their mission.
6) WBC usually requests a police escort. On the night of our memorial, the WBC did not request a police escort. This was an indicator to us that they were not coming. Lo and behold - they never showed.
All in all, WBC threated NIU with protests at all five funerals and several memorials on campus. They attended two funerals and were blocked by our tarps. They did not attempt to protest at any other funerals, nor did they make an appearance at our large memorial on the 24th.
If you band together, you will see similar success! Good luck to you!
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