The skanner., February 24, 2016, Page 14, Image 14

Page 6 The Skanner Black History Edition - February 24, 2016
Black History
By Rachel Kersey
Special to NNPA from Howard
University News Service
WASHINGTON — Westboro Bap-
tist Church, the infamous unaffiliat-
ed church known for its hateful, un-
orthodox protests, especially against
homosexuality, brought its hate speech
to Howard University – and the univer-
sity’s students and staff fought back.
Armed with picket signs, the orga-
nization, which has been denounced
by the two largest Baptist denomina-
tions, April 10, gathered on 6th Street
“
there and may be called to repentance
by the Lord their God.”
Howard students met the signs with
their own. Dressed in all-black or rain-
bow colors, the students held signs that
read “HOWARD <3s OUR LGBTQ,” “ALL
BLACK LOVE MATTERS” and “GOD
LOVES EVERYONE.”
Nearly 100 students gathered at the
flagpole and marched to the corner of
6th Street and Howard Place, where
they promptly turned their backs on
Westboro.
With fists raised in defiance, the sea
of students sang “Lift Every Voice and
This sort of hate-filled rhetoric is not condoned
on our campus, and we want to show them that
through a show of solidarity
on Howard’s campus to denounce
OUTlaw, Howard University School of
Law’s organization for lesbians, gays,
bisexuals, and transgender and queer
students.
“AMERICA IS DOOMED,” “MOURN
FOR YOUR SINS” and “GOD H8S FAG
MARRIAGE,” the signs read. One sign
featured a depiction of anal sex.
“It is a shameful sight to see the way
that these young people behave, and
the parents teachers and preachers
have done that to them,” the church
said on its website in explaining why it
came to Howard. “They have no chance
when they stand before the Great
White throne on Judgment Day. We
come in hopes that one little lamb is out
Sing,” and more than one student shed
a few tears. Only 20 minutes after start-
ing, Westboro headed down the hill to
the taunts of Howard students, who
turned around to send them on their
way.
“I thought it was perfect,” said Nia
Johnson, a junior economics major. “I
definitely felt the love and I felt proud.
I was actually happy it ended early.
Our power showed them that it wasn’t
worth it here.”
Amber Mason, president of OUTlaw,
agreed.
“This sort of hate-filled rhetoric is not
condoned on our campus, and we want
to show them that through a show of
solidarity,” Mason said.
PHOTO BY SHENARRI FREEMAN/HUNS
Anti-Gay Protest Backfires at Howard University
A group of students pose for a picture during a counterprotest against Westboro Baptist Church members
(not shown) on the campus of Howard University. Church members were on campus protesting Howard
University School of Law’s organization for lesbians, gays, bisexuals, and transgender and queer students.
“That’s now how we think here at
Howard. We are inclusive, we’re ac-
cepting and their kind of speaking and
behavior will not be condoned.”
Lydia Durfler, the organizer of the
student protest, said she did so because
LGBT community at Howard is often
slighted.
“I don’t think it gets enough outright
support from the Howard community,
especially where the administration
and faculty is concerned,” said Durfler,
a senior political science
major and an Amnesty International
intern.
“And if we had a group on campus
saying derogatory things about black
folk and we weren’t doing something to
build ourselves up in the midst of that,
that would seem pretty crazy. The same
goes for the LGBTQ community.”
Joshua Narcisse, president of the
Chapel Assistants, an interfaith organi-
zation with Howard’s Andrew Rankin
Memorial Chapel, said his organiza-
See HOWARD on page 8
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