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March 22, 2005                                                      Mark Lewis  (719) 471-9400
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Colorado rallies to counter Westboro Baptist's hateful attack on civil rights

Colorado Springs-March 22

Colorado activists will gather to protest Westboro Baptist church's second "God Hates Fags" demonstration in Colorado Springs on Thursday, March 24 from 3:30 until 5:00 pm.

The protest is sponsored by Students for Social Justice, and Springs Action Alliance, along with a broad, state wide coalition of groups working for civil rights for all citizens.

Criz Stoddard, of the Springs Action Alliance said, "While typically my inclination would be to just ignore them and their pitifully hateful crusade to damage their own kids emotionally, I believe that we, as a community, must stand up and say 'Not in Our Names.' "

"Not in our names will you come to our community and contribute nothing but hate mongering. Not in our names will we condone your putting a sign into a child's hands that proclaims that 9/11 was a good thing.  Not in our names will we accept the notion that homosexuals deserve death."

"When I see a child holding a sign that reads, 'Fags Are Worthy Of Death', I have to wonder if these people aren't trying to induce someone to commit hate crimes.  We as a community should not condone the notion that gay men and women deserve to die for their sexual orientation - no matter what our beliefs are on human sexuality", Ms. Stoddard said.

The counter demonstration will gather at City Hall, 107 N. Nevada Avenue, at 3:30 PM. Then at 4:00 at Poor Richard's, 324 N. Tejon. Then at 4:30 at the Gill Foundation, 315 E. Costilla.

Organizer Mark Lewis, of the Springs Action Alliance, and producer of a daily alternative news digest,  said, "The hateful, intolerant messages of Phelps, Dobson, Falwell, and Robertson have their parallels in Muslim cultures with groups like the Taliban and Wahhabis." "Intolerance, hate, and discrimination are not the family values of Jesus, Mohammed, or Abraham."

"The statement that "fags are worthy of death" is not protected speech, in spite of the clever attempt; either under US Code, as decided in Virginia v. Black, or under the Colorado Revised Statute 31-21-106.5". "It's intimidation, harassment, and incitement; and in the name of Jesus".

"That's what gets me", Mr. Lewis said. "It's like fighting armed revolution in the Name of Ghandi." "Or killing thousands in the World Trade Center in the name of Mohammed."

"I think the batteries are low in their Bibles".

The counter protest will be peaceful and lawful, although Westboro Baptist is known for inciting violence against their detractors. The organizers encourage all in attendance to ignore the hate speech, baiting, and incitement, and observe all laws, being peaceful in words and actions.


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