The Westboro Baptist Church is widely known for picketing military funerals in opposition to what it says is America’s acceptance of homosexuality.

Church members planned a picket at ELHS because of e-mails sent to the church by students criticizing its actions.

Old Hickory Lane was partially partitioned by 8-foot tall fencing to separate picketers from the nearly 400 counter-protesters at the site. There also was a counterprotest at the All Saints Episcopal Church’s parking lot, 800 Abbot Road, which drew a crowd of about 500 to sing and dance along to upbeat music.

Both areas were packed with signs reading a variety of messages ranging from “I ‘heart’ my gay little brother” to “I kissed a girl and I liked it.” Counter-protesters consisted of a range of people, including high school and MSU students, as well as community members and leaders.

The three members of Westboro Baptist Church held signs bearing phrases such as “God is your enemy” and “You hate your kids.”

“These young people are in exquisite discomfort, and when we show up and say (a) few words and (hold) a few signs, it’s like putting a massive light on a sick darkness,” said Margie Phelps, a member of the Westboro Baptist Church who participated in the picket as well as a First Amendment panel at MSU’s College of Law earlier in the day. “It’s exactly what I saw today — massive confusion and danger across the street.”

At the picket site, counter-protesters sang “Kumbaya” and chanted “Go green, go white” while people waved gay pride and American flags. Down the street from the high school picket, counter-protesters lined Abbot Road and encouraged people driving by to honk in support of veterans, homosexuality and positivity.

The Rev. Kit Carlson of All Saints Episcopal Church said the counterprotest was a positive way to unite the community. The cold weather did not bring down the festive demeanor of the gathering, she said.

“Love is stronger than hate and good is stronger than evil and this proves it to me,” Carlson said.
Theatre senior Piaget Ventus said the counterprotest was peaceful, and seeing the community come together was incredible.

“Everybody in this city is coming together to just be in support of each other no matter what,” Ventus said. “I think it’s a really beautiful thing.”

The picket and counterprotests were respectful of the guidelines from the East Lansing Police Department, East Lansing police Capt. Kim Johnson said. There were 40 to 45 officers on site.

“We’ve had to give the most credit to the community really because we couldn’t have done it without their help,” Johnson said.

East Lansing is an open and tolerant place, said East Lansing City Councilmember Kevin Beard, who attended the counterprotest at All Saints Episcopal Church.

“The group that came here today to protest against that doesn’t have any place here,” Beard said.
“Everybody is entitled to their opinion, but I would much rather be here supporting the openness and the tolerance.”

Lily Ramos, a senior at ELHS, said when she first heard about the church on television she thought its actions were “astounding and complete disrespectful.”

“I didn’t think there was any reason to come here, but now I see it’s real, it’s happening. I still can’t believe they have the nerve to travel around the country and say things like this.”

Lauren Russell, an army veteran who served in Iraq, held a sign reading “Proud Gay Vet” at the counterprotest at All Saints Episcopal Church. Russell said Westboro Baptist Church misinterprets the Bible. God loves everyone, she said.

“It’s great that everybody came out just to show a bunch of love,” Russell said.

Russell, who moved to Lansing from Louisiana four years ago, said the area is more accepting than the south.

“I love to live in a city like this,” she said.