EDITORIAL
April 25,2007
WBC: Nothing More Than a Terrorist Hate Group
By: Sarah Servie
Contributing Writer
In the past week,
we have heard about the
terrible catastrophe of the
Virginia Tech shootings.
Over thirty innocent stu
dents lost their lives at
the hands of a crazed
murderer. While a vast
majority of Americans
agree that the families of
the Virginia Tech victims
should be able to have
this time to mourn their
loved ones in peace, there
is, sadly, one extremist
hate group that says oth
erwise.
The Westboro
Baptist Church (and I use
the term "church" loosely)
claims that the students
involved in the shooting
were being punished by
God. The WBC plans to
voice this outlandish claim
by picketing every funeral
of each Virginia Tech vic
tim. This group, which
advertises slogans such
as "God Hates America"
and "God Hates Fags,"
is an abomination. They
claim that any negative
thing that happens to citi
zens of the United States
is the wrath of God, pun
ishment for the United
States' support of alter
nate lifestyles, war, and
"worshipping" the dead
by way of funerals. These
are the same people who,
in recent months, have
picketed the funerals of
dead soldiers. Should
this group, although,
supposedly, within their
Constitutional rights,
be allowed to picket the
funerals of the Virginia
Tech students? ' -
I think it is a trag
edy that one group of
lunatics should be able
to ruin the funerals of
students, who were com
pletely innocent, robbed
of their futures. A legit
imate church would be
concerned with helping
the families of the victims
through such a terrible
time, instead of parad
ing their agenda to the
media.
App ar ently I amnot
the only person who feels
this way. Mike Gallagher,
host of a national radio
talk show, has agreed to
give the WBC three hours
of air time if the group
promises not to picket the
Virginia Tech funerals.
While I think it is excel
lent that the families of
these victims won't have
to worry about uninvited
maniacs at the funerals, I
don't think that the WBC
should be given the cred
ibility of national radio air
time. During their sched
uled time slot, the WBC
plans to discuss their
position on the Virginia
Tech shootings. Listening
to the WBC slander the
reputations of the Virginia
Tech victims seems almost
as bad as having to watch
them picket the funerals.
Something needs
to be done to check this
group of insane radicals.
They have perverted the
words of God and embar
rassed Christians every
where. While freedom of
speech is something vital
to this country, it seems
to me that the dissemi
nation of hate during a
time of national catastro
phe is something America
would have a supreme
interest in stopping.
Needless to say, I will not
be tuning in to listen to
members of the WBC rant
about "God's will," and
I would hope that other
self-respecting Americans
wouldn't waste their time
listening to the WBC's
garbage either.
u
Can a computer solve a Sudoku puzzle? What does the Cherokee Indians’ cloth
ing tell us about their culture? Do Meredith students let themselves be “guilted
into doing things for others? And why are there so many spiders on our campus
Ihis year? You’ll find the answers to these questions, along with a peek at the lat
est fashions made from bamboo and recycled soda bottles, at Celebrating Student
Achievement Day, here on campus on Thursday, April 26 from 7:30 a.m. until 10:00 p.m.
This event, now in its seventh year, features academic papers and posters, creative
works in the visual and performing arts, and ceremonies to honor excellence in aca
demics and leadership. Conference programs will be available in Johnson Hall and
the SMB atrium. Lunch—a picnic in the courtyard if weather allows—is free for stu
dents with meal plans and $4.00 for others. A band of Chinese musicians will perform,
along with students in Meredith’s improvisational dance group. Anyone is welcome
to read a short poem or quotation celebrating diversity at the open mike during lunch.
The evening concludes with a DanceWorks recital in Jones Auditorium at 8:00 p.m.
Come and Celebrate Student Achievement Day
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