Eastern Michigan University was just notified that Fred Phelps, Minister of the Westboro Baptist Church will be protesting on Friday, May 9th at noon. Known for his "God Hates Fags" websites and propaganda, Fred Phelps is coming to protest against a student organization that allegedly promotes "the sodomite agenda." Triangle Foundation stands behind EMU and their LGBT Resource Center and invites our members to join in support of the LGBT community.
Although free speech is a valuable part of our society, this protest goes against our values as a social justice organization and EMU's values and creed. Triangle Foundation and EMU would like to use this event to show our solidarity against hate, exclusion and bigotry. Members of our community are intimidated and harassed on a daily basis and we can take this day to protest the discrimination we experience as a community of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people.
If you would like to join Triangle Foundation and other LGBT and allied organizations on EMU's campus, we would appreciate your support. Those of us who attend, please do not engage in violent ways or angry reactions. Be mindful he engages in spiritual abuse against LGBT people and our allies. After their protest we encourage our community to assist us in symbolically and physically washing the area of hate, bigotry, and exclusion with mops and brooms.
If you are unable to attend this event but wish to support EMU's efforts, please contact their office at 734-487-4149 or their website. We all have a responsibility to do what we can to eliminate hate like this from our society. Please help us with your time or your resources to show those who hate us that we are a community of compassionate and dedicated people, who deserve to be treated as such.
