Wesboro Baptist Church

Westboro Baptist Church, based in Topeka, Kansas, is a small, extremely homophobic, anti-Semitic hate group that regularly stages protests around the country, often several times a week. The group pickets institutions and individuals they think support homosexuality or otherwise disagree in what they believe is God’s law. Established in 1995, as a not-for-profit organization, WBC considers itself an “Old School" Baptist Church. WBC’s leader Fred Phelps and several of his children and dozens of his grandchildren appear to make up the majority of the group’s members.

On the church's website, WBC states "We engage in daily peaceful sidewalk demonstrations opposing the homosexual lifestyle of soul-damning, nation-destroying filth. We display large, colorful signs containing Bible words and sentiments, including: GOD HATES FAGS, FAGS HATE GOD, AIDS CURES FAGS, THANK GOD FOR AIDS, FAGS BURN IN HELL, GOD IS NOT MOCKED, FAGS ARE NATURE FREAKS, GOD GAVE FAGS UP, NO SPECIAL LAWS FOR FAGS, FAGS DOOM NATIONS, THANK GOD FOR DEAD SOLDIERS, FAG TROOPS, GOD BLEW UP THE TROOPS, GOD HATES AMERICA, AMERICA IS DOOMED, THE WORLD IS DOOMED." 

WBC members say that “God’s hatred is one of His holy attributes” and that their picketing is a form of preaching to a “doomed” country unable to hear their message in any other way.  WBC says they do what they do because if they did not act in the way that they do, no one would listen. They think that their actions are moral and correct in God's eyes. WBC says that this is how God wants everyone to act.

Some people agree with what Westboro is doing. No matter how "loathsome" the Westboro Baptist Church may be, says Alana Goodman at Commentary, "the court's decision is correct." The "universally despised" group is better opposed by counter-protests or picketing laws, not by ignoring the constitution. "The price of free speech is that we have to put up with the worst of it."

However most people disagree with Westboro Baptist Church. The First Amendment should not be used to justify the "vicious verbal assault that occurred in this case," says Justice Samuel Alito in his citation of dissent. In fact, the Supreme Court has ruled before that words can, "by their very utterance, inflict injury." The First Amendment was not designed to uphold this type of "malevolent verbal attack."

When I googled Westboro Baptist Church I notice right off the bat that something was wrong.  Instead of having a normal website name such as "www.wesborobaptistchurch.com" the website is called www.godhatesfags.com. What Wesboro Baptist Church is doing is both immoral and disgusting.  They put words in other peoples mouths claiming that they are Christians and following what God wants, by believing in Christianity.  These people are no where near Christian.  By traveling around the world spreading their hate towards soldiers, homosexuals, and Jews does nothing but promote hate.  Human dignity is a type of worth that every human being has. It is used as a right of respect during political, moral, or ethical conversations. The people at Westboro use their human dignity in the wrong way by not respecting peoples opinions and ways of life. These people think that what they are doing is a charity for the world but it is just sick and wrong.  Everyone is entitled to their own way of life and these people should not try to stop it.  Especially the way they are doing it.

Cyber-Bullying

Cyber-bullying is the use of the Internet and related technologies to harm other people, in a deliberate, repeated, and hostile manner.  As cyber-bullying is becoming more common in society, many groups are trying there best to stop it.  The term cyber-bullying was first coined and defined by Bill Belsey, as "the use of information and communication technologies to support deliberate, repeated, and hostile behavior by an individual or group, that is intended to harm others."  Cyber-bullying can be as simple as continuing to send e-mail to someone who has said they want no further contact with the sender, but it may also include threats, sexual remarks, "hate speech", ganging up on victims, and posting false statements about someone to humiliate them. 

Cyber-bullying statistics: http://drclaudiocerullo.com/2011/01/05/cyber-bullying-statistics/

The Harford County Examiner reported concerning statistics on cyber bullying:

• Around half of teens have been the victims of cyber bullying
• Only 1 in 10 teens tells a parent if they have been a cyber bully victim
• Fewer than 1 in 5 cyber bullying incidents are reported to law enforcement
• 1 in 10 adolescents or teens have had embarrassing or damaging pictures taken of themselves without their permission, often using cell phone cameras
• About 1 in 5 teens have posted or sent sexually suggestive or nude pictures of themselves to others
• Girls are somewhat more likely than boys to be involved in cyber bullying

These statistics alot with many others are very alarming and scary to see.  Statistics show that cyber bullying is a serious problem among adolescents and teens. By being more aware of cyber bullying, teens and adults can help to fight it.  Many cyber bullies think that bullying others online is funny and harmless. Cyber bullies may not realize the consequences for themselves of cyber-bullying. The things teens post online now may reflect badly on them later when they apply for college or a job.  It is always important to be extremely careful of what you put online.  Once you hit the send button whatever you type or post is on the internet, FOREVER.



There are many ways to help stop cyber-bullying. http://www.stopcyberbullying.org/take_action/take_a_stand_against_cyberbullying.html is a great website that gives individuals information on how to prevent and take a stand against cyber-bullying. We need to teach children that silence, when others are being hurt, is not acceptable. If they don’t allow the cyberbullies to use them to embarrass or torment others, cyber-bullying will quickly stop. It’s a large task, but in the end, our children will be safer online and offline. We will have helped create a generation of good cybercitizens, controlling the technology instead of being controlled by it.