Westboro Church protestors on Jackson Avenue / (Sasha Owens)
Oxford resident counter-protest on opposite side of Jackson Avenue / (Sasha Owens)
BY SASHA OWENS
Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kansas, visited Jackson Avenue in Oxford on Saturday, May 18. About 15 church members showed up as part of the group’s national campaign to picket in areas they feel are sinful.
The church has a flier on its website saying that Oxford residents and Rebels fans are idolizers of football. The site bashes the movie “The Blind Side” and says it furthers the sin of idolatry.
About 15 Westboro protesters showed up on Jackson Avenue in the early morning rain. They carried signs saying “USA’s Doom,” “Death Penalty for Fags,” and more. The group sang pop songs but changed the lyrics to promote their cause. The songs included Maroon 5’s “This Love” that was changed to “This Lust,” and Lady Gaga’s “Poker Face.” The picketers were a range of ages, from children to senior citizens. They live-tweeted and posted pictures throughout the protest to keep their followers informed.
Some Oxford residents organized a counter-protest across the street from the Westboro group. About 20 people showed up, wearing “Love thy Neighbor” stickers. They sang and danced while holding their signs.
Jade Genga, a senior BFA musical theater major at the University of Mississippi, was the organizer of the counter-protesters. “We’re all just here because the community is phenomenal,” Genga said. “Not because we’re idolizing our football team but because we’re proud of them and the hard work they’ve put in.”
Genga said the Westboro signs were horrible and that she was sad to see children in the Westboro group. She said the church website is wrong about the Ole Miss family.
“We’re not a school that teaches whoredom but a school that teaches freedom, intellect, and emphasis on integrity,” she said.
King Kobraz, Ole Miss rappers with the hit song “Rebelz (Feed Moncrief)” were also part of the counter-protest group.
Jessica Triplett, a minister at Church of Jesus Christ in Oxford, spoke about Westboro’s accusations about the university. “I feel that it was nonsense. How are you a church that says you are following Christianity but literally hate people? That’s not Christlike. You do not use the church for that.’
There were some worries that the event might get out of hand, but the Oxford Police Department and the University Police Department worked to keep things in order and make sure there was no violence. Oxford Police Department Officer Kevin Parker said they were given strict orders to not let either group cross over to the opposing side. The Oxford Police Department stayed on the side of the street with the Westboro church and the University Police Department was on the other side of the street.
University Police Department Chief Calvin Sellers confirmed that the university would have taken these same precautions if the group had decided to come on campus to protest. “Whether we agree with their beliefs or not we have to let them express themselves. We have to protect them as well,” Sellers said.
Sparky Reardon, dean of students, released a statement earlier last week saying that police would be on standby if the group decided to come on campus. He also encouraged the Ole Miss family to “use this as an opportunity to review the (university) Creed and remain committed to it.”
