The Virginian-Pilot
©
NORFOLK
The hate picketers did not show. But the peace demonstrators did.
More than 250 people – Jewish, Baptist, Pagan – showed up at Temple Israel on Monday evening for a planned peaceful walk past picketers from Westboro Baptist Church of Kansas and into the synagogue.
But the picketers, who are known for their anti-gay, anti-military and anti-Semitic rhetoric, were a no-show.
Rabbi Michael Panitz was more pleased with the diversity of the turnout. He estimated that only about 75 were from his congregation and the rest were supporters from as far as Williamsburg.
“They wanted to stand with people who are under the attack of bigotry,” Panitz said. “I was very heartened to see it.”
The Kansas group listed recently on its Web site that it would demonstrate at various local sites through Wednesday, including the funeral of a 19-year-old Chesapeake Marine who was killed two weeks ago in Afghanistan. The WBC is listed as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center.
Four WBC members, including a child, appeared near Maury and Granby high schools earlier Monday but they were quickly outnumbered. Crowds of more than 150, at both sites, waved gay pride flags, chanted “Virginia is for Lovers” and touted posters declaring “Diversity is Beautiful” and “Elton John is my Homeboy.”
A more subdued crowd gathered behind Temple Israel before 5, and Panitz led them into the sanctuary. Before beginning the daily services, he pointed to a row of stained-glass windows.
One told the story of Isaiah and showed a man hammering swords into plowshares, ending war. Another frame depicted train tracks leading to an archway – the death chambers of the Holocaust.
The last told the story of the one day when all men will transcend their differences, Panitz said, and live in peace.
Denise Watson Batts, (757) 446-2504, denise.batts@pilotonline.com
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Westboro Baptist Church
Just more Christians.
ALL OF KANSAS DOES NOT SUPPORT WESTBORO CHURCH
Hello I am from Wichita Kansas and I think SOME people need to do their research before making their signs and saying comments that they said yesterday. I saw people with GOD HATES KANSAS and KANSAS SUCKS Most people in Kansas ignores Westboro Baptist Church its not like every single Kansan follows them. It made me very happy to see everyone at the protest yesterday My grandfather died in 2007 and we had to leave out that he was an army veteran in the newspaper because the church wanted to picket in Wichita that day. I thank everyone for spreading the word that WESTBORO CHURCH ONLY SPREADS HATE WHAT THEY TEACH AND PREACH HOLDS NO WATER WITH US
Gay Turnout
Yossss!!!! You better work ladies
Poor reporting
Denise, they did show up. I saw them on the corner of Colonial and Spotswood, just down the street from the Temple. Are you that oblivious? How long have you been in journalism?
I saw signs that read "God hates Jews and Fags", among others. I had my five year old in the car with me. He asked what those signs said and why those people were holding signs.
Temple Israel is off of
Temple Israel is off of Granby Street, near Wards Corner. It's not anywhere near Colonial and Spotswood.
WBC did not show up at the temple because...
they were down the street screaming at the hoola hoop lady that she was going to hell for moving her hips.
Wow, sometimes 757 impresses
Wow, sometimes 757 impresses me. Kudos to all those that showed up! I thought about it, but at last, customers at work come first.
Where was Fred?
Intersting comment you made yesterday on the tea party turnout thread---
Note in each of the three instances today,
more folks turning out to stand against intolerance
than the tea party could muster.