How Can You Stand Up Against Hate?

As you may have heard, this Tuesday, September 1st, Fred Phelps and his hate group, the Westboro Baptist Church is coming to Montpelier and Burlington with his "God Hates Fags" and anti-Semitic messages.

As Vermont's community center and advocacy organization for the LGBT community we want to invite the community to help us turn this hate filled message into something positive for our community, and to take this opportunity to educate the public about the work that remains to be done.

RU12? runs the SafeSpace Anti-Violence Program for LGBT victims of hate crimes, discrimination, domestic and sexual violence. On a regular basis in Vermont members of our community, youth and adults, experience hate speech, discrimination, bias and sometimes physical violence because of their actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity. SafeSpace at RU12? served over 100 Vermont victims this year alone.

September 1^st should be a day to acknowledge both our accomplishments as a community, and also how much we still need to do to ensure full equality and safety for all Vermonters. September 1st should also be a day to celebrate the LGBT community and our supporters who helped accomplish marriage equality.

Here are ways to take action against hate and to support the LGBT community in Vermont:

 1) Counter Phelps’ message by helping RU12? end hate and build community: Pledge a dime, a quarter, a dollar or two dollars, (or however much you can!) to RU12? for every minute WBC is picketing in Vermont. Visit: http://www.inlu.com/registry?key=1AW2D6CSLY461 to pledge, or www.ru12.org to learn more about resources for  the LGBT community and how to get involved.

 2) Attend a Community Meeting of Solidarity in the Face of Hate Speech organized by members of religious communities, Monday, August 31^st, 7:30pm, First Congregational Church, 38 Winooski Ave., Burlington, For more information call Rabbi Chasan, 864-0218.

 3) Celebrate Marriage Equality and Vermont's leadership at an event sponsored by the Vermont Gay Travel Association and benefiting Vermont CARES  and the People with AIDS Coalition. (Visit: http://www.smallstatebigheart.com)

 4) Support the Marriage Equality movement: sign up for a phone bank to help Maine. Email Sheryl@vtfreetomarry.org for a list of dates and locations.  Or you can volunteer to fill a shift at a VT county fair to thank Vermont.  Email Sheryl@vtfreetomarry.org or Ashley@vtfreetomarry.org.

 5) Write a letter to the editor of your local paper expressing your support for the LGBT and Jewish communities, and condemning hate speech.

 6) Post a comment below, let's get talking and work together to end hate!

Comments

[luke]

According to his sons Matt and Nate, Fred Phelps used to beat his children with the handle of a tool called a mattock. (looks like a pick ax)
I thought it might serve as an unpleasant reminder to his adult children of their childhood beating, if a bunch of people showed up carrying a mattock.