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Church protest at Miami draws crowd

Miami University students follow members of the Westboro Baptist Church's as they leave, giving the group some cold goodbyes. Members of the Westboro Baptist Church came to Miami University on Tuesday, Oct. 25 to picket the school.

staff photo Miami University students follow members of the Westboro Baptist Church's as they leave, giving the group some cold goodbyes. Members of the Westboro Baptist Church came to Miami University on Tuesday, Oct. 25 to picket the school.

ENLARGE PHOTO

Photos: Westboro Church at Miami U.

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By Richard Wilson, Staff Writer Updated 8:44 AM Wednesday, October 26, 2011

HAMILTON — Thousands of Miami University students rallied Tuesday afternoon against a small group from a Kansas-based church that holds protests to express its views against homosexuality.

Standing near the Shriver Center on Spring Street, four members of the Topeka, Kan.-based Westboro Baptist Church held signs that stated “Don’t Pray for the USA” as well as anti-gay speech. They were hard to find amid the throngs of students surrounding them on each side of the street chanting “USA.”

The protest at Miami came about after a visit by the group to a comparative religion class was canceled. The class was researching extreme religious views, but concerns were raised on campus among students and colleagues about the group’s extreme views, said Claire Wagner, MU public relations director.

The church group, whose website is godhatesamerica.com, has held protests at military funerals to express its anti-gay message.

The protest became a “positive diversity event” opportunity for students, who wore white shirts as a statement to “white out hate,” Wagner said.

Miami police officers were visible throughout the area. After 30 minutes of sign-waving, yells and chants, the small group of Westboro church members were escorted to their van and away from campus for their safety.

Lt. Ben Spilman said there were no violent conflicts or problems with the protesters.

“At this point we’ve not seen anything like that,” he said. “We’re just trying to keep them out of the streets.”

The event attracted the Freedom Riders, a group of motorcycle enthusiasts who provide escorts at military funerals. The revving of Harley Davidson engines drew loud praise from the large crowd.

University of Cincinnati student Amanda Vogt stood on the north side of Spring Street holding a sign that served as a personal statement: Gay + Atheist = Soldier.

Vogt, a 20-year-old National Guard member, said she traveled from the Oak Hills High School counter-protest in Cincinnati earlier in the day to participate in the Oxford counter-protest. Vogt said she’s particularly offended by the church’s methods of spreading its message.

“If you have an issue with gays, picketing a military funeral is not the way to do it. If you’re trying to get people to God, this is not the way to do it,” she said. “(They should) take their energy to someone who cares, because nobody here does.”

Miami freshmen Tyler Saint Germain and Danielle Goldberg said they were awake at 3 a.m. making signs to prepare for the event.

Germain said someone close to him is serving in the military overseas and he’s particularly “amped up” about the church’s statements, like “Thank God for dead soldiers.”

Contact this reporter at (513) 696-4542 or rwilson@coxohio.com.

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