I don’t know that a one-day “Economic Blackout” boycott of giant companies makes more sense than more permanently trying to support retailers that are smaller, locally owned, or that support whatever political or cause you support.
You did the right thing writing about the group from Texas. Iowans need to know when outsiders are coming into our state to share hate. I had an experience with the Westboro Baptist Church many years ago when they came to Ottumwa to disrupt the funeral of a fallen soldier. Over one hundred community residents came out and lined the streets near the church where the funeral procession would be. People from different social groups stood shoulder to shoulder talking quietly. The WBC had been given a roped off area in a vacant lot across from Walgreens. I had parked in the Walgreens parking lot and stood on the curb with others. When the WBC people showed up they were a surprisingly small group in a large white van, maybe a dozen or so. They came carrying some of their provocative signs and stood in the little roped off area. It was a nondescript family type of group, a couple of men, mostly women and a few school age kids. I do not think they expected such a large angry crowd staring them down. A local motorcycle group showed up to escort the hearse. They didn't stay long and packed up and began walking back to their van with a few community members following them about twenty feet behind. They looked intimidated and left quickly. It felt good that day to see all of the diverse people standing together against the disrespect of another group of people coming in to disrupt a family's grief. Ottumwa can be a very divided community, both socially and politically, but that day everyone stood together and I learned how well Iowans can unify if a situation calls for it. I believe that can and will happen again if need be.
I have seen the Westboro Baptist Church group several times. Young children comprised the bulk of the group. My sympathies went to the kids being raised with such hate and bigotry under the guise of a church. One encounter was driving on a street where the group was protesting in front of a church. I was enroute to my job that Sunday morning and there was little traffic. I slowed down, rolled down my car window, and it my fiercest outside voice I screamed, "Go back to Kansas." My drive-by rebellion put pep in my step all day.
I've been thinking a lot about this concept on social media lately. Most of the times I end up seeing hateful, bigoted, false things on my timeline it's because someone with similar beliefs as me will repost it to call out the original poster or make fun of them in some way. I understand the instinct, but it makes me wonder how these things would possibly fade into the background if we didn't draw attention to it. These types of groups also seem to get off on making people angry and upset. It's like how we tell kids to ignore bullies because they're just doing it for attention. I don't have an answer to any of it, but it's a question worth asking for sure.
You did the right thing writing about the group from Texas. Iowans need to know when outsiders are coming into our state to share hate. I had an experience with the Westboro Baptist Church many years ago when they came to Ottumwa to disrupt the funeral of a fallen soldier. Over one hundred community residents came out and lined the streets near the church where the funeral procession would be. People from different social groups stood shoulder to shoulder talking quietly. The WBC had been given a roped off area in a vacant lot across from Walgreens. I had parked in the Walgreens parking lot and stood on the curb with others. When the WBC people showed up they were a surprisingly small group in a large white van, maybe a dozen or so. They came carrying some of their provocative signs and stood in the little roped off area. It was a nondescript family type of group, a couple of men, mostly women and a few school age kids. I do not think they expected such a large angry crowd staring them down. A local motorcycle group showed up to escort the hearse. They didn't stay long and packed up and began walking back to their van with a few community members following them about twenty feet behind. They looked intimidated and left quickly. It felt good that day to see all of the diverse people standing together against the disrespect of another group of people coming in to disrupt a family's grief. Ottumwa can be a very divided community, both socially and politically, but that day everyone stood together and I learned how well Iowans can unify if a situation calls for it. I believe that can and will happen again if need be.
I have seen the Westboro Baptist Church group several times. Young children comprised the bulk of the group. My sympathies went to the kids being raised with such hate and bigotry under the guise of a church. One encounter was driving on a street where the group was protesting in front of a church. I was enroute to my job that Sunday morning and there was little traffic. I slowed down, rolled down my car window, and it my fiercest outside voice I screamed, "Go back to Kansas." My drive-by rebellion put pep in my step all day.
Yes, you did the right thing. When it's under your nose, it needs to be acknowledged. Thank you
I've been thinking a lot about this concept on social media lately. Most of the times I end up seeing hateful, bigoted, false things on my timeline it's because someone with similar beliefs as me will repost it to call out the original poster or make fun of them in some way. I understand the instinct, but it makes me wonder how these things would possibly fade into the background if we didn't draw attention to it. These types of groups also seem to get off on making people angry and upset. It's like how we tell kids to ignore bullies because they're just doing it for attention. I don't have an answer to any of it, but it's a question worth asking for sure.