In an effort to allow Americans to make direct requests of the Obama administration, the White House created the “We the People” website. The site allows citizens to create online petitions, and should one generate 25,000 signatures within 30 days, it automatically gets a response from the White House.
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In recent weeks, many of the petitions that have netted such a feat include ones requesting the construction of a “Death Star,” Texas secession in light of President Obama’s reelection, and the deportation of CNN’s Piers Morgan for “attacking the Second Amendment.”
Heaven, some of your fellow Americans are in desperate need of a hobby and/or need their computer privileges revoked.
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Still, there are a few petitions on the site that speak directly to the nuisances plaguing the country and my new favorite is the petition targeting the stunt queens of Christianity known as Westboro Baptist Church. Launched on Dec. 14, a petition asking that the controversial church based in Topeka, Kansas be branded as a hate group has secured more than 273,000 signatures.
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The petition reads as follows:
This group has been recognized as a hate group by organizations, such as The Southern Poverty Law Center, and has repeatedly displayed the actions typical of hate groups.
Their actions have been directed at many groups, including homosexuals, military, Jewish people and even other Christians. They pose a threat to the welfare and treatment of others and will not improve without some form of imposed regulation.
The tiny, tiny church largely made up of members from the family of its founder, Fred Phelps, is notorious for preaching that deaths are God’s retribution for the apparent acceptance of homosexuality, which is why they target funerals targeting anyone from nine-year-old girls to Iraqi war veterans.
They’ve also been long rumored to purposely antagonize funeral goers and incite violent action against them with the hopes of filing suits that will result in collecting a check. They are despicable, walking boils of religion.
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More than likely, the creator of this petition had enough of this group’s antics after they threatened to protest the funeral of Sandy Hook Elementary School principal Dawn Hochsprung. Their plans were reportedly halted by a counter-protest of motorcyclists, but nonetheless it’s understandable to see people wanting their indecency to get the proper labeling it deserves.
Likewise, there’s another petition calling for Westboro Baptist’s tax-exempt status being revoked.
I’ve signed both if for no other reason than to give this nagging band of nitwits the attention they clearly covet. I’m not completely glib about this, though. I don’t expect The White House to brand them as a “hate group.” And, as much as I’d love for their tax exempt status to be revoked (that is, if it hasn’t already), I don’t expect that either.
However, even if it’s more about symbolism than any substantive action, it’s nice to see people take a stand against bigots who cower behind their religion. Westboro Baptist may not be the only group that does this, but they are one of the loudest.
It’s about time people began yelling back.
Michael Arceneaux is a Houston-bred, Howard-educated writer and blogger. You can read more of his work on his site, The Cynical Ones. Follow him on Twitter: @youngsinick
