Just days after the article was released in the Miami Student about plans to host the Westboro Baptist Church the news story had gone viral. Text messages, Facebook statuses, Tweets, newspaper articles and even video segments were spread all across Ohio. An article was featured in the Oxford Press, The Dayton Daily News, and video footage was all over news stations in Cincinnati. The Miami Student, along with the Oxford Press, released a new article saying that the Westboro Baptist Church was now planning to picket on Miami’s campus on October 25. Ironically, the church had already agreed that if they were to visit they would not picket Miami or the city of Oxford.The church’s website reports they have scheduled to picket our campus calling us ” First Amendment hating cowards who have no courage of their convictions regarding academic freedom and worse”.
Honestly I can’t help but think these people are crazy, and I find the whole situation somewhat comical. They really think that by standing in the street waving some colorful signs covered with spiteful words they are going to change our opinions? These people are attention seekers. They take joy in harassing people just to piss them off. I think they have every right to be on our campus and to protest whatever it is they think we are doing wrong, but why do we feel the need to retaliate. Why not just ignore them and their dumb signs. They have the freedom of the first amendment but just because they are talking doesn’t mean we have to listen. I think that if it really bothers people that much then they should avoid the area for the mere thirty minutes they will be on campus. Yes everyone has the freedom to state their opinions and stand up for what they believe in, and that’s what makes this country so unique. But just because they open their mouths doesn’t mean we should have to open our ears.
Article from the Oxford Press
Freedom of the First Amendment 