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Westboro Baptist Heading To Vermont To Protest Marriage Equality

08/18/09- by Bridgette P. LaVictoire
Kansas-based Westboro Baptist Church has decided it is time to come to protest in Vermont yet again. Back in 2000 after civil unions were passed Westboro Baptist Church came here to protest. This time they are coming here to protest the legalization of same-sex marriage. The marriage equality bill was passed by the Vermont Assembly by overwhelming margins. Marriages will begin being performed as of 1 September. In a press release the group called the Vermont State Legislature a “sodomite brothel masquerading as the legislature”.

The most recent visit to the northeast by Westboro Baptist was to Plattsburgh, New York. The dozen or so protesters from Westboro were outnumbered by some 200 counter protesters. This has become very common as many people stand up to the Westboro Baptist Church. In recent years the tendency has been for many of the counter protesters to raise money for a variety of LGBT friendly causes. It is likely that this will happen at this protest as well.

Westboro Baptist Church is planning on protesting at Montpelier High School and then later protests at the Statehouse. It is unlikely that they will have any real support here in Vermont and any attempt to make this uncivil protest both further upset many Vermonters. The majority of Vermonters supported the move from civil unions to full marriage rights. The minority in the opposition have remained vocal via letters to the editor, but there does not appear to be a great deal of upset regarding this issue. It is unlikely that the protesters from Westboro will change any minds were do anything but waste their time standing in protest of what has already been done and legally passed by the Vermont State Assembly. Vermonters, like many New Englanders and Upstate New Yorkers, are heavily resistant to outside interference in their affairs.

Certainly be dollars that Westboro Baptist Church will spend here in Vermont if for nothing more than a tank of gas are more than welcome, and they will find that Vermonters will be more than hospitable to those who are opposed to the core values of Vermont.