"Bigots Out Now!"

- by Keith Rosenthal

BROOKLINE, Mass. - Approximately 100 people came out for a counter-protest against the right-wing, evangelical bigot, Fred Phelps and members of his Westboro Baptist Churh, on June 5th at the Brookline High School graduation.

The group of 7 bigots, descending from Topeka, Kansas, and toting placards saying "God Hates Fags," had decided to picket outside of Brookline High School because of its strong Gay Student Association (GSA) and because of the school's holding of sexual education classes that cater to heterosexual and homosexual youth.

Fred Phelps, a self-ordained minister, is most notoriously known for organizing a protest against the funeral of Matthew Shepard, a gay activist who was killed because of his sexual orientation in Laramie, Wyoming, in 1998. This is why it was so important to organize against Phelps's presence in Brookline - he is a danger and a real threat. Moreover, given the fact that nationally the right-wing feels emboldened because of the 11 states that passed bans on same-sex marriage this past November, the counter-protest against Phelps was all the more important, since Massachusetts is one of the few states where same-sex marriages are legal.

Within 2 weeks of finding out about the bigots' picket, an ad hoc coalition of labor, community, and high school groups came together to organize the counter-demonstration. Despite the fact that the headmaster at Brookline High School actively campaigned against the counter-protest and implored people just to "ignore" Phelps, the counter-protest picked up steam. Gay student associations from high schools across Massachusetts, the Boston Alliance of Gay & Lesbian Youth, and the Gay and Lesbian Labor Activist Network, amongst others, all mobilized for the counter-protest.

Several Brookline High graduating seniors even left the ceremonies early to come join the counter-protest, still wearing their caps and gowns. Zack Rowe, a Brookline graduate told Socialist Worker, "I thought it was the responsibility of the student body and the school not to ignore [Phelps]."

For about an hour and a half the counter-protesters chanted at the bigots, and raised banners up high to block their signs from view. Finally, when the bigots turned tail to leave, a group of 4 Neo-Nazis from a group called "White Revolution" were spotted nearby, holding anti-gay signs. The counter-protesters surrounded the Nazis, who were being protected by the police, and started chanting "Nazis Go Home!" Before long, the Nazis also ran away, under police escort, while the crowd chanted "Don't Come Back!" to both sets of bigots.

We will have to keep organizing to confront the far-Right wherever possible in order to make sure that they don't grow, and in order to build momentum for our side to extend the fight for equal rights for all.

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Keith Rosenthal, 23, Boston, MA