For me and other teachers in the Joplin R-8 School District, the hardest thing has been waiting to hear if one of our students is among the 125 casualties that have been reported at this point.
Yesterday, I heard that one of my students was seriously injured and is recovering from a Springfield hospital. On KZRG, I heard a plea from a woman asking for information about one of my former students. I checked the girl's Facebook page. She has not posted anything in several days.
For the last three days, I have been talking with students who have lost their homes, their belongings, and almost every connection with the lives they had led before Sunday night.
One girl called me Tuesday. Her home had not been touched, but she had been in the tornado area and had seen dead bodies as she struggled for survival. Nearly all of her friends lived in the apartments behind Wal-Mart. They all survived, but they had scattered, and now were far from Joplin.
Last night, a former student, who has graduated, called to make sure I was all right, and then told me a harrowing story of how she survived being on Rangeline when the twister hit and somehow managed to make it to safety, but not before viewing mangled bodies, complete destruction, and seeing visions that will haunt her for the rest of her life.
It is a time when the city of Joplin needs to be fully involved in the recovery process. And now, when all emergency personnel are virtually working around the clock, another nightmare is making its way to the city in the form of the Rev. Fred Phelps and his twisted followers from the Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kan.
At a time when police officers have far, far more important things to do, a time when President Obama will be in Joplin to help this community with its healing process, some will be diverted to protect these hate merchants.
The Supreme Court has ruled that Phelps and his family of vultures are allowed to do this because they are engaging in protected free speech, as well as exercising their freedom of religion.This allows them to protest at soldiers' funerals and anywhere else where they can spread their perversion of the Lord's name.
At a time when everyday citizens are being prevented from traveling where they wish (and rightfully so) by emergency workers, there is no reason why the Westboro congregation should be treated with deference.
If they want to exercise their freedom of speech, let them do so at a safe distance from this community. Our lives have been altered forever by the events of Sunday night. These looters of dignity and decency should be afforded the same treatment as the other looters who have exploited this situation.
The message should be delivered loud and clear:
Fred Phelps, stay the hell away from our city!
11 comments:
I think that in situations like this it is understood that freedoms are limited. Phelps and his misguided troop must be managed by authorities and kept far from your town. Unless, of course, they want to dig in and help look for people and actually make themselves useful.
Folks like that never want to pitch in, though. Sick puppies.
If it is like the military funerals I have attended when they show up they only send old women and young children. The men are to afraid they will be hurt. I agree with the above post that they should receive no media attention as that is what they want.
I can't be as polite as everyother good person that has posted. I HOPE,no I PRAY that every single man,woman and child that participates in any form of celebration at the expense of these families that have lost so much,die a painful,horrific death. And when their time comes to meet their maker HE spits in their face.
I usually believe in turning the other cheek, but these a__holes deserve to be knocked around before they can give us the first slap.
WHO IN THE HELL DO THEY THINK THEY ARE? DOES GOD HATE THEM? (I KIND OF THINK HE AT LEAST DOESN'T LIKE THEM MUCH (I hope))
You can bet Fred won't be here, he just sends women and children! 3:58 you have a real problem!
I think the people of Joplin and the surrounding area should lock arms together and form a circle around the city and not let in.
3:58 is another one of those Faux-Christians who only pretends to have faith so s/he can use it to justify their deep-rooted hatred for others. I'm sure s/he could use the Bible to condemn anyone who rubbed him the wrong way.
Ignoring the WBC and boycotting any media outlet who gives them coverage is all we can really do.
Predicting real trouble if these people do, in fact, show up. Physical confrontation could get ugly.
Did God send a tornado to Joplin because the city is filled with violent, hateful people who would threaten physical harm against other people with unpopular views?
Maybe I don't know God that well, but because of Westboro, I'm getting to see the dark side of the people of Joplin.
To the Annonymous person who said, "Maybe I don't know God that well, but because of Westboro, I'm getting to see the dark side of the people of Joplin.":
Please understand that God is NOTHING like these people portray Him to be. This is NOT what true Christianity looks like. This is just sick.
Rest assured, Joplin has many wonderful people who TRULY serve the Lord. I am priviledged to call many of them friends. I grieve for those who lost so much. I don't live there anymore, but Joplin will always have a special place in my heart.
P.S. If you would like to know God better, I'd be glad to help you out!
@Barbara: Maybe YOUR God "is NOTHING like these people portray Him to be," but the God of the Bible is SOMETHING like they portray Him to be. And I think their portrayal of the God of the Bible is more Biblical than the portrayal of those who believe God loves everybody, including the willingness of Americans to kill people around the world to keep their own gas prices down.
I don't think you'd find Jesus holding a sign with the Westboro crowd (He had better marketing savvy than that), but He certainly wouldn't join the Joplinites who are threatening ugly violence against human beings just because they disagree with their theology.
You say, "Joplin has many wonderful people who TRULY serve the Lord." I'm willing to concede that, but they weren't among the vile pro-violence anti-Westboro crowd.
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