God Hates Fags church will picket
lesbian student's graduation
Constance McMillen challenged her school's prom
policy
The Westboro Baptist Church has announced it will picket the graduate of
lesbian student Constance McMillen, who challenged her school's anti-gay
policy.
The Kansas-based church, which has achieved notoriety for picketing the
funerals of dead soldiers, is vehemently homophobic.
In a press release, it said: “[We] will picket the graduation of
Itawamba Agricultural High School to remind the parents, teachers and students
of this nation that God said 'Thou shall not lie with mankind, as with
womankind, it is abomination'.
“This generation has been raised to believe that they can live for the
devil and still go to heaven, that God has no standards and the biggest lie of
all – that God loves everyone.”
Ms McMillen took her school to court last month after she was barred
from attending prom with her girlfriend.
The judge ruled the school had violated her right to freedom of
expression but did not force it to reinstate the cancelled prom, as an
alternative "inclusive" one was said to have been organised.
However, the 18-year-old student said earlier this month that she and
her girlfriend had been sent to a "fake" event with only a handful of
other students, while her classmates enjoyed an event held at another venue.
Westboro Baptist Church is currently in a legal fight with the father of
a dead soldier whose funeral it picketed.
Albert Snyder's son Matthew, a marine, was killed in Iraq and his
funeral was held in 2006 in Maryland.
However, the church picketed the funeral with banners saying "God
hates fags" and "Thanks God for dead soldiers".
Mr Snyder originally sued the church for $5 million for invasion of
privacy and emotional distress.
But when a lower court ruled their freedom of speech was protected by
the First Amendment, Mr Snyder was told he must pay their legal fees of $16,500
(£11,000).
He has now decided to challenge the decision in the Supreme Court to win
the original $5 million reward.