By: Jay Syrmopoulos / The Free Thought Project Orlando, FL – As funerals for the victims of the Orlando massacre began on Thursday and the grim finality of the tragic event began to set in, Westboro Baptist Church, a Christian fundamentalist hate group, promised to protest the funerals of those killed at the Pulse nightclub.
#Westboro to #Orlando: The #PulseShooting 49 died for their and America's sin. Don't turn them into heroes! Repent! pic.twitter.com/WYzsiqcgsz
— WBC Photos (@WBCPhotos) June 18, 2016
Westboro protestors subsequently attempted to follow thorough on their pledge to disrupt the vigils, but found the streets lined with hundreds people ready to rebuke their extremist message of hate.
#LIVE IN #ORLANDO: "It's never okay to be gay!" THAT's the lesson to learn from #PulseShooting! #panorama #photo pic.twitter.com/yF7IuvkvB5
— Westboro Baptist Church (@WBCSaysRepent) June 18, 2016
In a touching display of humanity, citizens came together in Orlando with a unified strength, dubbed a “human chain of love,” as hundreds of people lined the streets to ensure that the Christian extremists could not disrupt the funeral services.
#OrlandoUnited: A "human chain" protects first funeral from potential hate groups. Live at 5 on @NBCLA pic.twitter.com/CRpl3xGxDi
— Robert Kovacik (@RobertNBCLA) June 15, 2016
Following in the footsteps of from the bikers that blocked Westboro at the funerals of Sandy Hook victims and those killed in the Oklahoma tornado in 2013, the people of Orlando came together to reject hate and embrace love.
@buell003: @KatG4: Bikers linked arms to block Westboro Baptist Church protesters #SandyHook funerals @AnonymousPress pic.twitter.com/DWPrfoq7
— Michael J. Buell (@buell003) December 24, 2012
Bikers in Oklahoma protecting victims from the Westboro Baptist church #Amercia pic.twitter.com/3djlNLeCGy
— Beau Bryant (@beau_drake) May 24, 2013
Additionally, bikers stood at the ready to use their “inline 4’s and V-twin” engines to drown out any Westboro haters at the families request.
from the "Human chain link for Pulse Funerals" facebook page <3 pic.twitter.com/2uzzA8kTN1
— soorya (@soorya) June 16, 2016
Thankfully, family and friends were able to mourn the loss of loved ones without having to face the additional stress of having hate filled rhetoric spewed at them during this time of extreme grief thanks to these amazing people.
ORLANDO: Hundreds Form Human Chain Links To Block Westboro From Funerals For Pulse Victims – https://t.co/HznMTbX4KF pic.twitter.com/iRoBj5NJhB
— JoeMyGod (@JoeMyGod) June 16, 2016
In times of heightened extremism and devastating tragedy, it’s heartening to see so many people of differing cultural, ethnic, racial and sexual backgrounds come together to stand in defense of vulnerable people mourning the loss of loved ones. With so much war, death and destruction taking place everyday, it does the heart good to see humans occasionally treating one another with compassion and love.
“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” – Martin Luther King Jr.
Please share this touching story of humanity.
This article (Activists Prevent Westboro Baptist Protestors From Crashing Orlando Victim’s Funeral In Brilliant Way) is free and open source. You have permission to republish this article under a Creative Commons license with attribution to the author and The Free Thought Project.
