PROTEST: Engage them with civility

Some things in life are worth taking a stand for; do not Ms. Bauman and Mr. Stewart realize that? In response to the Westboro Baptist Church visiting our local high schools they are asking the students to do nothing and in fact "will do all we can to prevent our students from engaging with them."

How, by suspending them?

I happened to be visiting Long Beach, Calif., last spring when this same group went to high schools there. The news reports showed the high school students quietly, articulately telling the Westboro Baptist Church it was neither welcome nor wanted on their campus. Guess what? The students so outnumbered the protesters that the "church" soon gave up their cause and left. In fact they could not leave soon enough. I was so proud of those students!

Free speech is a great American privilege but it also carries responsibility both for the speaker and the listener. Mr. Edmund Burke said, "All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing."

Yes, I know there is a rally at the Human Rights Institute at 9 a.m. Does anyone expect the Westboro Church to attend? How would they ever know this is not what our students or community condone unless we turn out peacefully against them at their own protest?

C. ROSE

Hauser