Candlelight vigil awaits Westboro encore

| October 15, 2010 7:08 AM

North Idaho College said today that students will be

holding a candlelight vigil on Oct. 30, the night Westboro Baptist

Church has announced plans to hold a demonstration protesting the NIC

Theatre Department's production of "The Laramie Project." It will be a

second visit to NIC by the Kansas-based church group. They already

announced an Oct. 22 morning visit to the college campus, Coeur

d'Alene High School and Lake City High School.

NIC's Saturday evening vigil will take place from 6:30 to 7:15 p.m. on

the field between between the college's Sherman and Hedlund buildings

on campus, during the same time as Westboro Baptist Church's planned

protest.

The college intends for a quiet gathering. Students,

faculty, staff and the school's administration ask that community

members do not confront Westboro church members. Community members who

wish to participate in a solemn celebration are welcome to join the

candlelight vigil in the spirit of solidarity and acceptance.

“While we vehemently disagree with this group’s message,

we respect its right to protest under the First Amendment,” said NIC

President Priscilla Bell. “We ask that community members refrain from

any disruptive and hostile behavior toward group members while they

are visiting our great campus and, instead, focus on the positive

message of human dignity that our students are sending.”

For the Oct. 22 Westboro church demonstration on NIC’s

campus, the college encourages community members to attend a peaceful

rally being hosted by the Kootenai County Task Force on Human

Relations. That rally will be held at 9 a.m. Friday, Oct. 22 at the

Human Rights Education Institute Center in Coeur d’Alene. The center

is located on Mullan Avenue adjacent to Coeur d’Alene City Park. NIC

faculty, staff and students are expected to join other community

members in speaking at the Oct. 22 rally. - Maureen Dolan