westboro baptist church plans to picket hbcu grad ceremonies

Does anyone even remember the Westboro Baptist Church? It’s so hard to keep up with all the whiter terrorists these days, I completely forgot about the KKK’s cousins. They have been comparatively quiet since the gig economy boomed in white nationalist violence. Not wanting to be left behind, they’re decided to crawl out whatever Hell-adjacent crack in the earth to protest the Spelman College, Morehouse College, and Clark Atlanta University commencement ceremonies. According to The Grio, the protest is in response to these institutions implementing policies to include and accommodate parts of the LGBTQ+ community.

The ceremonies will take place this Sunday, May 19th and Westboro protestors allegedly plan to picket with Bible verses as a sign of their vexation at something that has absolutely nothing to do with them. Safety measures are being taken as students, parents and alumni have been asked to carry around ID. Extra personnel have been tasked to ensure the safe and smooth procession of proceedings and anyone attending is encouraged to report any suspicious behavior.

The history of white terrorism in the United States is long and documented. The Westboro Baptist Church has been around since 1998 and is even on the FBI watch list but, somehow, the growing rate of white nationalism managed to evade the federal agency. The uproar around white supremacy’s dismantling of women’s reproductive rights has drowned out white supremacy’s attempt to deport the children of LGBTQ+ couples as the Trump administration tried to get their marriages revoked. It’s sickening. It’s depraved. It’s all too much. It’s still happening though and groups like the Westboro Baptist Church have been treated with kiddy gloves in comparison to the public harm they inflict in an already intolerant society.

Racist white people were born without audacity and the foot soldiers of white supremacy are assembling Avengers style now that “the most powerful country on earth” is being run by openly unrepentant white nationalists. The racists aren’t hiding anymore and their entitlement has reached new heights as they continue to impose themselves on marginalized communities. Commencement ceremonies are a point of pride for the Black community across the world and quite frankly, I know white people are born without audacity but the caucasity is raging right now. Can we graduate? Can we thrive? Can we live?