Perhaps never before had seven people hanging out in front of Ezell’s commanded so much attention. On Monday morning, members of the controversial Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kansas bearing anti-homosexual, anti-Israel, and anti-Obama signs were met by a crowd of several hundred students and local community members on 23rd Ave. across the street from Garfield High School.

The response to the WBC picketers was independently organized by Garfield Gay-Straight-Alliance President and junior Hanna King. “The counter-protest was to show as a school and community that we can stand up for ourselves,” said King. She was adamant in her point that her event was not for GSA alone, but for everyone.

At around 7:10 in the morning, the church members showed up with picket signs in hand.

“We’re here because all the students need to hear the words,” said Benaiah Phelps, one of the picketers.

His brother, Hezekiah Phelps, delved further into what WBC stands for. “We’re here to warn the nation about the doom and destruction,” said Hezekiah.

Controversial signs touted by the protestors read “God hates Jews,” “God hates fags,” and “Antichrist Obama.”

Though their signs seem to dictate a message of hate, Joshua Phelps claimed that WBC simply wants everyone to atone for their sins.

“[The Jews] have rebelled against God since they met Moses in Egypt. The good will repent,” said Joshua.

Members of the church see themselves as communicating the will of God.

“Fear God and keep his commandments. This means God hates fags and therefore hates America. These brute beasts are made to be destroyed,” said Jonathan.

One concern voiced by some Garfield students is the possibility that WBC will cause the general population to view Christians in a different light.

“I used to go to church a lot, and that just makes me sad that they could do this,” said Garfield sophomore Angela Zhang. “What if people start thinking that that’s how most Christians are?”

Benaiah Phelps doesn’t view Christians separate from WBC as adhering to their true proclaimed faith. “They may call themselves Christians, but they still don’t repent,” said Benaiah.

The Westboro Baptist Church was founded by Fred Phelps in 1955, and is classified by the United States government as a hate group. Fred had 13 children, and through his kids, immediately began spreading his ideas. All except for four of Phelps’ children followed him, but many from the following generations of the family have joined. This, combined with their polarizing message, makes the church almost entirely white. According to Joshua Phelps, the church does have one young African-American member.

When asked how many of the people on the picket line were of the Phelps family, Jonathan Phelps countered with a question of his own.

“Let me ask you,” he said, “How many family members did Noah take on the ark? Eight. Now subtract one from that.”

A little math on my part told me that all seven picketers were Phelps.

Although the WBC’s website describes them as “Primitive Baptists,” they are not affiliated with and have been decried by the mainstream Baptist faith.

The church also associates itself with Calvinism, a branch of Christianity popularized in the sixteenth century that has declined in prevalence since. On Monday morning, Garfield junior Caleb Raible-Clark offered WBC picketer a bouquet of flowers and was promptly asked, “Are there any Tulips?” This was a reference to “TULIP,” an acronym for the five points of Calvinism.

For several weeks before the protest, Garfield had been boiling with questions about who these people were and what they stood for. Most knew that WBC was coming, but this news spread primarily by word of mouth, coated in speculation and uncertainty.

The Garfield administration sent out an official statement last week for second period teachers to deliver to their students raising controversy about the proper reaction to the picketers. Some suggested that the WBC should be ignored, but King felt that just wouldn’t be adequate.

“At GHS, we’ve got 1500 people entering the building. Individual students, attacked by all this hate, who don’t know what’s going on…they would only see inaction,” said King.

The picketing and shouting from the Garfield side began to calm around 7:30 with the approach of first period, causing the dispersion of much of the crowd.

In the afternoon, Garfield CORE hosted a forum for Garfield students on tolerance and religion, with a focus on the events of the morning.