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| Lady Gaga |
Lady Gaga isn't afraid of some gay-bashing protestors. On Saturday evening, the goddess Gaga posted a note entitled "At the risk of drawing attention to a hateful organization" to her "little monster fans" via her Facebook page addressing the protest by the anti-gay Westboro Baptist Church. The church has protested a litany of events – veterans' funerals, football games, political events, and even Michael Jackson's funeral. They waved their signs outside Lady Gaga's concert Saturday night at St. Louis' Scottrade Center.
She wrote that "this group of protesters are hate criminals and preach using lewd and violent language and imagery that I wish I protect you all from. Their message is of hatred and divisiveness, but inside at the Monsterball we preach love and unity."
The Westboro Baptist Church, which is based in Kansas, is designated a hate group by both the Anti-Defamation League and the Southern Poverty Law Center. It was founded by Fred Phelps, 80, in the 1950s.
The independent church, which is not affiliated with other Baptist churches, targeted Lady Gaga earlier this year with flyers that said, "God hates 'Lady' Gaga" and quoting Jeremiah 3:3-5. The flyer said Lady Gaga used art and fashion as euphemisms and guises "under which proud whore Lady Gaga teaches rebellion against God."
It said that as the fashionista singer gives "lip service to 'liberating' her young fans, Lady Gaga brings them into slavery to their own corruption, teaching them to glory in their shame."
"You're Going To Hell," it said in conclusion.
Earlier this year, the father of a Marine killed in action in Iraq had to pay the legal costs of Westboro Baptist Church. He sued them after they picketed his son's funeral, carrying placards bearing anti-homosexual epithets.
In her Saturday Facebook note, Lady Gaga, whose real name is Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta, wrote, "Although I respect and do not judge anyone for their personal views on any politics or religion, this group in particular to me is violent and dangerous. I wanted to make my fans aware of my views on how to approach, or rather not approach, these kinds of hate activists."
Fans responded enthusiastically to Gaga's message of love not war.
One fan wrote, "you don't discriminate YET they discriminate against you, they hate you, they spit on you, call you names, put you down, and you ask us to not pay them attention. You are a strong person, and you followed your dreams, that's a message EVERYONE should be sending."
Other comments centered on the political nature of Westboro. "Dont know why the American Government still allow these Westboro rats to spew their vile guts on the street, they shouldve been sent to Coventry as soon as they went on about gays and soldiers."
Lady Gaga may have been attempting trying to halt any verbal or physical escalation that might occur before or after her concert. She asked fans to "pay these hate criminals no mind. Do not interact with them, or try to fight, Do not respond to any of their provocation."
Westboro Baptist Church has created parody videos aimed at Lady Gaga. In June, Fred Phelps' grand-daughter recorded a song that took aim at Lady Gaga's song "Telephone." The parody version, called "Ever Burn" told Lady Gaga she was destined for hell and called her a "devil spawn." It was the second such video. Earlier this year, the group recorded another song to one of Lady Gaga's tunes, "Poker Face," with the lyric, "You pissed off God, you'll see what he's got."
In her Facebook note, Lady Gaga said that Westboro's message was "ignorant" and that fans should "feel gratitude in your heart that you are not burdened or addicted to hate, as they are."
SUZI PARKER
politicsdaily
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