FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 13, 2009
Contact: Anthony Niedwiecki, (954) 319-5249
Email: Anthony@anthony09.com
Phelps Hate Group Comes to Oakland Park to Protest Local Business
Community Activist Anthony Niedwiecki Urges All Residents and Leaders to Support
The Rising Action Theatre
OAKLAND PARK, FL—The Westboro Baptist Church, the group run by Fred Phelps that is best known for their disturbing anti-gay signs and protests at military funerals, has announced that they are coming to Oakland Park, FL. Westboro, which is classified as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center, is bringing their universally condemned message of hate and intolerance to protest a production of the “The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told”, a play at the Rising Action Theatre. The group’s website says this as to why they are picketing: “We shall picket this bit of profane blasphemy to tell you again: God Still Hates Fags; No Fags In Heaven; You're Going To Hell; God Hates You.”
Long-time community activist and candidate for Oakland Park City Commission Anthony Niedwiecki is encouraging all residents and the leaders of the Oakland Park community to support the Theater, one of the wonderfully unique artistic venues and businesses that call Oakland Park home.
“We cannot allow the message of hate and ignorance that Westboro brings to go unchallenged in our community. We need to go and support this local business that calls our city home. I urge everyone to purchase a ticket to the play in a message of solidarity and inclusion. Oakland Park is proud to be a diverse city that embraces all of our residents. We reject the angry, divisive, and harmful messages of the Phelps group and will show that our community stands for something better,” said Niedwiecki.
Anthony and his partner, Waymon Hudson, will be attending the play the night of the protest. Niedwiecki has been closely following the events around the protest plans, as well as talking with local law enforcement to ensure that it does not cause a danger to anyone attending the performance or interfere with the Theater doing business.
“The best thing we can do to show the wonderful and inclusive nature of Oakland Park and the South Florida community is to go to the show and rise above the hate-filled message of Westboro. By supporting those in our city against this type of rhetoric, we send a clear message that Phelps and his followers have no power here.”
The Phelps protest is scheduled for 7:15pm on January 16, 2009, immediately before the performance at the Rising Action Theatre, 840 East Oakland Park Blvd, 33334.
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Political advertisement paid for and approved by Anthony Niedwiecki for Oakland Park City Commission, Seat 4, Nonpartisan election.