Counterprotesters overcome hate with love at Maui High
Kapu aloha inspires peaceful reaction to Westboro group
Westboro Baptist members Shirley Phelps-Roper (from left) and Brent Roper of Topeka, Kan., demonstrate in front of Maui High School on Friday morning while opponents of the couple’s contentious, amplified, anti-gay message gather nearby. Apart from a few boos and critiques of Phelps-Roper’s singing style, there were no confrontations for Maui police officers on hand to deal with. Standing alongside in a beard and bathrobe, holding a sign that reads, “I’m not with these jerks,” is Brooke Mahnken of Makawao. “I came to make a joke,” Mahnken said. “I’d love to have every image of them make people laugh at them.” -- The Maui News / MATTHEW THAYER photo
Rallying under the colors of the rainbow, counterdemonstrators call for diversity, unity and acceptance along Lono Avenue on Friday morning. Duane Gonzalez (left) of Haiku said he attended to “show support and unity.” “We don’t want to see hate in the 808. People shouldn’t be afraid to be who they are,” he said. -- The Maui News / MATTHEW THAYER photo
Kihei’s Aubrey May holds a newly-made sign critiquing Shirley Phelps-Roper’s singing style as the Topeka, Kan., protester belts out parodies of popular songs reworded to deliver Westboro Baptist’s anti-gay message. “We just want to make people laugh,” May said. -- The Maui News / MATTHEW THAYER photo
A line of Maui High students watch the Westboro Baptist protests and the counterprotests from campus Friday. -- The Maui News / MATTHEW THAYER photo
Westboro Baptist members Shirley Phelps-Roper (from left) and Brent Roper of Topeka, Kan., demonstrate in front of Maui High School on Friday morning while opponents of the couple’s contentious, amplified, anti-gay message gather nearby. Apart from a few boos and critiques of Phelps-Roper’s singing style, there were no confrontations for Maui police officers on hand to deal with. Standing alongside in a beard and bathrobe, holding a sign that reads, “I’m not with these jerks,” is Brooke Mahnken of Makawao. “I came to make a joke,” Mahnken said. “I’d love to have every image of them make people laugh at them.” -- The Maui News / MATTHEW THAYER photo
Rallying under the colors of the rainbow, counterdemonstrators call for diversity, unity and acceptance along Lono Avenue on Friday morning. Duane Gonzalez (left) of Haiku said he attended to “show support and unity.” “We don’t want to see hate in the 808. People shouldn’t be afraid to be who they are,” he said. -- The Maui News / MATTHEW THAYER photo
Kihei’s Aubrey May holds a newly-made sign critiquing Shirley Phelps-Roper’s singing style as the Topeka, Kan., protester belts out parodies of popular songs reworded to deliver Westboro Baptist’s anti-gay message. “We just want to make people laugh,” May said. -- The Maui News / MATTHEW THAYER photo
A line of Maui High students watch the Westboro Baptist protests and the counterprotests from campus Friday. -- The Maui News / MATTHEW THAYER photo
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KAHULUI -- Counterprotesters worked to overcome hate with love Friday morning when two members of the Westboro Baptist Church, known for hate speech toward the LGBT community and picketing soldiers' funerals, demonstrated outside Maui High School.
"So many people were united today in the name of love," said Wailuku resident Dylan Siarot.
Shirley Phelps-Roper and husband, Brent, two members of the Kansas-based church which was denounced by local Baptist-affiliated churches, were outnumbered by counterprotesters on Lono Avenue during a half-hour demonstration that went on without incident, according to school and police officials.
Westboro posted on its website on Dec. 18 that it planned to protest at Maui High after another island high school allowed a transgender athlete to play on one of its teams in the fall Maui Interscholastic League season.
On Friday, the Phelps-Ropers said they plan to return to Maui in July for another larger demonstration.
About a dozen counterprotesters at Maui High directed people to a related rally near Queen Ka'ahumanu Center. Organized in conjunction with LGBTQ+ group Maui Pride, the off-site demonstration was meant to practice the peaceful resistance of kapu aloha without interfering with school or police at Maui High, according to lead organizer Chelle Gonzales.
"There are several times when I wasn't very calm dealing with their hate," said Gonzales, a Haiku resident who has participated in three Westboro counterprotests on the Mainland. "But that's the big thing, you just shower them with love. I've learned you have to feel sorry for them.
"I hate saying this but to be that miserable and full of anger and hate toward people, another person--it's super sad."
After the demonstration, the Phelps-Ropers said that it was their first time to Maui and that they planned to return to Topeka, Kan., later Friday.
"The plan, if the Lord is willing, is to come back with a pretty good group in July because we see that the churches are failing here," said Shirley Phelps-Roper. "So we got to picket some churches."
When asked why the two came this time, she said Westboro needed to visit a high school because young people worldwide are taught that "God either loves everyone or there is no God."
"That way, they can sin away the day, they can live like the very devil himself and it's all OK, God will love you anyway," she said.
Earlier this week, Maui High and police officials prepared for the protest and encouraged the community not to engage with the protesters.
Also, the Maui County Baptist Association, a network of nearly a dozen Southern Baptist-affiliated churches that includes Kihei Baptist, issued an unanimous statement denouncing Westboro, emphasizing that while they may share a name, they do not share values.
On Friday, Jamie Yap, principal of the more than 2,000-student Maui High, said school went on as planned and no incidents occurred.
"We want to thank everyone who was involved with supporting our students' safety as school could be conducted as usual," he said.
The Maui Police Department had 32 officers on-site for the demonstration fronting the school, where no incidents were reported or observed during the 30-minute protest, according to acting Lt. John Sang.
"Our objective was, as always, to ensure the safety of everyone involved," he said Friday.
Later in the day, Mayor Michael Victorino hailed the police and the school for their efforts in maintaining peace and inclusivity.
"I would like to commend the Maui Police Department and Maui High School administration, staff, students and parents for being proactive today," he said in a statement. "Hawaii is the Aloha State. We have a tradition of respect, hospitality and tolerance."
* Kehaulani Cerizo can be reached at kcerizo@mauinews.com.