Sep 24, 2009 8:07 pm US/Eastern
Kansas Hate Group Demonstrates In Brooklyn
Residents Urged To Pay Westboro Baptist Church Members No Mind And Instead Go About Your Daily Business
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
As the Jewish community prepares for Yom Kippur, a hate group from Topeka, Kansas has traveled to our area to stir up controversy with their anti-Semitic message.
Their message is ugly, a message of hate.
"We're preaching the word of God. You call that whatever you want it. You won't change God. It's his hatred you better deal with it. His hatred is his determination to destroy you and send you to hell for eternity," hate group member Shirley Phelps-Roeper told CBS 2 HD.
Outside Brooklyn Technical High School, a small group from Westboro Baptist Church, a fundamentalist church from Topeka caused a big commotion, holding signs with hurtful words against homosexuals, and Jews.
Students and families were outraged.
"I'm completely disgusted by them," one woman said.
"You think that it's safe and things are moving forward. And you don't really want to go back to the 60s. And here it is right in front of you," another woman added.
On Friday the controversial crew plans to demonstrate outside synagogues and schools in Great Neck, Long Island, a predominantly Jewish community, in the days before Yom Kippur.
"Pity. And the way we counter is to increase light of goodness and kindness," said Rabbi Joseph Geisinsky of Chabbad House.
The Jewish Defense Organization has planned a counter protest at the Chabbad House.
They said they'll have legally armed patrols guarding the synagogues and Jewish centers from anti-Semitic attacks.
Community leaders said they're fully prepared.
"The NCPD has been working with the Kings Point Police Department, the Lake Success Police Department and all the jurisdictions that will be impacted by this visit to make sure there's a safe day for everybody," said Det. Sgt. Gary Shapiro, bias crime coordinator for the Nassau County Police Department.
"What we'd like to do is have people just totally ignore them. They want this publicity and I'm told if we just ignore them their history is to just disappear," Great Neck Mayor Ralph Kreitzman said.
The Westboro Baptist Church had planned rallies in Brooklyn before they head to Long Island on Friday. But authorities said the best confrontation prevention is paying this group no attention.
The Westboro Baptist Church is not associated with any major Christian group or denomination.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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