Did you hear what's happening at the house across from the Westboro Baptist Church (yes, that WBC)? If you haven't, I'd be surprised. A lot has been going around about that house recently, and all in good timing, since Congress was recently having it out about a topic that they have in common with the house: the LGBTQ community.
Aaron Jackson, co-founder of the charity Planting Peace, an organization "[emphasizing] the power of one" and dedicated to "spreading peace in a hurting world," recently bought a house in Topeka, Kansas, conveniently located across the street from America's most notorious church. For years, the Westboro Baptist Church has worked in a cult-like manner to condemn fellow Americans to hell while picketing the funerals of fallen soldiers with offensive and homophobic signs and preaching.
Who, other than a potential member of the church, would want to buy the house across the street from this congregation? Jackson sure would, but not for the reason you might think. After deciding that he wanted to do something about the escalation of LGBTQ suicide rates in America, Jackson's organization bought the house for $81,000, painted the colors of the gay pride flag around the outside and dubbed it the "Equality House."
Since then, the house has received an amazingly unexpected and ongoing amount of attention. Jackson has been interviewed numerous times, and is getting his message out into the world that there is enough love to go around.
I personally think that this move on Jackson's and Planting Peace's part is an incredible and intelligent feat. I believe that it was not Jackson's intent to "stick it" to the Westboro Baptist Church, but to turn their message of hate into a message of love by stepping into their spot light to show the LGBTQ community that they are not alone, and that they have friends willing to stand up and support them when others try to knock them down. They will not stand for bullying in our schools anymore.
However, knowing that the Westboro congregation has to wake up to a rainbow house across the street every morning is definitely the icing on the cake.
What do you think about WBC's new neighbors?
http://www.equalityhouse.org/
http://www.plantingpeace.org/
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