When the infamous Westboro Baptist Church came to town last Sunday, they probably weren’t looking for our students’ forgiveness. But that didn’t stop a few Spartans from trying to offer it.

Formed in 1955, the Westboro Baptist Church (WBC) has come under fire for its vocal hatred of  the LGBT community and those it sees as supporting them; holding up signs plastered with homophobic slurs and anti-American imagery, along with thanking God for dead soldiers. According to their Web site’s sidebar, the WBC has picketed 54,829 times across 969 cities. When visiting the site, one can also find a running counter of how many people God “cast into hell” since the page was loaded (about two per second).

The people of Springfield got their chance to see the controversial group last week, as members of Westboro set up to protest Immanuel Bible Church, St. Christopher’s Episcopal Church and St. Lawrence Catholic Church. According to the WBC Web site, the reason for the protests was different for each church: Immanuel Bible for being “ashamed of Jesus Christ [sic],” St. Christopher’s because they have made a “mess…of the service of God and the requirements of the church [sic],” and St. Lawrence because the Catholic Church as a whole doesn’t condemn gays strongly enough.

“It is the job of any church, the job of any preacher, to preach,” said Brent Roper, a member of the WBC at Sunday’s protest at Immanuel Bible Church. “All of these churches violate all the rules of the New Testament.”

They were met by a group of counter-protesters composed of WS students, who attempted to take the high road in the situation with signs reading “God Hates No One” and “We Forgive WBC,” which attempted to demonstrate kindness toward the members of Westboro, even though they were on the opposite sidewalks (literally and metaphorically).

Pastor Jesse Johnson of Immanuel even met the WBC protestors with coffee and donuts before service started as a peacemaking gesture. Four police officers stood watch as the two groups demonstrated but the protests never escalated beyond peaceful waving of signs and some energetic dancing by Westboro Baptist members to pop songs with some questionably-altered lyrics.

“They aren’t going to change their minds about anything but at least we can show other people what they are doing and how it is wrong,” said senior Sydney Cordoba, who protested on Sunday.

Anyone who has seen the WBC screaming at people in YouTube videos or viewed them on the nightly news for another military funeral protest has probably formed their own opinions on the group. But it is different when they come 500 fivefeet from your place of worship.

“I was shocked at first,” said senior and Immanuel Bible Church member Joey McNally. “But then my friend’s parents pointed out that if they are coming to protest something that you are doing, then you must be doing something right.”

Whenever the WBC makes headlines, the free speech debate comes into discussion. It’s no secret that most people heavily dislike and disapprove of the Kansas church’s tactics, so reaction to their shocking tactics is usually strong. But the First Amendment to the Constitution applies to everyone, and as long as they are not harming anyone, their actions are within the law.

“We love the idea that the Lord formed this country so that 400 years later we [the Westboro Baptist Church] would have the right to be here and stand here with these signs,” said Roper. “[The First Amendment] protects us. It gives the minority a voice. Without it, we wouldn’t exist.”

The First Amendment goes beyond just allowing the WBC to rant about God’s wrath; it allows for anyone to disagree with them and speak his or her mind back.

“Even though society today deems what [the WBC] says as wrong, the law prevails and they can say what they want,” said senior Adham Nabhan, who helped interview the protesters. “The Constitution doesn’t discriminate, even if you’re [screwed] up.”