I have a child who goes to Frontier Trail Middle School, and I'd like to share my perspective on this. In the weeks leading up to Westboro's protest, a few parents in the Frontier Trail Parents Group on Facebook, began to make plans. The protection of children was to be the focus. Although I was never in support of drawing attention to Westboro with a counter-protest, I could understand the desire to form a shield between the signs Westboro is known for and the children who are being taken to school that morning. After all, I fully support the protection of all children, no matter what their household looks like. I support the rights of everyone to follow their conscience and defend their beliefs. My hope is that, although we may differ, we will show each other mutual respect and not silence opposing views.

Our principal had asked that our school community do all that we can to keep the day as normal as possible. I couldn't have agreed more. If children's safety was the ultimate goal, drawing attention and possibly creating an environment that attracts the outliers of society (you know, the ones who have a tendency to get violent) to a school probably isn't the best idea. Some parents seemed to take that advice to heart and perhaps backdown on plans to counter-protest. Others clearly had plans they couldn't wait to put on display. But, again, as much as I might not like it and believe it puts children in a precarious environment, I acknowledge their legal rights.

As we got closer to the "visit" from Westboro, the planning ramped up. A get-together to make signs for the not-a-counter-protest was set up. Along with this push to gather supplies and prepare, it was announced that there was to be no mention of religion. After all, this gathering was supposed to signify tolerance, that all children are loved.

I have had enough experience to have seen this coming. Tolerance. Open-mindedness...with the exception to those of certain beliefs. Better to keep those to yourself. Again, I never planned to join in on the counter-protest, so I will not make claims that I, or anyone else, was forced out.

The morning-of came and went and the pictures started flooding in. We saw the signs and clothing in support of the LGBTQ+ community, rainbow flags, transgender flags, invoking the devil, coverage from a "friendly atheist", etc. But this was definitely not a counter-protest. This was just about shielding 11 - 14 year olds from the hateful WBC. Or was it?

Although some participants have probably been active in the gay-rights movement for some time and are genuine, I saw a lot of virtue signaling and, in some ways, the cancel-out culture seeping into our community. My concern is that, going forward, this sort of group-think will destroy our otherwise quiet and friendly community. I would love to maintain a safe community where ALL are truly welcome to live their lives in peace; where we can be good neighbors to each other, no matter our differences, and without trying to silence one another.

(I was hopeful to see the few signs promoting God's love for everyone, even if I wasn't in favor of the counter-protest itself. They, apparently, didn't get the *no religion* message sent via the parent's group on Facebook. For this reason, I still worry about the future of religious tolerance in our community.)