http://media.www.kaleo.org/media/storage/paper872/news/2009/03/09/News/Religious.Protestors.Raise.Cain-3664879.shtmlKa Leo, University of Hawaii
Mark Brislin
Issue date: 3/9/09 Section: News
A man who claims to have the mind of Jesus Christ and who goes by the name J.K. returned to the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa for the second straight day last Thursday, this time with a permit reserving the campus' only designated free-speech zone for five hours.
"I'm not telling you you're going to go to hell," said J.K., who wouldn't give a last name. "I'm telling you you're on your way to hell."
A small group of people called Cry to God took shifts preaching and carrying a large banner displaying the acronym W.W.J.D. in large letters. Printed underneath the four letters was the phrase "What Would Jesus Destroy," followed by a long list that included homosexuals, unbelievers, "whoremongers," and those who are disobedient to their parents.
"Oh my god, that sign is the meanest thing ever," one student said.
A crowd of students quickly gathered on the Campus Center steps at about 11:30 a.m., the time the permit for free speech began. The crowd swelled as lunchtime traffic hit.
Two female students rushed through the crowd toward the bottom of the steps and kissed for several seconds as the crowd cheered.
Jamie Baek, one of the women, said that she graduated from a Christian school and was taught that God loves everyone. She said the harsh preaching was "extreme" and "shocking," and that the group shouldn't be doing this at school. "That's not what Christianity is about. That's not what love is about," Baek said. Students began creating signs of their own, some of which read "Sign up 4 the circus" and "Don't worry! Not all white people are this crazy."
Sarah Yap, Campus Center director, said that reservations for the area are made on a "first-come, first-served basis," and that people who reserve the spot can use it for any purpose as long as they don't violate university policy.
DU, if I'd written the headline, it would read: Inert students finally fired up! It is so heartening to see students actually take time to say something! Woohoo!
In debate class yesterday, the proposition was "this house believes in equal rights and civil unions" I thought we would get the usual divide, but the con argument was that civil unions wasn't enough, that gay people should have a right to marry.
How about that.
Aloha~