Story of the protestors:

Shirley

Lois

Gabriel

And Jacob.

The police had assigned them the northwest corner of Illinois 31 and East Crystal Lake Road. It is a busy intersection a half-mile from the church. The police excluded me from their corner, but Jacob came across the street to me. I smiled and introduced myself and offered my hand. He declined to take it.

“Hygienic reasons” he explained.

Tanya arrived. She was not here as a member of the Patriot Guard (and neither was I) – she was here as a mother of a Marine. The cops assigned her to the southwest corner.

Northwest corner.

Southwest corner.

View from the southeast corner.

This cheerful bicycler was amused.

I’ll bet they informed her that she was going to hell as she passed them.

And I’ll bet she kept smiling.

I relate to the bicycler’s amusement but I admire Tanya’s stoic determination.

Then these two clean-cut Christians arrived on the scene.

They were sure their message of love and tolerance would get through.

Tonya and I watched.

The authorities made their presence known.

Then they debated.

Lois, Gabriel and Jacob harangued the passersby.

Shirley feasted on red meat.

Dealing with the Westboro cult is like dealing with the cult of Islamists.

Their discussion was interrupted by Bogie. As he rounded their corner he developed some trouble with his horn. And his RPMs.

It seemed to clear up as he moved on down the road.

The girl started pressing hard.

You can see through the passing car her exasperation.

She didn’t know people like this existed.

Then she quit.

Like the cult of Islamists, the Westboro cult is immune to verbal attack.

The LEO watched as Americans exercised free speech.

But there was nothing more to say.

I left Tonya to her vigil and returned to the real world.

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