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KANSAN.COM
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Dozens of students gather around a protestor known as "Brother Jed."
CAROLINE FISS/KANSAN
Students spearhead counter-protests against religious protestors this week on Wescoe beach
DARBY VANHOUTAN
@darbyvanhoutan
Two campus protests by religious organizations this week prompted students to form counter-protests to combat what they called hateful messages.
Both sets of protests on Wescoe beach were heavy with student involvement. Often the arguments between the groups became heated.
On Wednesday, students formed a counter-protest against members of Campus Ministry USA. While this group has been to campus three times before, this was one of the largest student responses.
The man who led the protest for Campus Ministry USA is known as "Brother Jed." According to another member
of the ministry, the group has been conducting protests for 42 years.
The ministry told onlookers they would go to hell if they didn't repent. The group condemned the LGBTQ+ community, rape victims, domestic abuse victims, girls who wear yoga pants and numerous others.
Students taking part in the counter-protest responded with signs and flags, and some removed their clothes or engaged in public displays of affection.
A day earlier, another group of religious protesters preaching anti-gay sentiments came to campus. Spectrum KU, the University's LGBTQ+ advocate group, spearheaded that counter-protest.
Members of Spectrum stood behind the protestors on Tuesday with rainbow flags and signs with phrases like "get off my lawn," "come to Spectrum," and "support KU LGBTQ."
Erin Woods, a sophomore from Wichita, was part of a crowd of students that stopped to watch the protests unfold on Tuesday. Woods said she found the protestors more humorous than convincing.
"I think it's absolutely hysterical," Woods said. "It's so outlandish that it almost seems like it has to be satire."
Adam Alexander, Spectrum KU's activism chair, said their main goal in confronting the protesters on Tuesday was to counteract the hateful message.
"They look at the protestors, and I want them to then look at my rainbow flag and know love still exists in this world, and what they're saying doesn't
mean anything," Alexander said. "Love is better than hate and is more powerful than hate, and I just wanted that cushion."
Gentry Toman, a junior from Overland Park, said she got involved in the counter-protest on Wednesday because she was tired of the hateful message and worried about how students would be affected.
"I am here because I am very tired of these people on campus spreading hate and telling people that they aren't good enough," Toman said during the protest. "They've come here before. They say we're all sinners and we're all gonna go to hell. I don't believe what they're saying but some people do. I am here to spread love. You are loved."
Jonathan Reese, a freshman from Kansas City, Kan., was
another one of the students taking part in the counter-protest on Wednesday.
"Honestly, I think people are here to challenge him," he said. "That's what I'm here doing."
Reese said that as a Christian, he was offended by what the ministry was saying and
portraying about the Christian faith.
"If I were to preach anything, it would be love and compassion instead of the hatred that they are spreading." Reese said.
- Edited by Amber Vandegrift
"Brother Jed" proselytizes to students assembled on Wescoe beach on Wednesday, Oct. 21.
CAROLINE FISS/KANSAN
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