Showing posts with label Aaron Jackson. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Aaron Jackson. Show all posts

Friday, June 21, 2013

Good News Friday II: After Selling Pink Lemonade For Peace, Equality House Hosts A Same-Sex Wedding

Before I get into this post, I wanted to show a picture of the sign that the Westboro Baptist Church put up while Jayden Sink--of that post just below this one--was selling her Pink Lemonade for Peace.

Lovely. But no signs, no obscenities shouted, will stop the Equality House--located in Topeka, just across the road from God Hates Fags Central™, AKA Westboro Baptist Church--from continuing to fight for equality.

See, now the Equality house will be the site of the wedding of Little Rock, Arkansas residents Kimberly Kidwell and Katie Short. Sure, same-sex marriage is illegal in Arkansas, and it’s illegal in Kansas, but it’s a symbolic ceremony and all the more powerful being performed in full view of the WBC.

Aaron Jackson—who runs his nonprofit, Planting Peace—out of the Rainbow Flag colored Equality House, says he hopes publicity surrounding the ceremony will send a signal to the U.S. Supreme Court as it prepares to decide two key cases regarding the constitutionality of gay marriage.
“We would like marriage equality, and we don’t think people should be treated as second-class citizens.”—Aaron Jackson
Planting Peace sent out a message on social media outlets asking if any same-sex couples would like to be married in front of Equality House, and after reviewing the responses, Jackson decided that Kidwell and Short, who have been together five and a half years, would be “a good fit.”

Lizz Phelps, a spokeswoman for God Hates Fags the Westboro Baptist Church says Planting Peace has been doing a “wonderful” job of bringing attention to issues she considers significant, and she hopes that the Supreme Court will rule in favor of Marriage Equality because when that happens Jesus Christ will return.

Phelps said the legalization of same-sex marriages in the days of Noah were soon followed  by the Great Flood, “and it says in the Gospel that as in the days of Noah, so will it be in the time of the return of our savior.”

Bob, however, says the Baby Jeebus--who never said a word about The Gays--will return to Earth because he wants to party with all those same-sex couples who will have the right to marry.

But I digress ….

Kudos to Aaron Jackson and Equality House for their continued support of all things peaceful and equal, and Congratulations to Kimberley and Katie on their wedding.

Good Friday, indeed.

Good News Friday: Jayden Sink Faces Down The Westboro Baptist Church In The Name Of Peace

Jayden Sink wanted to sell lemonade; and she wanted to sell pink lemonade. She wanted to sell pink lemonade for peace. And she did, setting up her stand at the Equality House [see my post HERE] which is located just across the street from the Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kansas.

 What happens when a little girl decides to set up a lemonade stand for peace outside the Westboro Baptist Church headquarters in Kansas? Members of the community step out in droves to show support, even as the hate group tries to quash it.

Jayden, the daughter of Jon Sink, founder of the philanthropic arts group FRESHCASSETTE—Creative Compassion, set up her lemonade stand at Equality House, painted the colors of the pride flag, is owned by Aaron Jackson, a founding of Planting Peace, a multi-pronged nonprofit aimed at spreading goodwill and equality around the globe, when her parents told her that the church across the street had a message of hate.

Jayden decided to raise money for peace. So she painted a banner for the event reading, "Pink Lemonade for Peace: $1 Suggested Donation" and she set up her stand on the lawn and waited.

During the day, Westboro Baptist Church sent representatives outside to try and find a way to stop Jayden; they attempted to call the local police and when they were told that little girls can sell lemonade in Topeka, they began yelling profanities at those who stopped for a cool drink.

All their interference and shouting didn’t stop Jayden from raising $400 during the day, but adding an additional--as of Thursday--$21,000 from an online campaign [HERE].

Aaron Jackson:
"As we all know, the Westboro Baptist Church puts a lot of hate into the world. Since we cannot stop them, the next best thing is to smother it with love. That is what 5-year-old Jayden accomplished today! Jayden set up a lemonade stand in front of the church. Not only did she quench the thirst of a lot of loving supporters, the money she raised was donated to Planting Peace so she could help Planting Peace promote a more peaceful world."

If a little girl can stand up to the Westboro Baptist Church in such a non-threatening, non-confrontational, positive way, she is setting quite the example for the rest of us. She was just selling lemonade, she was also selling hope.