Westboro Church To Protest Ronnie James Dio's Funeral

Hey Everyone!
Is any body else getting REALLY sick of these protests? Seriously, this needs to end. I am all for freedom of speech and expression, but these people are just ridiculous. Funerals and such are not the most ideal place for such expressions... thats just down right hateful and disrespectful. Anyways, on to the story!

As some of you may know, rock n roll icon Ronnie James Dio passed away on May 16th from his battle with stomach cancer. Although many messages relayed to fans via online updates suggested that treatments were going well, we've once again witnessed just how silent and deadly of a killer cancer can be. Tragic. Ronnie Dio is best remembered for his powerful metal voice and work with bands like Black Sabbath, Heaven and Hell, and Dio.

Well, it appears that Westboro Church now intends to make their opinion known. The hateful group plans to protest the singer's upcoming funeral... probably because he sang metal music and helped make "devil horns" popular. I dont care what he did, these people have no right to protest a FUNERAL. This is a place for people to gather in comfort and remember someone they lost. The last thing they need is someone spreading hate at the front door. All this man did was play amazing music and bring people together... He even developed a fundraiser called Hear N Aid to raise money for famine relief in Africa. Seems like a pretty good guy to me...

Again, all for basic rights of humanity but this is just sick and wrong in so many ways. What do you think?
Rock On
-Girl At The Rock Show

Road To Acceptance

Hey Everyone!

So in regards to that last post I made about the hate filled protest outside the All Time Low concert, I thought I'd post a song. Thats how I deal with emotion, I listen to music. And this song to me, is a perfect fit for the situation. Its an old Green Day song by the name of Road To Acceptance. Its off their 1991 album 1039/Smoothed Out Slappy Hours. I've always loved early Green Day material and this is no exception. Check out the song and lyrics below!

LYRICS

I always waste my time just wondering
What the next man thinks of me
I'll never do exactly what I want
And I'll sculpt my life for your acceptance

I always waste my time just wondering
What the next man thinks of me
I'll never do exactly what I want
And I'll sculpt my life for your acceptance

And I feel forgotten
Feel like rotting
(do you feel the same?)
(do you feel the same?)
Adolescence
Just can't make sense
(it's calling my name)
(it's calling my name)

I take a look around
And all the things I've found
I call it blind hatred
If you'd stop a while
And maybe if you'd smile
You would realize that
We're all the same

It's just like our brain
When it goes insane
We feel the same pain

All my life I've seemed to have this need
I think at times it even turns to greed
We all want to join some family
We'll even sacrifice a moral changing

And I feel forgotten
Feel like rotting
(do you feel the same?)
(do you feel the same?)
Adolescence
Just can't make sense
(it's calling my name)
(it's calling my name)

I take a look around
And all the things I've found
I call it blind hatred
If you'd stop a while
And maybe if you'd smile
You would realize that
We're all the same

It's just like our brain
When it goes insane
We feel the same pain

I take a look around
And all the things I've found
I call it blind hatred
If you'd stop a while
And maybe if you'd smile
You would realize that
We're all the same

It's just like our brain
When it goes insane
We feel the same pain

Its amazing how there is just a song for everything and every situation... I LOVE IT

Rock On!

- Girl At The Rock Show

All Time Low Protested By Baptist Group

Hey Everyone!

So speaking of ATL (as mentioned in my last post oddly enough), Alternative Press is reporting that the finale of their current tour was greeted by a large group of protesters. On December 6th, the buses rolled in to Philadelphia to be met by hateful messages and offensive puns. Apparently the group, Westboro Baptist Church, was protesting the  sexual ambiguity of the group. All Time Low, a band consisting of four guys in their early 20s, are often seen sporting v-neck t-shirts, tight jeans, and longer hair. The church group's website claims that they are a negative influence because they are "gender-confused, haphazard freakazoids". Signs were reported to hold messages like "All Time Perverts", "God Hates You", and "America Is Doomed". 

This is perhaps one of the saddest displays I have seen/heard of in a while. I mean, come on, its almost 2010! Cant we just learn to get along, give peace a chance? I mean, this website is so offensive that I am actually going to refuse to link to it. I don't even recommend looking it up. Personally, I am a completely heterosexual female but seriously, I don't feel the need to protest other people's beliefs, rights and choices. I read up on this group, and I am left feeling upset, angry and shocked. Apparently they are well known for protesting almost every religion, race and lifestyle, going as far as to picket at funerals and the site of the 9-11 attacks. Thats just wrong on so many levels, not to mention incredibly hateful and disrespectful. 

I have to give a lot of credit to the fans outside this show. According to some witnesses, the fans began to drown out the hate filled chants of the WBC with their own renditions of ATL songs as well as mottos like "Gay, Straight, Black, White, Same Battle, Same Fight". Frontman Alex Gaskarth took to his Twitter account as the riots raged by the bus, stating "I was just informed by picketers that I'm leading a generation of rebels to hell... no ma'am. I'm leading a generation of rebellion against the Empire!" and "If embracing all lifestyles will lead me to hell, then I'll see you all there. It's going to be one incredibly tolerant and happy inferno". Again? WELL PLAYED, ALEX! I could not have said it better myself!

The band is apparently still confused as to why they were chosen as a target, and I have to agree. I mean, they arent all that "frightening" compared to some bands out there. Marilyn Manson, that makes sense. ATL? Not so much. Why not picket your local high school, its about the same demographic as that show. In the end, the protesters were outnumbered by other groups, so they packed up and left. Not before filming this quick video.

What do you think of this story? Personally, I still cant believe all this hatred exists. Its sad, really. 

More coverage:

Alternative Press

Local News

Way to handle a difficult situation, All Time Low! Whole new level of respect for these guys!

Rock On!

- Girl At The Rock Show