Fresno, love thy neighbor as thyself.

Anthony W. Haddad

The Millennial View

The Westboro Baptist Church, infamous for its extreme anti-LGBTQ+ views and hateful rhetoric against Jews, Muslims, various Christian denominations, and other religious groups, has announced plans to visit Fresno and Reedley. But can we turn a blind eye when their actions are too vile to ignore?

Known for picketing at funerals and public events, this group aims to spread a message of division, often targeting the most vulnerable among us. This time, their plan to preach at local schools raises serious concerns about the potential impact on children and the broader community.

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Sure, we don’t have a choice about where the Westboro Baptist Church decides to stand on the sidewalk, repeating their rhetoric that God hates certain groups. But the reality is, we’re stuck with the terrible experience of having to see it unfold in our backyard. I’ve seen them on college campuses before, but never have I seen them target a high school (Roosevelt and Reedley) so directly.  It’s not just preaching — it’s a blatant attempt to manipulate and indoctrinate.

My immediate reaction to them coming is annoyance and disgust. Some among us criticize the LGBTQ+ community, accusing them of “grooming” children through events like drag brunches. Yet somehow, we’re supposed to accept Westboro Baptist “preachers” showing up at schools? Does the claim that God sent them make it any more acceptable?

Them saying it’s in God’s name doesn’t change the harm they cause — it amplifies it.

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Fresno, See the Irony

The irony is glaring. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believe(th) in him should not perish, but have everlasting life,” reads John 3:16. It’s a message of love and acceptance that stands in stark contrast to a group whose website URL declares “God hates fags.”

Their twisted interpretation of faith is precisely why Millennials, Gen Z, and many others are turning away from religion in droves. God is loving, God is kind, but their version of God is a weapon used to justify hate.

Religion is deeply important to many — it’s a guiding light, a source of hope, and a way to make sense of our place in this world. But when faith is twisted into a tool of fear, it alienates those who might otherwise find solace in it.

It drives a wedge between people and the spiritual hope that could help them. The real tragedy here is that this group doesn’t just harm the communities they target, they harm faith itself.

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Where Does That Leave Fresno?

We may not be able to stop the Westboro Baptist Church from showing up, but we can control how we respond.

We can unite as a community to reject their message of hate. It’s up to us to show our LGBTQ+, Jewish, Muslim neighbors — and everyone else who feels threatened by this visit — that they’re not alone, and that Fresno is better than this.

I am not saying that if you are someone who has never been a supporter of the LGBTQ+ community to run to a drag brunch, I am saying be like Jesus and extend your arms out to accept all people. Be the person who shares the golden rule: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”

At the same time, we need to have a real conversation about free speech versus hate speech. Yes, the Westboro Baptist Church has the legal right to speak their minds, no matter how vile. But that doesn’t mean we have to welcome their message — or let it go unchallenged.

They have the right to stand on their soapbox, but we have the right to make it known that their hateful ideology doesn’t represent our community’s values.

Fresno, We Are Better Than This

Let’s use this moment as a reminder of the work we need to do to build a more inclusive, compassionate community — one where hate isn’t welcomed, and where every resident feels seen and valued.

The Westboro Baptist Church might be coming to our town, but that doesn’t mean their message has to take root here.

They may call themselves Christians, but I am sure they have no clue to what The Word means.

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For my Fresno neighbors reading this, you are loved. Do not listen to the hate.

Connect with Anthony W. Haddad by email.