Rainbow House Now Painted; Westboro Baptist Church Responds

By Erica K. Landau Wed., Mar. 20 2013 at 8:25 AM

Planting Peace

The timing couldn't have been better for the shenanigans local activist Aaron Jackson and his non-profit, Planting Peace, pulled off in Topeka, Kansas yesterday.

If you managed to avoid social media or the internet in general over the last 24 hours, the Destin-based activist, along with friends and partners involved in his organization, converted an average-looking two-bedroom house, located across the street from the Westboro Baptist Church, into a symbol of gay pride. This rainbow-colored "Equality House," which will serve as a base of operations for Planting Peace's antibullying intiative, now sits as a direct and visible challenge to the infamous compound's hate and bigotry.

The "God Hates Fags" clan will have to look at it every. single. day.

Jackson, who purchased the house about a year ago through Planting Peace and had been keeping the plan under wraps, knew the response would be swift and sizable. But he didn't expect it to be so massive that he'd hear from international media outlets within the first few hours.

"A lot of papers I've never heard of called," Jackson said Tuesday night.

Twitter

Phelps's tweet

In addition to an interview with CNN's Candy Crowley and an appearance this morning on NBC's Today Show, he listed off news crews from Australia to Switzerland that had contacted him.

"Someone told me this is the biggest story in Germany," he said, laughing.

Not even the blowback from the city, for which he was mentally preparing, materialized. According to the Topeka Capital-Journal, "city spokeswoman Suzie Gilbert said painting the house didn't violate city code."

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But it wasn't only the media who flocked over to see what the buzz was about. Jackson described a street scene of traffic jams with "literally thousands" of supporters honking car horns, bringing cookies, and welcoming PP to the neighborhood throughout the day. A few soldiers came by, one of whom offered to help throw a couple more coats on the panels because some unexpected snowfall had cut the painting session short.

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dorisdoris

SORRY, THE RAINBOW BELONGS TO OUR LORD AND SAVIOR, THE HOUSE WILL JUST BRING MORE MEMBERS TO THE CHURCH AND LOUDER PRAYERS FOR THE ATHEISTS.

smdrpepper topcommenter

@leybadoris Its nice to hear from the delusional every now and then. That way we know just where they are and can take steps to avoid them.

I think everyone knows what that rainbow means. And it has nothing to do with what your mythology is.

dorisdoris

@smdrpepper @leybadoris

When you are in a state of spiritual willingness, doing or saying what your spirit tells you to do or say, people will not always be happy with you. You, they will think, you are being a royal pain in the behind! You, they will think you are disturbing the status quo.

One Love

dorisdoris

@smdrpepper @leybadoris Thank you for the venue; keep it coming.

Willingness is a state of mental and emotional receptivity.

The will is the controlling and directive faculty of the mind that determines consciousness and character.

Willingness is a state of consciousness that allows the mental faculty to be infused with the will of the Divine.

smdrpepper topcommenter

@leybadoris @smdrpepper Ahh, one of the home-schooled..Now it all makes sense. You have no idea what your trying to say and it shows.

dorisdoris

@smdrpepper @leybadoris I am willing

make people angry or hurt their feelings

take the first step, particularly when you don't see where that step will lead

look weird or sound stupid

be challenged

be wrong

do what needs to be done

do more than pray

march in pursuit of those things that are in your best interest and the best interest of the world around you

walk the extra mile

fall down, get up, and fall again, knowing that Divine counsel is only a moment of stillness away

smdrpepper topcommenter

@leybadoris @smdrpepper Thank you for going out of your way to be completely obtuse..at no point did anything you say make the slightest bit of sense.

Mitchell Grant

"Somewhere, across the street from the rainbow, they are blue, the Baptists aren't taking it lightly, that we tell them screw you" - original parody of "Somewhere Over The Rainbow"

kameronscott

I fail to see how Rosie's is a bar? It's a restaurant with a bar.

kameronscott

I fail to see how Rosie's is a bar? It's a restaurant with a bar.

Charles Greiner

The home owners have every right to select their colors.

Sedna Fornalski

Action Jackson at it again! Fully support all your causes man... Gotta say... I don't trust most charities... But I trust you and your many positive directions!