onedef92
06-19-2013, 7:50am
Girl's lemonade stand near Westboro Baptist Church raises thousands, controversy
NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m111/onedef92/lemonade19n-2-web_zps5f4a499d.jpg
Jayden, 5, is seen sitting at her lemonade stand in front of the Equality House Friday, just across the street from the highly controversial Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kan.
When life gives you lemons ...
A 5-year-old girl hoping to add a little sugar to the bitter Westboro Baptist Church set up a lemonade stand outside its front doors not to antagonize but to spread peace.
What she got was harassment from its adult members calling her among names a "satanic liar" — as well as more than $16,000 raised toward anti-bullying programs from supporters across the U.S.
"Jayden and I went out there to raise money for Planting Peace," her father, Jon Sink, told WBTV, referring to the nonprofit organization that owns the rainbow-painted Equality House where the two set up their stand Friday.
The little girl raised more than $16,000 toward anti-bullying programs through her stand and online donations collected from across the country.
The purpose was to "spread love, to spread compassion," he said.
But with her blond hair pulled back in pigtails, the pint-sized tot and her handmade sign were just 20 feet away from the Topeka, Kan., group's front door.
"Our mission was not to stand up to Westboro Baptist Church," Sink, of Kansas City, said.
The rainbow-painted Equality House, Jayden called the most beautiful she had ever seen, is just 20 feet from the Westboro Baptist Church.
Her father said Jayden doesn't understand the church's controversial messages that target homosexuals — including the relentless picketing of soldiers' funerals and horrific events like the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting — but saw the rainbow-painted home "and thought it was the most beautiful house in the world."
She immediately wanted to spread similar joy and help out he said.
The hate-spewing Bible thumpers are less than thrilled.
"*WHO* let nasty f*** get hands on this poor child?" the group tweeted in response to her efforts for which they crudely blamed homosexuals.
Outraged by the girl's efforts the Westboro Baptist Church put up this sign in response to the lemonade stand saying 'Lemonade won't cool any tongues.'
"LOL it doesn't matter how 'cute' a satanic liar is! They are STILL a satanic liar" they wrote again.
Along with the online rants, the group posted on a sign outside their compound reading, "Lemonade won't cool any tongues" following one of their characteristically obscene messages.
Equality House’s founder and president Aaron Jackson said it appeared the church members tried to call police to shut the stand down, and saw them heckle anyone who stopped to support Sink's little girl.
The group's efforts stepped up several notices when they turned to Twitter to express their upset, calling the girl a 'satanic liar' and accusing homosexuals of putting her up to it while posting this mocking picture.
Among the supporters was a soldier who stepped on the church's property to snap pictures of Jayden's stand.
“There were profanities,” he said of the group’s reaction which he doesn't think Jayden witnessed. “A group of about 15 soldiers showed up and one of the members of the [church] called him a bastard. Something along those lines.”
House resident Davis Hammet said the soldier reminded them of his service to fight and protect such freedoms they practiced.
In a far calmer interview with Jonathan Phelps, son of Westboro founder Fred Phelps Sr., he said that the girl's efforts provided a "great preaching opportunity" for them.
Jayden’s dad, John Sink, says his daughter doesn’t understand the Westboro Baptist Church’s hateful message. She just wanted to spread love, he says.
"Because every time you tell about the lemonade, you have to tell about the eternal hatred and wrath of God toward the impenitent sinner," he told WBTV.
Phelps admitted that he doesn't understand the connection of a lemonade stand to preaching against sin but reasons, "that's the way its fallen out."
As of early Tuesday morning Jayden's online fundraiser titled, "Jayden's pink lemonade stand for peace," was on going with a photo of her smiling in pink sneakers, including her sign that suggested $1 donations.
Her father says that 100 percent of the money raised will go toward an anti-bullying program in Topeka as well as toward national efforts to educate children about its devastating effects.
The Equality House, operating the Planting Peace group, helps fund orphanages, provide medical relief to starving children and to preserve rain forests, among its various work. It also helped plant trees in Haiti after the 2010 earthquake.
Jackson says Jayden plans to continue her stand over the summer but in other parts of the state.
NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m111/onedef92/lemonade19n-2-web_zps5f4a499d.jpg
Jayden, 5, is seen sitting at her lemonade stand in front of the Equality House Friday, just across the street from the highly controversial Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kan.
When life gives you lemons ...
A 5-year-old girl hoping to add a little sugar to the bitter Westboro Baptist Church set up a lemonade stand outside its front doors not to antagonize but to spread peace.
What she got was harassment from its adult members calling her among names a "satanic liar" — as well as more than $16,000 raised toward anti-bullying programs from supporters across the U.S.
"Jayden and I went out there to raise money for Planting Peace," her father, Jon Sink, told WBTV, referring to the nonprofit organization that owns the rainbow-painted Equality House where the two set up their stand Friday.
The little girl raised more than $16,000 toward anti-bullying programs through her stand and online donations collected from across the country.
The purpose was to "spread love, to spread compassion," he said.
But with her blond hair pulled back in pigtails, the pint-sized tot and her handmade sign were just 20 feet away from the Topeka, Kan., group's front door.
"Our mission was not to stand up to Westboro Baptist Church," Sink, of Kansas City, said.
The rainbow-painted Equality House, Jayden called the most beautiful she had ever seen, is just 20 feet from the Westboro Baptist Church.
Her father said Jayden doesn't understand the church's controversial messages that target homosexuals — including the relentless picketing of soldiers' funerals and horrific events like the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting — but saw the rainbow-painted home "and thought it was the most beautiful house in the world."
She immediately wanted to spread similar joy and help out he said.
The hate-spewing Bible thumpers are less than thrilled.
"*WHO* let nasty f*** get hands on this poor child?" the group tweeted in response to her efforts for which they crudely blamed homosexuals.
Outraged by the girl's efforts the Westboro Baptist Church put up this sign in response to the lemonade stand saying 'Lemonade won't cool any tongues.'
"LOL it doesn't matter how 'cute' a satanic liar is! They are STILL a satanic liar" they wrote again.
Along with the online rants, the group posted on a sign outside their compound reading, "Lemonade won't cool any tongues" following one of their characteristically obscene messages.
Equality House’s founder and president Aaron Jackson said it appeared the church members tried to call police to shut the stand down, and saw them heckle anyone who stopped to support Sink's little girl.
The group's efforts stepped up several notices when they turned to Twitter to express their upset, calling the girl a 'satanic liar' and accusing homosexuals of putting her up to it while posting this mocking picture.
Among the supporters was a soldier who stepped on the church's property to snap pictures of Jayden's stand.
“There were profanities,” he said of the group’s reaction which he doesn't think Jayden witnessed. “A group of about 15 soldiers showed up and one of the members of the [church] called him a bastard. Something along those lines.”
House resident Davis Hammet said the soldier reminded them of his service to fight and protect such freedoms they practiced.
In a far calmer interview with Jonathan Phelps, son of Westboro founder Fred Phelps Sr., he said that the girl's efforts provided a "great preaching opportunity" for them.
Jayden’s dad, John Sink, says his daughter doesn’t understand the Westboro Baptist Church’s hateful message. She just wanted to spread love, he says.
"Because every time you tell about the lemonade, you have to tell about the eternal hatred and wrath of God toward the impenitent sinner," he told WBTV.
Phelps admitted that he doesn't understand the connection of a lemonade stand to preaching against sin but reasons, "that's the way its fallen out."
As of early Tuesday morning Jayden's online fundraiser titled, "Jayden's pink lemonade stand for peace," was on going with a photo of her smiling in pink sneakers, including her sign that suggested $1 donations.
Her father says that 100 percent of the money raised will go toward an anti-bullying program in Topeka as well as toward national efforts to educate children about its devastating effects.
The Equality House, operating the Planting Peace group, helps fund orphanages, provide medical relief to starving children and to preserve rain forests, among its various work. It also helped plant trees in Haiti after the 2010 earthquake.
Jackson says Jayden plans to continue her stand over the summer but in other parts of the state.