This past Saturday something remarkable happened in Pine Bluff. At the funeral of fallen local hero, U. S. Army Sgt. Michael Strachota, the people of Pine Bluff revealed an important detail about their collective character. It was a beautiful thing.
Facing the threat of possible protests from the woefully misguided, hatemongering bigots of the Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kan., the people of Pine Bluff drew a line in the sand. Together as one, our community said, ‘not here, not today.’ In so doing, they showed what is possible when united behind a noble cause.
Lining the streets and exterior of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church with dutiful watchers, an assembled throng of hundreds insured that the Strachota family could lay their loved one to rest with the solemnity and dignity befitting a man who sacrificed himself for his nation. Supporting the family’s right to grieve uninterrupted by Westboro’s venom, individuals and organizations pitched in on various fronts. As reported, Businessman Charles “Cooter” Failla of White Hall handed out 3-by 5-foot American flags to the crowd, with dozens forming a line of flags in front of the church. Members of several motorcycle clubs — the Patriot Guard, Purple Heart Riders, Christian Motorcyclists Association, ABATE and Combat Vets Association — were present to provide a buffer, distribute water and show respect. There was also a very strong contingent from local law enforcement present.
We could spend a great deal of time discussing the inherent moral flaws of the espoused Westboro dogma. Their own words are sufficient: “God hates fags.”
Somehow in their delusional conflation of issues, the Good Lord’s condemnation of homosexuality manifests as death among U. S. service members. Stopping short of claiming any great Biblical insight, we find it unthinkable that God would hate anybody. A popular watchword in the Christian community is to ask, “What would Jesus do?” Jesus most certainly would not compound a grieving family’s pain with irrelevant hatred. Jesus would not judge. Jesus would not be intolerant. In fact, if one has even a cursory familiarity with scripture, it’s pretty apparent Jesus spent more time ministering to lepers and prostitutes than he did throwing people out of the temple. As such, we are truly sorry for the people of the Westboro Baptist Church. It must carry a great spiritual price to invest so much time causing so much hurt. That much hate must surely be a terribly heavy yoke.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
Fortunately, the Strachota family did not have to deal face-to-face with the nonsense. Our community came together to make certain of it. If any lessons are to be gleaned from the experience, this is the essential one: When properly motivated, we can become the community we all want to be. We have it within us to watch over one another, to honor sacrifice, to celebrate commitment, to look beyond fear and desperation.
Imagine what power we could harness if a similar confluence of charity and righteousness was just part of our daily routine — that it didn’t take a horrible loss to remind us of our common lot. When it came down to the proverbial brass tacks, we girded up and did what good people do. We stood for something bigger than ourselves. We acted in concert. We stared evil straight in its eyes and told it to get out of our town. We followed Michael Strachota’s example.
What will we do tomorrow?