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The undergraduate student government (USG) passed a resolution last Tuesday condemning the protesting of the DU Hillel by Westboro Baptist Church (WBC), which announced plans to protest Hillel on its website, godhatesfags.com.

WBC is scheduled to protest the DU Hillel on May 19, from 9:15 to 9:45 a.m.

The passed bill resolves that, because USG “serves to foster the growth and general welfare of the University of Denver, its stakeholders and general community associated with the university,” any students who counter-protest would be validating WBC’s mission.

“I think students are outraged that Westboro would even come to campus,” said Julia Godshaw, on-campus senator. Godshaw co-wrote the bill with Stuart Portman, senator of Natural Sciences, Mathematics and Engineering.

The Board of Hillel and the Anti-Defamation League have requested that no one comes to Hillel to counter-protest the event either, according to Godshaw.

The DU Hillel serves as the headquarters for all Colorado Hillel locations.

“I’m expecting the whole student body to be unified against these people,” Godshaw said. “Everyone that I’ve talked to has been thoroughly upset about it. It’s a good thing that we can unify against this cause.”

According to the WBC website, the organization “will picket the apostate Jews at the University of Denver Hillel, where they teach their traditions instead of the commandments of God.

“Have any of you Denver Jews been given eyes to see, ears to hear and a heart to understand and love your God? We hope so, and we’ll see you soon to find out, Lord willing!”

As of yesterday, 605 people have said they are attending the Westboro Baptist Church counter-protest on May 19. There is also a counter-counter protest event on Facebook, with 24 people who have RSVP’d.

“I think it’s perfectly acceptable for people to be upset. I’m clearly upset,” said Godshaw. “But when students go to protest the Westboro Baptist Church, that’s what Westboro thrives on.”

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