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When Lady Gaga learned her concert in St. Louis would be protested by a notoriously anti-gay hate group over the weekend, she wrote a letter to her fans urging them to take the high road.
Westboro Baptist Church members have made headlines in the past for protesting at soldiers' funerals while brandishing hate-filled, homophobic signs, but the group decided they needed to voice their opinions yet again. As New York magazine reported, the church's protesters set out to make a scene outside Lady Gaga's concert in order to "warn this little false prophetess and all of her over-indulged sycophants that they are each one, individually heading straight to hell in a gender-confused, self-loathing, tone-deaf hand basket." Tone deaf? Oooookay, then!
Of course, Lady Gaga, an advocate for individuality and gay rights, would have none of this. But the 24-year-old pop star opted not to fight fire with fire. Before the show, Gaga tweeted to her fans:
"At the risk of drawing attention to a hateful organization, I would like to make my little monster fan aware of a protest being held outside the Monsterball in St.Louis tonight. Although we have had protesters before, as well as fundamentalists at the show this group of protesters are hate criminals and preach using lude and violent language and imagery that I wish I protect you all from. Their message is of hatred and divisiveness, but inside at the Monsterball we preach love and unity. My request to all little monsters and public authority is to pay these hate criminals no mind. Do not interact with them, or try to fight. Do not respond to any of their provocation. Don't waste your words, or feelings, no matter what you hear or see. You are more fortunate and blessed than they are, and in your heart just pray for them. Although I respect and do not judge anyone for their personal views on any politics or religion, this group in particular to me, is violent and dangerous. I wanted to make my fans aware of my views on how to approach, or rather not approach, these kinds of hate activists. Be inspired to ignore their ignorant message, and feel gratitude in your heart that you are not burdened or addicted to hate, as they are."
Bravo, Gaga! It seems the singer's advice to her "monsters" worked, as she tweeted after the show, "Tonight love and hate met in St. Louis. And love outnumbered the hate, in poetic thousands. Hate left. But love stayed. + Together, we sang."
Westboro Baptist Church members have made headlines in the past for protesting at soldiers' funerals while brandishing hate-filled, homophobic signs, but the group decided they needed to voice their opinions yet again. As New York magazine reported, the church's protesters set out to make a scene outside Lady Gaga's concert in order to "warn this little false prophetess and all of her over-indulged sycophants that they are each one, individually heading straight to hell in a gender-confused, self-loathing, tone-deaf hand basket." Tone deaf? Oooookay, then!
Of course, Lady Gaga, an advocate for individuality and gay rights, would have none of this. But the 24-year-old pop star opted not to fight fire with fire. Before the show, Gaga tweeted to her fans:
"At the risk of drawing attention to a hateful organization, I would like to make my little monster fan aware of a protest being held outside the Monsterball in St.Louis tonight. Although we have had protesters before, as well as fundamentalists at the show this group of protesters are hate criminals and preach using lude and violent language and imagery that I wish I protect you all from. Their message is of hatred and divisiveness, but inside at the Monsterball we preach love and unity. My request to all little monsters and public authority is to pay these hate criminals no mind. Do not interact with them, or try to fight. Do not respond to any of their provocation. Don't waste your words, or feelings, no matter what you hear or see. You are more fortunate and blessed than they are, and in your heart just pray for them. Although I respect and do not judge anyone for their personal views on any politics or religion, this group in particular to me, is violent and dangerous. I wanted to make my fans aware of my views on how to approach, or rather not approach, these kinds of hate activists. Be inspired to ignore their ignorant message, and feel gratitude in your heart that you are not burdened or addicted to hate, as they are."
Bravo, Gaga! It seems the singer's advice to her "monsters" worked, as she tweeted after the show, "Tonight love and hate met in St. Louis. And love outnumbered the hate, in poetic thousands. Hate left. But love stayed. + Together, we sang."
