J.K. Rowling learned a valuable lesson about doing battle with the Westboro Baptist Church on Wednesday.
To paraphrase Tyler Durden, the first rule about defeating Westboro is you don’t talk about Westboro.
Unfortunately for the Harry Potter author, she talked about them.
The exchange came via Twitter, where the surprisingly savvy social media team for WBC posted this in response to a Pink News tweet.
So @jk_rowling wants Dumbledore & Gandalf to marry in Ireland; if it happens, WBC will picket! #NotBanned @pinknews pic.twitter.com/zY7hT09Nv4
— WBCSays (@WBCsigns) May 26, 2015
This drew the attention of J.K. Rowling, who is an outspoken advocate for LGBT rights.
. @WBCsigns Alas, the sheer awesomeness of such a union in such a place would blow your tiny bigoted minds out of your thick sloping skulls. — J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) May 26, 2015
While sites like Mediaite praised Rowling for her takedown of the WBC, some have pointed out — especially Westboro themselves — that what she did was help the group spread their “God Hates F**s” gospel.
After Rowling spoke up, the Twitter for WBC was abuzz with thank yous to the author for the nod.
@LupinumLatronem @jk_rowling If this is defeat, we’ll take summore! She’s helping us preach, so we’ll help her: https://t.co/qm3FjxksWw
— WBCSays (@WBCsigns) May 27, 2015
The Westboro Baptist Church is clearly at ease with the berating they took at the hands of the bestselling writer. After all, they frequently run in to opposition when they are picketing the funerals of celebrities and dead soldiers. Rowling’s takedown didn’t even seem to have a brief effect on them as a barrage of tweets poured out to follow.
Dumbledore and Gandalf aren’t nearly as perverted & depraved as @jk_rowling >> https://t.co/AjbnZmrokn @_Dispicable__Me @eleanorbate
— WBCVideo (@WBCVideo) May 27, 2015
@BeckFilosofal_ @jk_rowling Everything she has, the Lord gave her, making her a rebel without a cause! Listen: https://t.co/qm3FjxksWw
— WBCSays (@WBCsigns) May 27, 2015
@XphoenixXheartX @jk_rowling If she’ll help us preach to you again, we say “more, please!” Oh, and this: https://t.co/qm3FjxksWw
— WBCSays (@WBCsigns) May 27, 2015
@JackMenhinick @jk_rowling And we love that she helped us preach to millions! Oh, and THIS: https://t.co/qm3FjxksWw We love this.
— WBCSays (@WBCsigns) May 27, 2015
@ashlikescats_ @jk_rowling But the preachers are preaching, so WAHPAH!! https://t.co/qm3FjxksWw
— WBCSays (@WBCsigns) May 27, 2015
There are several more, but you get the point.
While it’s pretty clear that J.K. Rowling and an overwhelming majority of America wishes that the Westboro Baptist Church would go away, every time a celebrity responds to them, they seem to gain energy from it. Do you think J.K. Rowling was right to speak out, or did it just give WBC a bigger venue? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.
[Image via Featureflash / Shutterstock.com ]
