For it is in giving that we receive
We invite individual visual and performing artists, writers, bookstores, book clubs, brave non-profit or government organizations and other individuals or groups across the USA to independently “flood the zone” with creativity, for Create to Liberate, Saturday, April 19, 2025.
Think of the following idea as a pilot light for the creative fire within you (if yours needs to be lit.)
Create to Liberate Idea No. 15
In 2019, a handful of members from Westboro Baptist Church landed in Virginia to protest that state’s first transgender delegate.
Given a heads up about the plans of the Kansas-based hate group, a local heavy metal band organized a musical counter offensive.
The band’s act of art activism was to encourage fans and fellow musicians to show up at the protest with kazoos.
Metalheads with kazoos drown out Westboro Baptist Church at Capitol
The non-traditional protest drew headlines.
“Hundreds of metalheads turned out to counterprotest the Westboro Baptist Church and show support for the state’s first transgender delegate at the Virginia State Capitol on Monday,” reported “The Hill.”
“The church members were far outnumbered by the metalheads, who drowned them out with kazoos, drums and wild costumes.”
Give it to ’em right up the ol’ kazoo
“They want hate. They want anger. They want screaming arguments,” wrote the organizer, author and musician D. Randall Blythe.
What did Westboro receive?
“Outrageously costumed freaks. Dancing. Head banging. Drumming. Vuvuzelas. Oh yeah—and kazoos. LOTS of kazoos. The noise was INCREDIBLE—no one could hear a single word they said.”
The Kansas cult left after 30 minutes.
And the elected official, Del. Danica Roem, turned the protest into a fundraiser that collected more than $25,000 for her reelection campaign.
“Flip the script on something negative,” she stated, “by raising money off of the response without amplifying the original negativity and driving a unifying message about love conquering hate.”
When deciding what action of art activism you might organize for Create to Liberate on April 19, an action like this is music to our ears.
You’re gonna be nowhere
The loneliest kind of lonely
It may be rough goin’
Just to do your thing’s the hardest thing to do
But you’ve gotta
Make your own kind of music
Sing your own special song
Make your own kind of music
Even if nobody else sings along
“Make Your Own Kind of Music” by Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil
Performed by Cass Elliot (1969)
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