Brave 9 Year Old Counter Protests Westboro 'Hate' Church

By Huffington Post

Credit: Patty Akrouche

Jose Miles holds up a sign that reads "God Hates No One" as the Westboro Baptist Church protests at Washburn University in Topeka, Kan. on Saturday, May 12, 2012.

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    Jose Miles holds up a sign that reads "God Hates No One" as the Westboro Baptist Church protests at Washburn University in Topeka, Kan. on Saturday, May 12, 2012.

    (Patt Akrouche)

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May 17, 2012 Updated May 17, 2012 at 11:10 AM PDT

A Kansas mother was filled with pride when her young son mounted a quiet counter-protest against picketers from the Westboro Baptist Church over the weekend, the Augusta Chronicle reports.

Nine-year-old Josef Miles and his mother, Patty Akrouche, were walking around the Washburn University campus in Topeka, Kan., on Saturday when they saw a group of Westboro Baptist Church protesters armed with signs.

The Church is infamous for using pickets with phrases like "God hates fags" and "Thank God for dead soldiers."

After reading some of the signs on display, Akrouche said that Miles asked her if he could create one of his own. Using a small sketch pad, he wrote out his message in pencil and held it out while he stood across from the picket line.

"GOD HATES NO ONE," he wrote.

While describing the incident on her Facebook page, Akrouche said her son is "a wonderful young person [who she enjoys] learning from every day."

"He’s growing up to be a fine young man," Akrouche wrote. "I got my Mother’s Day gift a day early."

Described as a "homophobic and anti-Semitic hate group" by the Anti-Defamation League, the Westboro Baptist Church regularly stages protests around the country, which has included the picketing of funerals for American servicemen and children.

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