This little girl is getting hate mail you wouldn't believe because she has

[MSgt213]

the guts to post video about how she feels about the war. Please go to her site and support her.

http://peacetakescourage.cf.huffingtonpost.com/

It seems that a young woman by the name of Ava Lowery, a 15-year-old from Alabama has been getting death threats for a powerful video she produced called "WWJD" (What Would Jesus Do), a powerful animation that features a soundtrack of a child singing "Jesus loves me, this I know" while one picture after another of a wounded, bloody, or screaming Iraqi child fills the screen. The video ends with quotations from Beatitudes, including, "Blessed are they who mourn" and "Blessed are the meek" and "Blessed are the merciful" and "Blessed are the peacemakers."
Lowery began producing her own videos for her web site in July of 2005 and has thusfar made 70 of them. Not everyone agrees with her, as you might figure, especially the terrorist wing of the Republican party. You see, Ava has been reciveing vile death threats.

The object of the animation is to get the following point across: Jesus loves Iraqis, too.


But although Lowerey has received lots of positive feedback, she was unprepared for the viciousness of the negative feedback -- especially the ugly sexual slurs similar to those that peace activist Cindy Sheehan has faced.
If you are disturbed by foul language, you might want to stop here.


*It's people like you who need to fucking die and get raped while your corpse rots in the sun.
*Fuck you, I would jack off on your parents if I could. If you don't like the team, get out of the park. That means take ur small dick and get the fuck off of my homeland you faggot chocolate gulper.
*You are a TRAITOR to your country and should be executed for treason. All you do is bitch about the US. If you hate it so much, why don't you GET THE FUCK OUT.
*Are you a muslem terrorist?

She says there was a threat against her that was circulating "on the conservative underground." And she says she received one e-mail from someone who said, "Contact me ASAP. It concerns a danger to your life."
When her mom called the number, the person who answered denied any knowledge of the threat, Lowery says.

I was really weirded out by it.

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2006/4/28/143854/703

[seemunkee]

1. You know ava is a member here

She posts pretty regularly

[bear425]

2. Did you know she's a DU'er? A really courageous young woman

Thanks for posting this; she really does need our support.

[Waya]

3. Ah....and all these people .....

....who leave her such nice notes and threaten (a 15 year old??) consider themselves Christians, patriots and most likely are Pro-Lifers - Jesus is Proud........

:puke:

[Kajsa]

8. Nah, those life forms aren't Christians,

in fact they represent the very things
Christ fought against.

They are sick, demented beings,
heretics if they claim to be Christians.

[mike_c]

14. yeah but, they'll PROFESS christianity, and folks acknowledge them...

...as the "conservative christian base," so when does actually living up to christian ideals ever really enter into the matter? The problem is that folks are always saying "they aren't REAL christians," but where is the chorus of "real christians" taking away their appropriation of the christian identity? Every time I ask this question the main answer I get is some varient of "real christians aren't vocal about it," but it just doesn't make sense to let someone you don't consider "real" take away your faith's identity so easily. Why don't we hear people in the media saying "Pat Robertson SAYS he's a real christian, but he's not, and here's why...?" Or insert your own favorite hate monger. I just don't get it.

[Kajsa]

16. I agree.

I speak out against those frauds
every chance I get.

I've written letters to the editors of local papers
blasting "faith based groups" who practice anything but faith.
One did get published, many years ago.

Yep, I wish heard more about it on the media, too.

Those fundie heretics have damn near destroyed
the name 'Christian'.


PS. A person can profess any damn thing he/she wants to.
I can profess to be skinny, but it's not going to cut it.

[regnaD kciN]

24. None so blind as they who will not see...

A comment both about Ava's supposedly "patriotic" and "Christian" attackers, and also those on DU who repeatedly post stuff like this:

The problem is that folks are always saying "they aren't REAL christians," but where is the chorus of "real christians" taking away their appropriation of the christian identity? Every time I ask this question the main answer I get is some varient of "real christians aren't vocal about it," but it just doesn't make sense to let someone you don't consider "real" take away your faith's identity so easily.

I doubt very much that this is the "main answer" you have been getting. It may well be the "main answer" you want to get.

The "religious right" has been steadily and repeatedly criticized by mainstream and progressive Christian groups for their misappropriation of Christian beliefs since they first emerged as the "Moral Majority" in the early '80s. Mainstream denominations (by which I mean Roman Catholic, Episcopalian, Lutheran, Methodist, Congregationalist, American Baptist, etc., etc.) have issued countless statements undercutting the political/moral agenda of these groups. And organizations like Sojourners and Pax Christi have been active in directly criticizing the groups themselves, as well as their positions.

So, why do we get this continual refrain of "why don't 'real' Christians speak out?" I used to think it was because of media access -- most in the secular media aren't that involved in the workings of religious bodies, and will go toward the "brightest lights and loudest noises." And that, by and large, means the televangelists, most of whom are not associated with any Christian denomination, and who got their funding from a consortium of right-wing billionaires led by the Hunt brothers in the late '70s, in exchange for incorporating explicit right-wing political views in their "gospels." Let's face it, when it's time to find a sound bite on "what Christians think," is it easier to search out and read position papers from a Conference of Bishops or a General Convention, or turn on TBN and hear what Pat Robertson is saying? Particularly when the latter is likely to say something "controversial" (like calling for the assassination of Hugo Chavez) that will attract attention to your coverage?

But, while I think that the media's "televangelical captivity" has a lot to do with the problems we now face, I'm also beginning to realize that there's a symbiotic relationship between the right-wing televangelists and many left-wing secularists, particularly here on DU. To put it bluntly, most of said left-wing secularists harbor an intense dislike of Christianity and Christians per se, and are automatically drawn to those in the Christian world who, like the televangelists, will reinforce their dislike. It's not that the "religious right" is all they can see in Christianity; it's that the "religious right" is all they want to see. Admitting that a) the vast majority of Christians are not fundamentalists, and b) that this majority, although occupying a broad spectrum on any given political issue, is far closer to us than to Falwell et. al., would force them to reconsider their already-formed animus against the Christian faith. It's far easier to tune out anyone that doesn't reinforce their Christian = "religious right" equation, and then respond to every observation to the contrary by asking why they have never heard "real Christians" protesting against the fundamentalists. The answer, all too often, is that they have never heard it because they really, really don't want to. :eyes:

[Cha]

17. I guess they can't claim

to be devil worshipers..that would be too obvious.

[Kajsa]

19. LOL !

:D

[Selatius]

4. Only cowards would attack teenagers and children

And bigger cowards murder teenagers and children by starting wars for no damn reason.

[shain from kane]

5. Reminds me of Frances Farmer. n/t

[muntrv]

6. UN-CHRISTIAN!!

That's what these people are.

[bdamomma]

18. unchristian and

a bunch of hypocrites.

[Crunchy Frog]

7. Do they talk to God with those filthy mouths?

Who would Jesus tell to fucking die and get raped?

Kudos to that brave young lady, and I truly hope that none of those pieces of filth are psycho enough to actually act on these ravings.

[Waya]

11. Actually, they do....

...I went over there...to this 'Conservative Underground'.and it is as I suspected....a bunch of 'God-fearing', 'Pro-Life' 'Patriotic' Kool Aid guzzlers......

Not worth the time it took to find the thread under normal circumstances - but threatening harm (which I did not see)is, of course, serious business......

[Rocknrule]

28. Didn't you read the Sermon of the Freep?

"And Jesus said, 'Go fuck yourselves, ye communist faggot librul TRAITORS! I hope thou art raped with a flaming poker and thrown in a meat grinder and shot in thy head 100000 times! Thou havest broken the most important Commandment of all: Thou shalt not speak ill of My Brother, George W. Bush!"
:eyes: :sarcasm:

[MiniMandaRuth]

9. Ava!

Okay, anyone who says ANYTHING like that about her needs to pull their heads out of their asses.

This is a fifteen-year-old who is more intelligent than them, will be loved more than them, and will have a better life than them.

And, anyone who hurts her WILL be smacked up the side of the face with a chair.

[mike_c]

10. ahhh, the good-hearted patriotic christian folk...

...are all being the bedrock of the community again. :puke:

[Smarmie Doofus]

12. Powerful stuff. I'm sending WWJD to my prowar senators,

Schumer and Clinton.

What's Ava'a DU name?

[AirmensMom]

13. Here DU name is Ava.

:hi:

[Ghost Dog]

15. 'Little girl' not so:

Very big girl.

Good eye. Be strong.

[BrightKnight]

23. Young person

Saying those things to anyone would be inappropriate. It is not how civilized people behave.

Saying them to a 15 year old person is inexcusable and possibly criminal.

I doubt that she would appreciate being called a child.

[lady lib]

20. Just sent a note of appreciation. n/t

[Catrina]

21. Bush supporters, they are easily identified by their hatred for women

and children. They cheered the torture of innocent Iraqis, their leaders sanctioned it. If America doesn't do something about these terrorists, because they are terrorists, then it will deserve what it gets. They have been tolerated for way too long.

Threatening violence againd American citizens must come under that infamous Patriot Act somewhere. Maybe it's time for Liberals to start using it.

[mom cat]

22. What a powerful video. Thanks Ava and may the angels protect

you so you can keep doing God's work!

[Starfury]

25. I love Ava's response to the haters in her latest video!

The 32%
http://peacetakescourage.cf.huffingtonpost.com/animations/32.html

:toast:

[B3Nut]

26. OUTTA SIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1 it's HUGH!!!11!!!1!11!!!!! IM SERIES!!!

roflmao

That music was *perfect*. Scary thing is, this is the mentality that supports George W. Bush. What wretched reptilian troglodytes! Kudos to Ava for throwing their mental fecal matter right back at them! You GO girl!

Ava: :yourock:

Todd in Beerbratistan :beer:

[derby378]

27. Haven't seen much of Ava around here since the threats surfaced

On edit: She's still around! I just have a nasty habit of not running into her. Go, Ava!!

http://www.bozzetto.com/freedom.htm