Westboro Baptist Church, the collection of hate-mongering protesters who have targeted everyone from Lorde to Brad Paisley, recently set their sights on Panic! At The Disco, announcing plans to picket the pop-punk band's Sunday night show in Kansas City, Mo. They even recorded an extremely offensive version of the group's signature hit, re-titled "You Love Sin What a Tragedy."But instead of letting the homophobic slur-slinging protesters take the spotlight, Brendon Urie, who is married to a woman but speaks openly about bisexual experiences, and co. hatched a brilliant plan to neutralize the WBC protesters before they even arrived.
Today @WBCSays is going to picket us. For every member of WBC that actually shows up we will donate $20 to @HRC #pride2014
, Panic! At The Disco (@PanicAtTheDisco) July 20, 2014
Given the Human Rights Campaign's mission statement, assuring equality at home, work and in the community for the LGBT community, this is pretty much the perfect way to render the protesters' hateful intentions moot, and raise money for a good cause.
When Sunday night came, it seems only 13 members of the Westboro Baptist Church showed up to picket P!ATD. But being the good guys they are, the band pledged to donate more than just $260 to the Human Rights Campaign.
Thank you @WBCSays for the update on the total amount you donated to @HRC today. $20X13= weak. We're going to make it an even $1000.
Panic! At The Disco (@PanicAtTheDisco) July 21, 2014
We will also be donating 5% of our total merch sales from this show to @HRC
Panic! At The Disco (@PanicAtTheDisco) July 21, 2014
Panic! At The Disco: They write sins and checks for worthy causes.