Students tackle a homophobic preacher on campus with beautiful Elvis cover
Portrait of American singer and actor Elvis Presley (1935 – 1977) as he holds a twelve string guitar, mid 1950s . (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
Students at the University of Maine had the perfect response when a homophobic preacher showed up on campus this week.
The preacher showed up at the university in Bangor on Monday to protest the start of the university’s Coming Out Week events.
He brandished a sign condemning ‘sexual immorality’ and condemning homosexuality.
But the preacher – who has not been identified – did not bargain with the dozens of students who showed up ready to oppose his message.
They resisted him not through violence, but through music.
As the preacher attempted to spread his message of hate, the students responded with love, breaking into an a capella cover of Elvis song ‘Can’t Help Falling In Love’.
Rock’n roll legend Elvis Presley is seen during a concert in a file picture taken in the 1950’s. (Photo credit should read -/AFP/Getty Images)
The songs lyrics are definitely apt for the situation:
Wise men say
Only fools rush in
But I can’t help falling in love with you
Shall I stay?
Would it be a sin
If I can’t help falling in love with you?
Like a river flows
Surely to the sea
Darling, so it goes
Some things are meant to be
Take my hand,
Take my whole life, too
For I can’t help falling in love with you
A clip of the incident uploaded to Facebook has more than 11,000 views.
One commenter wrote: “I really like this approach. Kudos to whoever came up with the idea.”
Another added: “Some people talk about snowflakes. Some people mock Gen Z. But I’m just gonna stand up applaud the folks who raise their voices and do so in beautiful harmony.
“This. This is how you stand up- with dignity and pride and this is how you dissent- with respect and peacefully #Maine”.
Check out the clip below:
An Elvis impersonator who moonlights as a politician in Indiana recently attempted to pass an anti-LGBT bill.
Republican Elvis impersonator Bruce Borders was behind an effort to ban legal recognition of transgender people, which would have left the state’s trans community vulnerable to persecution.
So it’s great to see the power of Elvis being used for good this time, rather than ill.
When it comes to shutting down protests, there’s plenty of creative solutions.
A student at a Florida university previously used bagpipes to get revenge against a street preacher who compared homosexuality to bestiality.
Brice Ehmig, a political science student at Florida Gulf Coast University, says she was repeatedly targeted by a regular on-campus preacher because of her gay relationship.
The preacher would often scream homophobic abuse at Ehmig, yelling at her as she held hands with her girlfriend.
However, one day she decided enough was enough – and after seeing the preacher had returned, decided to stage a brilliant musical protest.
The gay student pursued the preacher, who was wearing a ‘Jesus saves from hell’ t-shirt, playing music on her bagpipes to drown him out.
Though the preacher continues to shout about sodomy, he struggled to make his hate-filled words audible thanks to the music.
Ehmig told the Daily Record: “I have seen too much tragedy in the LGBTQ community to let a man in cargo pants tell me I am the embodiment of sin.
“I am a gay bagpiper and I’m proud.
“I decided since this is my last year at university that I should do things that make me feel brave.
“After years of dealing with the homophobic comments aimed at me by the preacher, I felt I needed to stand up against these false prophets spewing bigotry.
“I have fought hard for my rights.”
She added of his reaction: “He started going on more about homosexuality, and earned my relentless playing even more so.
“I then called over my girlfriend and gave her a big kiss right in front of the preacher and group of people watching.”
