Above all, I am grateful that I have been given this unique opportunity to conduct research on the Westboro Baptist Church from a firsthand perspective, especially because I had wanted to go last year and was unable to attend! I am definitely looking forward to the experience and knowledge I will gain through observation and interviews of members.

My interest in Westboro was piqued in my early high school years and since that time I have read and watched a large amount of material regarding the group, so I’m entering with a pretty good idea of what to expect from them. Furthermore, taking REL 101 with Dr. Gray my first year of college prepared me to be able to properly study Westboro by teaching me the importance of maintaining a critical distance. Through this course I also learned how to avoid normative language, which will surely come in handy as I converse with church members.

Although I may feel frustration or anger upon hearing provocative/inflammatory statements during our visit to Topeka, I am not concerned that these potential feelings could manifest themselves visibly or verbally. For the past 3 years I have worked at various law firms and am no stranger to the courtroom. Anyone who has ever worked a hearing or trial knows the importance of maintaining composure despite what is being said by opposing counsel or a witness on the stand, no matter how shocking or infuriating their words may be. Through this courtroom experience I have learned how to be respectful of opinions or values that I may not share. And although it has taken practice, sitting through these trials has also taught me to control my facial expressions.

Overall, I would consider myself to be an inquisitive and quite talkative person. I feel that these qualities will be essential in my effort to have engaging and informative discussions with church members regarding both their beliefs and their lives in general. I plan on journaling each evening of the visit both to vent (as I may be feeling frustrated) and to keep an account of what I have done and learned each day.