Funeral protests

[Faithless]

The war in Iraq may be wrong, but does its fallen soldiers deserve this sort of treatment?

If you don't know the name Fred Phelps, here's some insight into the mentality of this man.

Citizens Plan Counter Protest To Kansas Minister At Soldier's Funeral (http://www.wsfa.com/Global/story.asp?S=3689143&nav=0RdEd1Ex)

Aug 5, 2005, 06:01 PM

A Kansas preacher is coming to Opelika on Saturday to protest at a war hero's funeral there.

Pastor Fred Phelps plans to protest during Sgt. Christopher Taylor's funeral in Opelika. So what's Phelps' message? That "God is punishing America by allowing soldiers to die in Iraq because the government has turned the country over to faggots."

Deanna Kelly plans a counter-protest in support of the Taylor family. She says, "I really don't care. I mean, he's not important to me. I'm not going to worry about him. I think that how I want the community to look at it.. Our support for this family is really important and he's very insignificant."

Opelika Mayor Gary Fuller police will be nearby but he does not anticipate any problems. Sgt. Taylor died in a mortar attack in Iraq. His funeral is set for 2 o'clock on Saturday at the Greater Peace Baptist Church.

Army Specialist Myers Honored at Funeral; Met with Opposition (http://www.kq2.com/news/default.asp?mode=shownews&id=2212)
( Air Date: 8/5/2005 )
Family and friends pay their final respects to Army Specialist Eddie Myers as he`s laid to rest with full military honors at National Cemetery in Leavenworth, Kansas. Military personnel played Taps and gave Myers a 21-gun salute.

Before burial services, family, friends and military supporters gathered in St. Joseph to pay respects to Eddie Myers.

There was a lot of emotion at the service, as one might imagine, but family and friends weren`t the only ones who paid tribute to Army Specialist Myers.

"This is a brother to me because he is an Iraqi veteran," Brian Twitchel, Iraq war veteran.
...
Earlier this week KQ2 was told protestors planned to picket the funeral. Eleven protestors representing Fred Phelps` anti-homosexual group lined up along FF highway.
...

Anti-Gay Phelps Clan Targets Military Funerals (http://www.365gay.com/newscon05/08/080505phelps.htm)
by Doreen Brandt 365Gay.com Washington Bureau

Posted: August 5, 2005 12:01 am ET
...
Thursday in Princeton, Minnesota a handful of demonstrators stood in front of Immanuel Lutheran Church, where about 400 people turned out for a memorial service for Sgt. Bryan Opskar.

He was killed July 23 when a roadside bomb exploded.

The Phelps supporters held signs saying "God blew up the troops," "Thank God for IEDs," "America is doomed" and "God hates America."

The protestors said that American troops are dying in Iraq because God is punishing the United States for an unsolved bombing of the Phelps church in 1995 that left a child seriously injured.

From this same article, it should be noted that Phelp's group also picketed at the funeral of Matthew Shepard.

[nonamerasian]

Phelps is deranged.

He even as children as followers. They hold up signs and do all of the same shit.

[hooligan]

I swear that some of those anti-soldiers groups are just so left-wing they're right (wing) that is. Some of that stuff they say is so not-left.

[Faithless]

Don't you just his abuse of free speech?

Group draws local backlash for plan to protest funeral: Widow of soldier killed in Iraq asks mourners to ignore church's message (http://bakersfield.com/local/story/5590624p-5564972c.html)

By STEVEN MAYER, Californian staff writer
e-mail: smayer@bakersfield.com

Posted: Thursday August 4th, 2005, 10:30 PM
Last Updated: Friday August 5th, 2005, 5:00 PM

Members of Bakersfield's gay community said they will not mount a counter-protest on Saturday when members of a controversial Kansas church are expected to picket the funeral of a soldier killed in Iraq.

Army Pfc. Ramon Villatoro Jr., 19, of Bakersfield, died July 24 when a roadside bomb detonated near his vehicle. Three other U.S. soldiers also died in the blast.

"We think the soldier should have a dignified funeral," local gay activist Whitney Douglas-Weddell said Thursday. "It's bad enough that he was killed. Now the family has to put up with this hate group showing up."
...
In an interview broadcast Thursday afternoon on the "Ralph Bailey Show" on News/Talk 1560 KNZR, Westboro pastor Fred Phelps openly celebrated the deaths of American soldiers serving in Iraq.

"You're a happy man today. Four more Americans died and you're a happy man. You're pleased about that," Bailey said to Phelps.

"Absolutely, and you ought to be," Phelps said. "Look, the veracity of God's involved here. He hasn't done near the damage to this nation that he ought to do and that he will do. This nation's got to repent."
...

It's an all out assault on indignity!

Letters, 8/1: Is religious right proud? (http://www.journalstar.com/articles/2005/08/01/letters/doc42eac929155f3093176464.txt)
They decided to exercise their right to "free speech" at the funeral of Staff Sgt. Tricia Jameson, who gave her life in the defense of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights that gave those "good Christians" the right to display signs that stated God hates soldiers and God loves IEDs (improvised explosive devices).

Now I believe in a fair and just God, so please, imagine with me the following:

When the "good Christian" Phelps is called home …

The first face he sees is that of God, who asks, "My son, why did you cover yourself in the name of my Son who gave his life in the name Love yet you chose to follow the path of hate? I forgive you."

The next face he sees is that of Christ, who says, "You may enter; your way in was paid for in blood, the blood of my true followers. I forgive you."

The next face he sees is that of Staff Sgt. Jameson, who takes him by the hands and looks long into his eyes and says, "I forgive you."

Yes, the religious right must be very proud right now.

Allan B. Hennecke, Lincoln

Soldier Funeral (http://www.wibw.com/home/headlines/1729882.html)

AP

A Fort Riley soldier was buried this weekend at home in Oklahoma.

Army Specialist Jared Hartley, of Newkirk, Oklahoma, died in Iraq July 15th when a bomb detonated near his vehicle.

About 12 anti-war protesters from Fred Phelps' Westboro Church in Topeka, Kansas, stood across the street from the church yesterday as friends and family members gathered for Hartley's funeral.

Newkirk residents living nearby responded by displaying flags in their lawns.

Hartley was assigned to the 125th Forward Support Battalion, 3rd Brigade, 1st Armored Division, at Fort Riley.

[hooligan]

Rest in peace. I am staunchly not for this war, but I respect those who fight. I will never picket or demonstrate at someone's funeral.

I can't condone those that do, there are better ways of not supporting the war. How about not buying from those companies that support the Republicans? Come on folk, use your noggin.

[Faithless]

Good points.

Phelps thinking is just demented. Makes you wonder how far this guy would go to further his agenda. Oh, by the way, in case we didn't know --

...the WBC believes that the attacks of 9/11 and the subsequent wars in Afghanistan and Iraq resulted from this country's tolerance of homosexuality.

So, this war is not a war on freedom, but for gay rights. :confused:

Fred Phelps meet Mitt Romney, Sean O'Malley and Gilbert Thompson. You've got a lot in common. (http://www.baywindows.com/media/paper328/news/2005/06/30/OpinionColumns/Editorialfred.Phelps.Meet.Mitt.Romney.Sean.Omalley .And.Gilbert.Thompson.Youve.G-960280.shtml)

By Susan Ryan-Vollmar * Published: Thursday, June 30, 2005
...
It's important to call out this sort of bigotry for what it is: hatred, hubris and arrogance. In fact, when you think about it, Romney, O'Malley and Thompson are merely better dressed and more civilized vessels for the hatred espoused by members of the Westboro Baptist Church (WBC). The WBC, who act under the auspices of Fred Phelps, made their name nationally when they protested at the funeral of Mathew Shepard with signs that said "God Hates Fags" and "Matt In Hell."

Members of the WBC were in Marblehead this past weekend to protest at the funeral of Army Staff Sgt. Chris Piper. They have been protesting at funerals of fallen soldiers around the country. Why? Because the WBC believes that the attacks of 9/11 and the subsequent wars in Afghanistan and Iraq resulted from this country's tolerance of homosexuality. Nice.

Hundreds of mourners turned out for Piper's funeral as did about 14 (according to the Los Angeles Times) or four (the Boston Herald account) WBC protesters. Wearing "God Hates Fags" T-shirts and straw cowboy hats and holding signs that read "Fag Body Bags" and "Thank God For Dead Soldiers," they shouted their hateful slogans at mourners. Not that anyone heard them: the Los Angeles Times reported that each time the demonstrators tried to yell, bagpipers from the Boston Police Department immediately began playing and drowned them out.
...

How does this guy afford to get around?

Iowa native killed in Iraq honored for being a 'hero' (http://desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050720/NEWS11/507200343/1012)

Mourners remember Army Pfc. Eric Paul Woods for his love
of life and his family.

By MEGAN HAWKINS
REGISTER STAFF WRITER
July 20, 2005

American flags held by bricklayers who were working nearby lined the funeral procession Tuesday for Army medic Pfc. Eric Paul Woods.

The patriotic gesture was just one of many at the celebration of Woods' life.

Woods , 26, who grew up in Urbandale and lived with his wife and son in Omaha, died July 9 while traveling to help another soldier. Woods was near Tal Afar, Iraq, when a bomb detonated under his vehicle, officials said. He was the 29th Iowan killed in Iraq; two also have died in Afghanistan.

Family and friends spent Tuesday remembering his mischievous smile, zeal for life, and love for family and friends.
...
When people arrived at the church, they were met with protesters identified as members of Fred Phelps' Westboro Church in Topeka, Kan. Members of the church have appeared at some soldiers' funerals to draw attention to a bombing at his church six years ago.
...

[Chad]

He's an anti-gay activist who is just using the Iraq war issue to get attention because it's the hot issue right now. Gay issues have been put on the back burner ever since 9/11 so it's his way of trying to bring them back to the front.

[Emperor_Mike]

Phelps is an idiot who will burn in hell for all eternity for the hate mongering and utter wretchedness he and his minions represent.

It's all sensationalism.

[Fireblade]

How does this guy afford to get around?


Tithing. And probably some church organizations who probably support his cause. :mad:

[Faithless]

Sort of a weird parenthetical transition.

Compare the totally out-of-bounds protest of Phelps with the understandable ones of Ms. Cindy Sheehan, mother a fallen soldier.

Does she have a right to do what she is doing outside of the Bush ranch in Crawford?

Raw Story: Mother protesting at Crawford ranch speaks out (http://rawstory.com/news/2005/Raw_Story_Mother_protesting_at_Crawford_ranch_spea ks__0809.html)

John Byrne

RAW STORY got a chance to chat late Monday with Cindy Sheehan, the mother who lost her son in Iraq and is holding vigil outside President George W. Bush's Crawford, Texas ranch.

August 8, 2005—Cindy Sheehan is angry and exhausted. Camped outside President Bush's 1600-acre Texas ranch, the California mom's throat hurts; she has yet another interview at 11 p.m. By the road, where Sheehan stands, there’s little friendly greeting: from the outside, a passerby can see only pastures, barbed fences, and signs that warn would-be-tourists from stopping, standing or parking.

Sheehan says she will camp outside the President's ranch until the end of August, or he meets her. After a long, hot day, she expresses amazement that she is even there.

"It's incredible and it's amazing to me because I got this idea last Wednesday," she told RAW STORY. "I wrote an email and sent it out to my whole group about that and it turned to this amazing action and thousands and thousands of people wanted to help and be involved."

Even reporters, she says, have quietly expressed their support.

"A lot of them stay after they've done an interview and after they're done taking pictures," she says, "a lot of them say, I agree with you, and I think what you’re doing is great."

In part, Sheehan credits the Internet for the swarm of attention her protest has garnered.

"I'm sure the Internet is why this thing has got huge," she remarks. "A lot of the mainstream media is surprised, like, where did you come from lady? And I said I've been doing this for months, it's not like I just appeared out of nowhere."

Yesterday, there was a flurry of activity in the blogosphere after Sheehan’s entourage had a brush with the police. The dispute centered around whether protesters were standing on private property.

"Earlier this afternoon the place that we're at is this big triangular area where three roads intersect and make a triangle, and we were told it was county property and we were shown the easements eight feet off the road,” she says. "So today when we went into town because there was going to be a thunder and lightning storm... they said they just found out that the roads were private property."

They’ve now moved to another location.

"The only reason we got to be there is that the people who owned the property haven't complained yet," she notes.

Sheehan's crusade to get Bush to answer questions echoes the famous line from Vietnam, "How do you ask someone to be the last man to die for a mistake?" Her vigil caught new attention Monday when the conservative Drudge Report accused Sheehan of changing her story.

But as RAW STORY later found, the Gold Star Mother questioned the war even before she got face time with Bush last summer.

"We haven't been happy with the way the war has been handled," Sheehan told a paper last June. "The president has changed his reasons for being over there every time a reason is proven false or an objective reached."

After the meeting, she lauded Bush, saying, "I now know he's sincere about wanting freedom for the Iraqis. I know he's sorry and feels some pain for our loss. And I know he's a man of faith."

Today, she says her comments came at a time when she was still in shock at her son’s death. Casey, a Humvee mechanic, was in Iraq just five days before he was killed last April.

Sheehan recalls her meeting with Bush as "surreal."

"He didn't act like he was somebody who was consoling a grieving family, he acted like we were at a tea party, and we left feeling a lot worse," she recalls.

"At the end of the interview [with Bush] I said, "Why were we invited? We didn't vote for you in 2000, we're not going to vote for you this year, and he said, "Mom, this is not about politics. So when he said that—maybe because I was in shock—I believed him."

It was during the Republican National Convention, she says, that her feelings surrounding the meeting soured.

"He said at the RNC that he meets with families, he feels their pain, it's really hard work because he watches the news reports on TV, it's really hard work being a commander chief... and when he used it at the RNC, he used it for political gain, and that's when I thought I can use it too."

On Saturday, National Security Advisor Steven Hadley and Deputy White House Chief of Staff Joe Hagin met her outside the ranch, listening to mothers’ concerns for about 45 minutes. Sheehan says she was disappointed.

"First of all, I didn't know who they were," she remarks. "They came out and introduced themselves and we talked, and I guess I was supposed to be very impressed and very intimidated."

"I told them, I don't want to be lied to, I want to meet with the president—that's an oxymoron—and I thanked them for coming out," she adds.

"At one point they said that George believes there are weapons of mass destruction," she continues, "and they said something else to me, and I said, I may be a grieving mother but I'm not stupid. I don't believe you even believe what you’re saying."

As we wrap up, the normally ebullient mother turns silent when I inquire about her son, who she says was lied to by military recruiters.

Casey "was regular Army and he didn't tell us anything," she mutters. "He didn't want to go but he said it was his duty and he had to go."

[Faithless]

These funeral protests by Fred Phelps are raising an interesting First Amendment issue in at least two states.

Protesters prompt call for barring funeral protests (http://mywebtimes.com/ottnews/archives/ottawa/sections.cgi?prcss=display&id=240349)
...
It is situations such as (Rev. Peter) Wehrly's that have Illinois lawmakers introducing legislation to restrict protests near funerals.

"This group calls itself a church -- but I call them a hate group," Illinois Lt. Gov. Patrick Quinn said.

Quinn is advocating a measure that would prohibit demonstrations of any kind within 300 feet of a place in which a funeral service is being conducted.

"I'm an advocate of the First Amendment," Quinn said. "It not only protects these protesters' right to free speech, but it also protects the freedom of those going into the church to worship. We are not prohibiting these groups from protesting. We are just saying they can't do it near a church or funeral home when a funeral service is taking place."
...

Even hate group deserves free speech (http://www.madison.com/wsj/home/opinion/index.php?ntid=68615&ntpid=1)
...
Banning this group (the Westboro Baptist Church nutcases) isn't the answer. No matter how disgusting their words, Westboro members can and should be allowed to say them.

Unfortunately, that means grieving families may have to suffer more on an already painful day.

To try to help them, state Sen. Ron Brown, R-Eau Claire (Wisconsin), is considering a bill requiring protesters to stay a certain distance from funerals.
...

[LaiSteve66]

I heard on another forum this "church" is going to Florida to protest a school because of its Gay Straight Alliance. Man these people are total wackos.

[Faithless]

They certainly are.

But I guess you have to wonder what the balance is between free speech and intimidation, in that case.

[mr. x]

they are worse than scientologists someone needs to pelt them with produce, only problem is they have kids with em, its sick

[Faithless]

they are worse than scientologists someone needs to pelt them with produce, only problem is they have kids with em, its sick
Hey! Come on down. There'll be water-balloons for the kids, too.

[Emperor_Mike]

Why won't he DIE already?

[mr. x]

Why won't he DIE already?
seriously ill be the first to hold a "God hates Phelps" sign at his funeral

[Faithless]

Might as well call it the Fred Phelps act.

Under the Senate's version of the fallen heroes act, the law would bar protests within 300 feet of the entrance of a cemetery and within 150 feet of a road into the cemetery from 60 minutes before until 60 minutes after a funeral. Violators would face up to a $100,000 fine and up to a year in prison.

Congress draws a bead on Fred Phelps (http://www.religionandspiritualityforum.com/view.php?StoryID=20060526-122548-8934r)

UPI Religion & Spirituality Forum

WASHINGTON, May 26 (UPI) — Congress has approved a measure specifically targeting protesters from a Kansas church who have been demonstrating at military funerals.

President Bush is expected to sign the "Respect for America's Fallen Heroes Act" as a way to stop members of Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kan. — notorious for its "God hates fags" posters, Baptist Press reported Friday.

Westboro Baptist Church is an independent group and has no affiliation with the Southern Baptist Convention.

Church leader Fred Phelps and his extended family specialize at verbal provocation during events like funerals, often taunting homosexuals. Lately they've approached grieving military families with words such as "Thank God for IEDs," or improvised explosive devices, which have killed a large number of U.S. troops in Iraq.

Phelps and his followers believe that roadside bombs killing U.S. troops in Iraq are God's retribution against America for a small bomb that exploded outside the Topeka home of one of Phelps' daughters 11 years ago.

The group also opposes the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy that prevents homosexuals from serving openly but also prohibits the military from asking soldiers about their sexual preference.

Under the Senate's version of the fallen heroes act, the law would bar protests within 300 feet of the entrance of a cemetery and within 150 feet of a road into the cemetery from 60 minutes before until 60 minutes after a funeral. Violators would face up to a $100,000 fine and up to a year in prison.