Outrage at Funeral Protests Pushes Lawmakers to Act
 

I really wish these people would get deported but for now a law will do.

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/17/us...dde&ei=5087%0A

http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/...st.xlarge1.jpg
NASHVILLE, April 11 — As dozens of mourners streamed solemnly into church to bury Cpl. David A. Bass, a fresh-faced 20-year-old marine who was killed in Iraq on April 2, a small clutch of protesters stood across the street on Tuesday, celebrating his violent death.

"Thank God for Dead Soldiers," read one of their placards. "Thank God for I.E.D.'s," read another, a reference to the bombs used to kill service members in the war. To drive home their point — that God is killing soldiers to punish America for condoning homosexuality — members of the Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kan., a tiny fundamentalist splinter group, kicked around an American flag and shouted, if someone approached, that the dead soldiers were rotting in hell.

Since last summer, a Westboro contingent, numbering 6 to 20 people, has been showing up at the funerals of soldiers with their telltale placards, chants and tattered American flags. The protests, viewed by many as cruel and unpatriotic, have set off a wave of grass-roots outrage and a flurry of laws seeking to restrict demonstrations at funerals and burials.

"Repugnant, outrageous, despicable, do not adequately describe what I feel they do to these families," said Representative Steve Buyer, an Indiana Republican who is a co-sponsor of a Congressional bill to regulate demonstrations at federal cemeteries. "They have a right to freedom of speech. But someone also has a right to bury a loved one in peace."

In the past few months, nine states, including Oklahoma, Wisconsin and Indiana, have approved laws that restrict demonstrations at a funeral or burial. In addition, 23 state legislatures are getting ready to vote on similar bills, and Congress, which has received thousands of e-mail messages on the issue, expects to take up legislation in May dealing with demonstrations at federal cemeteries.

The Westboro Baptist Church, led by the Rev. Fred Phelps, is not affiliated with the mainstream Baptist church. It first gained publicity when it picketed the funeral of Matthew Shepard, a gay man who was beaten to death in 1998 in Wyoming.

Over the past decade, the church, which consists almost entirely of 75 of Mr. Phelps's relatives, made its name by demonstrating outside businesses, disaster zones and the funerals of gay people. Late last year, though, it changed tactics and members began showing up at the funerals of troops killed in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Southern Poverty Law Center, which tracks hate groups, has put it on its watch list.

-Rudey
--A church of your family members...sounds like a big winner.

These people are disgusting and a disgrace. A funeral is a private family/friends event to grieve the loss of a loved one and is no place for politicizing views and demonstration.

This is disgusting.

Re: Outrage at Funeral Protests Pushes Lawmakers to Act
 

I think God's "Smite" button is a little bit more accurate then that. If God wanted to punish homosexuals, he would punish homosexuals ala Sodom & Gomorrah, not soldiers in Iraq. DA!;) :p

They used to come to Oklahoma. Recently, we passed a law forbidding protesters from being anywhere near in-progress funerals.

It's quite disturbing as well. :(

I believe there's a similar law in the Colorado Legislature because these people (?) showed up at a funeral here, too.

They protested my church a couple of years ago when it started performing same-sex marriages. They left by the time the service was over because they weren't getting much attention.

These people disgust me.

Sorry to say Fred Phelps and His whole group is from Kansas!:mad:

He is a Moroinic IDOIOT!

I dont think though that is more Laws that need to be enacted for this crap.

We are getting to damn many anti laws for everything!:mad:

Well, maybe I want to go out and sneeze in My Yrd, oops a law against it!! Get It?

Cut out More Legal Rights of Citizens and then what!

"I will be a Wolverine in the long run!":cool:

I'm suprised these people are still walking around with all of their teeth intact.

Yeah, its obvious they didn't protest near where a lot of people from said area have been killed.

They can protest a funernal in Richmond for soldiers if they want. They'll get their signs stolen/broke before the proccesion even starts.

Wow. I agree that people have a right to protest, but telling someone that the person who died is already in hell is just plain wrong.

We have a lot of crazy people.

they recently protested outside of a memorial service for the 101st airborne division at ft. campbell in clarksville - it was just heartbreaking that they could do this to a group that has lost so many...


unfortunately the desire to hurt them is exactly how they stay in business. they basically say all of these horrible things and then wait for somebody to spit on them or take a swing. once that happens, they sue the individual and the city for failure to provide appropriate protection during a legal protest for which they had the appropriate petition.

it is a no-win situation when they come to town - all you can really do right now is try to ignore them...

- marissa

Wow, just went on their website (www.godhatesfags.com), they call their protests "Love Crusades".

And my family wonders why I'm so cynical with religion....you can spin the bible any which way you want it to mean whatever stupid agenda you have.....

Pat Robertson quote of the week:

"If these medical professionals seem to think that their scientific research finds that homosexuality isn't a choice needs to take a look at what the scripture says..."

I TRY to be a good christian, but this type of stuff (rebuking tested research) makes me realize how many people have rejected the word because of idiots like Phelps and Robertson.

And the people said: Amen!

We talked about this today in my US Constitution class. I think it's horrible, that they're crazy fanatics, and that they're wrong, but it would be unconstitutional for the government to keep them from protesting. Of course, we also mentioned that the government could set up buffer zones to keep them farther away from the actual funerals. Not a total solution, but something at least.

And AlphaFrog, I agree that the "smite button" is a bit more accurate! These people just kind of confuse me...

ACLU Sues
 

The American Civil Liberties Union is challenging a new Kentucky law that limits protests at funerals.

The ACLU filed a federal lawsuit Tuesday, over the law, and says the limitations it places on freedom of speech and on freedom of expression.

The General Assembly passed the law this year, in an attempt to prevent disruptions at military funeral funerals.

The law was aimed at members of the Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kansas, who have toured the country protesting military funerals.

** There is a bill sitting on the desk of the Gov of Michigan right now that is to put a ban on protesting at funerals. I heard on CNN when they ran this that the Westboro Baptist Church is planning on being at two different funerals this weekend in Michigan. If the Gov. signed the bill into law today would they be able to arrest them when they show up at the funerals?

Re: ACLU Sues
 

I believe they could arrest them, as it wouldn't fall under "ex post facto", because it would already be a law. Unless there is a "effective date" specified, or their current legislation allows a certain amount of time before a signed bill becomes a law.

Sean Hannity and Alan Combs on Fox News interviewed Shirley Roper, the daughter of the guy who organizes these protests. Her ignorance is astonishing, and you can really see the frustration of the guys talking to her.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1G470rfJQCI

WOW, just look at her face while during the interview. You can't fake crazy like that.

LOL no you can't. And someone managed to track down her home address, I got a Myspace bulletin with her information on it, so curious if we'll be hearing a lot more about her. (Nothing positive, I'm sure) :rolleyes:

Doesnt Stupidity alaways show its head?

Hate Groups are What They Are, nothing But Hate Groups!:eek:

The People who follow them are More Ignorant are they not?

Look at her face and jaw.....mmmmm......quality Phelps breeding.

On a side note, not sure I have ever seen a more insane human.

Oh my gosh. That was scary.

That woman was scary!

She was on KROQ last week and shes absolutely insane!! There was no reasoning with her either. She would spout off the bible to defend any position the DJs argued her on. She needs to get out a bit....

Not only is she nuts, but I think that she is so incredibly cruel to do that to families of our fallen soldiers.

There are few issues that unite GCers, and I think that this is one of them.

Honestly those motorcycle riders that follow them and block them at funerals are doing a great job. I have no idea how they're able to restrain themselves though because short of feeling bad about choking a nut job, I don't know how much remorse I would have after seeing their signs.

And you know what she reminds me of? When conan o'brien has a picture of a famous person on the screen and someone else is moving their lips pretending to be them.

-Rudey

I'm disgusted by this.

Regardless of what you may think about war or homosexuality, a person's funeral is not the place for expressing your opinion about it. Much less in such a way.

A family is grieving their son. People are mourning the loss of a friend. Of a hero who fell in battle defending his country and ideals.

At best it's inappropriate and ineffective. At worst it is only going to cause people to dislike your cause even more.