How wrong is this?

[Tony]

No matter where you are located on the left/right political spectrum...this to me just plain sucks. Our small town of Portland (pop. 4,500), MI, recently had a 23 year old marine killed in action in Iraq. In a beautiful and moving midnight procession, his body was delivered to town with a horsedrawn wagon, luminaries, and a very strong showing from our community...it was estimated that over 500 people were present.

Now the word is that the Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kansas, is planning on showing up at the funeral to protest. Here is an excerpt from an article:

"Fred Phelps, the Topeka, Kan., pastor has been protesting at the funerals of U.S. troops slain in Iraq....Phelps and his followers from Westboro Baptist Church -- notorious for their “God hates fags” posters -- have staged protests at soldiers’ funerals in several states. The group emphasizes that it opposes the U.S. military for allowing homosexuals to serve."

[Rootsy]

they may call themselves baptists but they surely aren't christian if they do anything of that sort...
another thing that makes me extremely ill and terribly angry... is the group that is protesting the military altogether and wishing harm on our soldiers... they are allowed to make treasonous and seditious comments on the net and national TV (CNN) and call it "freedom of speech"... http://www.citizensagainstthetroops.org/ these people need to be hung and or shot in public... wtf are some people thinking these days?

[RedDog]

...
"Fred Phelps, the Topeka, Kan., pastor has been protesting at the funerals of U.S. troops slain in Iraq....Phelps and his followers from Westboro Baptist Church -- ..."

I've heard of this group before. They were in TN not too long ago. Seems the protests are because the military allows homosexuals to serve (don't ask - don't tell). I recall that his "followers" are actually his brainwashed family members. Maybe someone from your town will make a contribution to his chuch via a good ass-kicking

[MrsDigger]

I used to live in Kansas, and Phelps was a joke there. He gets virtually NO coverage for his exploits in Kansas, despite the fact that every once in a while he declares his candidacy for president.

Phelps runs a website called "g*dhatesf*gsdotcom" and it is probably one of the most vitriolic, disgusting websites extant. He was always off to protest some church or other, usually Catholic or Jewish, and he continually drags his busload of nutballs across the country to rally with the KKK or whatever other hate group he can find and that will tolerate him. I'm surprised he hasn't been shot.

Further trivia...there was an episode of Law and Order:SVU with a homophobic character loosely based on Phelps. I can only imagine what Sigmund Freud would have to say about this nutcase.

He actually picketed Matthew Shepherd's funeral - remember the Wyoming teenaged homosexual who was beaten to death for being gay?

Ah, and here is a brief history of Phelps on the anti-defamation league's website... http://www.adl.org/special_reports/wbc/default.asp

[joseph m. hahnl]

Ignorance is no comodity to the stupid.Should fags be allowed to serve in the armed forces? Don't ask don't tell!!! makes sence .Does any one really care?
I sure don't . I just don't like the i'm so freekin great attitude just because the're gay.You Know what I mean!!! As far as protesting the military over it's policy at a funeral where a Greaving family has lost there child ,father , husband and or reversed Gender is apauling.

Ignorance knows no gender creed or religion.

What i find most humerous is the Neo Nazi's. They go around acting like there all that and like what the Nazi's stood for was so nobel.

Well here is some fact. Hitler and his henchmen would have murdered every one of those skin headed *****s because they are to the true Nazis "LESS THAN HUMAN". My father grew up as a boy in world war II in that part of the world . People think that only the jews were persecuted. Well I got news for yah they hated every one and persecuted all people. the jews just got the brunt of it because they where 1st on the list. so to me it is funny that these Neo's think that they would have belonged.Yah belonged dead with the rest of the non Arian race.



joe

[Schnook]

It does re-affirm my faith in this country when I see the strong morale opinions from a cross section of every day people like the ones here. Unfortunately it's the fringe groups and circus shows that get the attention. I think we'll be o.k., though. Would any one like to become my disciple and drive my bus to the corner store for a beer run?

[18FOOTER]

Let's not get sidetracked or hijacked on this. Bottom line is protesting at a funeral for a soldier is WRONG!

[Tony]

I'm pleased to report that the funeral was a beautiful, solemn, and emotional ceremony. Luckily, the lunatics did not show up. I think they threaten to show just for the publicity, as mentioned above.

God bless Lance Cpl. David Huhn of Portland, Michigan, and may he rest in peace.

[Schnook]

Glad to hear that. May God Bless him.