Highly upset!! - Fred Phelps to Visit

[lady_zana]

Fred Phelps is coming to a neighboring town to protest at someone's funeral! Just the very idea of that makes me so angry! Support the military or not, everyone has the right to die in peace and everyone has the right to grieve for their loved ones in peace.

Berea's (where he will be) GSA, along with Richmond's, (where I am a member) are going, not to counterprotest but to form a human line so he cannot reach the mourners.

I am going to post a link to see Phelps' flyer if you would like. The rest of the information comes from the Facebook Event.

http://www.godhatesfags.com/fliers/d...st-funeral.pdf

After some discussion with PFLAG and other members of the Berea community, we've found out some more details about the planned response to Fred Phelps and his group. Rather than a counter-protest, a group called the Patriot Guard (which was formed specifically to deal with Phelps' picketing of military funerals), has been invited to organize on Saturday to form a line of people between Phelps' group and the funeral party. This group will form a human wall to keep the picketers out of view of the family, and their presence will help fight Phelps and his crew while still maintaining respect and support for PFC West's family --which is really the most important issue right now.

If anyone would like to participate in the human line, the Guard will be meeting in the parking lot of First Christian Church at 12pm on Friday (for prep) and 11am on Saturday and then move to Berea Baptist Church. They welcome people to join them. (Directions to the First Christian Church will be emailed soon.)


also, this message from Berea's PFLAG rep, Ed:
As many of you have already heard, Fred Phelps and company have indicated that they will picket the funeral service for Coty West at Berea Baptist Church. Since a number of questions have arisen about a reponse to Phelps, I want to share what I know at this point and to comment.

1) Because of family relationships in my church, I visited at the West house and want you to know that the grief is very great. This observation pretty much frames the rest of what I have to write.

2) The Patriot Guard, which travels by invitation only, has been invited to Berea, to be present during visitation on Friday and at the funeral on Saturday. The Patriot Guard, as I understand, is a group of veterans who organized a couple of years ago specifically to establish a wall of people and flags between Fred Phelps and grieving families. It is not a protest group, it is a wall of people.

3) The Patriot Guard welcomes others to stand with them.

4) The Phelps organization has no concern for a grieving family. I think that concern for the family should be our first priority. A direct Phelps counter-protest would, I am afraid, give the same message that Phelps gives
- no concern for the family. I would suggest that those who want to take action should participate with the Patriot Guard.

5) The Guard will gather in the parking lot of First Christian Church at noon on Friday and move on to the Berea Baptist Church. The Guard will gather in the parking lot of First Christian Church at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday and then move to the Berea Baptist Church.

Ed

[lady_zana]

My friend found this article and sent it to me....



Published: December 07, 2006 08:16 am

Group plans to picket soldier’s funeral

Bill Robinson
Register News Writer

The Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kan., announced on its Web site Tuesday that it plans to picket the funeral of Pvt. Theodore “Coty” West in Berea on Saturday.

The group has frequently picketed the funeral services of U.S. service personnel to protest what they regard as the military and the public’s acceptance of homosexuality. The group’s leader, Fred Phelps, says U.S. soldiers are dying as the result of God’s Judgment on America.

West, 23, who was serving with the U.S. Army’s First Cavalry Division in Iraq was killed by a roadside bomb on Nov. 29.

His funeral is planned for 1 p.m. Saturday at Berea Baptist Church, 310 Chestnut, in Berea.

Berea Police Chief Dwayne Brumley said city officials had not heard from the Topeka church, but “as long as pickets stay on the sidewalk and do not block traffic or take any other disruptive action” the city cannot remove them from near the church.

The Berea Police Department began preparing for the protest after learning about Westboro Baptist Church’s plans from its Web site, Brumley said.

The chief said he was not be surprised if local veterans’ group staged a counter protest Saturday.

“At other locations in Kentucky and elsewhere around the county, veterans have sought to shield families so they would not see funeral protesters,” he said.

“Our job is to enforce the law and protect the rights of individuals,” Brumley said, “and that’s what we will do.”

Leaders of local veterans’ organizations said Wednesday they had not heard about the funeral protest but would begin discussing possible action.

The 2006 Kentucky General Assembly passed legislation that would keep pickets at least 300 feet from any funeral or other memorial service, but its enforcement was blocked Sept. 26 on First Amendment grounds by U.S. District Judge Karen Caldwell.

Bart McQueary of Harrodsburg, who has participated in funeral protests sponsored by Westboro Baptist Church, filed the suit with support from Westboro Baptist Church and the American Civil Liberties Union, said state Sen. Ed Worley, D-Richmond, who listed the funeral protest legislation as one of the major successes of the 2006 General Assembly as he ran for re-election.

The legislation, House Bill 333 and Senate Bill 93, was passed without opposition in either body, said Susan Straub of the Legislative Research Commission.

“These people (funeral protesters) are the maggots of society,” Worley said. “Anyone who would stage a protest during a funeral has to be among the lowest forms of life.”

“I’m sorry the federal courts have blocked enforcement of what I believe is a law that every good person in Kentucky supports,” Worley said.

Attorney General Greg Stumbo is appealing Judge Caldwell’s ruling, he said, and “I hope we can win on appeal.”

Bill Robinson can be reached at [email protected] or at 623-1669, Ext. 267.

[lvpets2002]

Its all disgusting to me.. I would say all of these protesters need to get a real job to take up their time.. I agree any & everyone needs & deserves to rest in peace.. So sad we cant even do that anymore with all these Idiots out there..

[Lady's Human]

And as long as the press continues to give credence to whackjobs like phelps (and airtime, and ink.....) they will continue to do what they do.

[lvpets2002]

Well said && I agree.. Freedom of Speech = Isn't Nice!! Yes it is Butttt: Lets reserve some for silence ok..

And as long as the press continues to give credence to whackjobs like phelps (and airtime, and ink.....) they will continue to do what they do.

[Cataholic]

A few, stategically placed, snipers would certainly bring a halt to this group's "protest". Sometimes, I think we are TOO civilized a nation.

[momoffuzzyfaces]

They are at all the military funerals here. One of the towns put HUGE American flags all around the cemetery so the family could not see the protesters.

You know, they say they are a Christian group. I beg to differ. No true Christian I know would behave in such a disgraceful way!!! Also, how dare they speak for God by saying : God hates fags!!! They certainly have never read the Bible if they believe that. When Jesus was asked what is the greatest commandment he said to Love God with all your heart and and the second is to love your neighbor as yourself. (Mark 12:30-31) That includes everyone because God loves everyone, whether they belive in him or not.

If God doesn't like a person's life style, He is quite able to change it himself without their help!!!

I can't help but wonder, if one of their loved ones was killed in the military, would they protest their own loved ones funeral?

[Karen]

If they ever came here to protest, I'd enjoy being in a group blocking them, and perhaps singing hymns of love and understand at them.

[Sevaede]

I agree with above posts.

This is not the first time I've heard of a funeral protest but probably the first time I have heard of that man, group, etc. That is just horrible. Why would they do that? On top of the fact that it is just horrible, what are they trying to prove anyways? :S

[lady_zana]

If they ever came here to protest, I'd enjoy being in a group blocking them, and perhaps singing hymns of love and understand at them.

Yep, that's what we hope to do tomorrow. They (the Richmond and Berea PRIDE alliances) considered a counterprotest but now we have decided to simply create a human block-line so that the Phelps' and their followers cannot get to the mourners.

No one's funeral, no matter what, needs to be turned into a circus or a riot. Let the families mourn their loved ones in peace.

[moosmom]

And as long as the press continues to give credence to whackjobs like phelps (and airtime, and ink.....) they will continue to do what they do

Well said, Lady's Human!!

[TamanduaGirl]

I saw pics of them holding signs and some signs were like "God is your enemy" And "God hates you" Definatly not christian. Kinda like they are trying to give christians a bad name. and saw part of an interview with one and seemed like they thought it was all a joke though they claimed other wise. They lost their marbles and tripped on them too.

[Edwina's Secretary]

And as long as the press continues to give credence to whackjobs like phelps (and airtime, and ink.....) they will continue to do what they do.

Ah yes...all the fault of the press....

If your point is correct...the very existence of this thread is support for these whackjobs.

I blame the horrid people who would even think of protesting at a funeral.

[Lady's Human]

Sara,

I'm not blaming the press for the actions of the protesters. I'm just saying that if they had one of their protests and no one publicized it, they wouldn't gain the attention they are so desperately seeking.

[Edwina's Secretary]

I just think to say the press gives credence is to suggest the press acknowledges what the protesters are saying is true. (I looked it up in the dictionary... ) I haven't seen the press suggest ANYWHERE that the deaths of our soldiers in Iraq is devine retribution.

The protesters are nuts...and should be told that they are nuts. The protesters are horrid human beings and should be told that.

What a shame it would be if these horrid people were doing this horrid thing and good people did not know about it (from the press) so that they could help and support the families being hurt by these horrid people.