Vets Want Apology For Anti-Gay Protest at Hero's Funeral

[struggle4progress]

Family and Mourners Greeted by Angy Chants

CHICAGO, IL - <snip>

Approximately 10 members from <Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka Kansas> disrupted the funeral of <Army Spc. Adam> Harting, a 21-year-old Portage Indiana native, killed in Iraq July 25 when an improvised explosive device detonated outside his vehicle. The group isn’t demonstrating against the war, but rather against homosexuality.

As angry chants greeted mourners and the family of Harding, the small church group carried signs that read, “Thank God for 9/11,” “God is U.S.A.’s Terrorist” and “American is Doomed.” <snip>

On Monday, a group of military veterans demanded an apology for last week’s protest in northwest Indiana. Veterans groups throughout Chicago and northwest Indiana say a military funeral is no place to deliver such a message.

Wayne Williamson, the commander of the Portage Veterans of Foreign Wars post, was angered by the protesters, telling the Northwest Indiana Times, “They are no different to me than the religious zealots that are bombing our troops in Iraq.” <snip>

http://www.chicagopride.com/news/article.cfm/articleid/3187600

[Bluebear]

1. An apology? That could happen.

:sarcasm:

[SeattleGirl]

2. Okay, let me get this straight

These nutballs disrupt and dishonor the funerals of military personnel who have lost their lives, many of them in Iraq, and the wingnuts don't seem to find anything wrong with that -- at least, I have not heard of Rush, O'Reilly, etc. saying anything. But Cindy Sheehan, who's son died in Iraq and who wants to ask * why, gets vilified and told SHE is dishonoring her son and the other troops. These people are stupid, ignorant, and idiodic beyond belief! I hope these vets take action -- go disrupt the bigoted idiot's "church" service. Sickening! :puke:

[VegasWolf]

11. A late welcome to DU SeattleGirl! I'm glad that you say what you think! n

[Lefta Dissenter]

3. I wrote about this just the other day.

The last time I read about Phelps and his protest of a military funeral here in Wisconsin, I stormed into work, very near tears - in fact, I think I did start crying - and my diatribe began with "That HOMOPHOBIC FUCKHEAD ASSHOLE..." and only got stronger from there.

My boss' sister is a lesbian, so he was nothing but supportive, thank goodness. Otherwise I might have lost my job.

[LiberalVoice]

4. Can you imagine what the fuck FOX would do if anti-bush protesters...

held up a sign that read “Thank God for 9/11”?

Fucking asshole pigs.

[billyoc]

5. I couldn't tell from the article

why they were protesting at that funeral, specifically. Was the soldier gay? I don't get this. :shrug:

[liberalnurse]

6. I don't see the connection either.

:banghead:

[theHandpuppet]

13. This is Phelps' rationale

He believes America is being punished by God for its tolerance of gays -- hence 9-11. Ergo, those who fight in the military are supporting a nation of "fag-lovers". It's the twisted logic of hate.

[billbuckhead]

7. These bigots are protesting gays in the military in general

The fallen don't have to be gay to be protested. Where's the "liberal" media for this outrage?

[shraby]

8. Some old WWII vet or Vietnam vet

will be putting a live shell in his gun and instead of shooting the salute to the fallen serviceman/woman, he'll be shooting one of those protestors with just cause.

[Scout1071]

18. When I attended The University of Kansas, Fred and his

wretched crew would walk around high profile areas of campus with "No Fags in my Foxhole" signs and other hateful messages.

I got into several screaming matches with them before I realized I was giving them exactly what they wanted. They had successfully spread their hate to me. No more. If you ignore Fred, he will shrivel and go away.

[SaveAmerica]

27. Am I the only one seeing the humor in his sign? I'm not going to

copy your quote but I have to imagine he's too stupid to see the double entendre of his sign (or maybe he did which would be worse).

[pinto]

10. I think they see 9/11 as retribution for the nation's sins...? Go figure.

Makes my head go

:crazy:

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

20. Kinda like Robertson and Foulwell did?

[54anickel]

16. Last week it had something to do with their church being bombed in '95

Who knows what the heck sets these wackos off these days. A church completely based upon hate

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=1665654

http://www.wfmynews2.com/news/local_state/local_article.aspx?storyid=46148

snip>

A church attorney says ten members of the Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kansas, plan to picket before the Camp Lejeune Marine's funeral in Moorhead, Minnesota.

The church blames the US government for a bomb that exploded on its compound in 1995.

The Westboro Baptist Church says it was bombed to stop its anti-gay preaching.

Church members say they protest at soldiers funerals to tie the deaths to the church bombing.

[madeline_con]

23. Phelps, genius that he is....

has decided that the American troops who are dying in Iraq are God's punishment for the US not following what he thinks are God's laws.

He's doing God's work, see. Working in "mysterious ways". :eyes:

Someone please punch him!!!

[Agnomen]

9. Demand an apology?

The only thing Phelps seems to understand is a fist to the nose.
To give Freepers credit, they've been posting about his reprehensible antics for a while, and are as disgusted as DU-ers w. him. It seems Phelps will leave targeted town if threatened w. physical harm. I'm surprised that <ahem> some "unknown assailants" haven't beaten the crap out of him and his crew yet. Veteran groups attend soldiers' funerals, so I hope it's just a matter of time.

[Democrats_win]

12. Today Phelps joins Karl Rove as a traitor against America.

[madeline_con]

25. Today?

This guy's been driving with his blinker on for yaers!

[sakabatou]

14. Sick mofos...

[niallmac]

15. The Phelps Scale.

It's comforting to know that no matter how badly I screw up my life or how ever cataclysmic a bonehead decision I make in this world I can at least look down on Phelps and his losers. I have not the imagination or creative genius to top these morons. They are the standard by which all shit heads in history should be measured.
The Phelps Scale.

[Mizmoon]

17. I've never seen anything like his website

He has "monuments" for the days that certain gays "entered hell" i.e. the day they died. I've never seen anything like it in my life.

This is usually the time I like to remind people that folks like Phelps are not mentally ill - they are simply bad.

[madeline_con]

26. He has 4 sites...

God hated fags
God hates America
God hates Canada
God hates Sweden

This guy's a real piece of work!

[Omaha Steve]

19. This happened in Omaha too

A female Sgt. medic that was helping a wounded soldier when a bomb exploded had this happened at her funeral not far from Omaha too.

[EugeneVDebs]

21. Oddly enough

Phelps's phone number is listed. I've called his house a few times and tried to reason with them, but you can imagine where that went.

Nowhere.

It is quite funny speaking with these people though.

But something, deep down inside, tells me they're not for real. I have a feeling that Phelps is a performance artist, and a masterful, genius one at that. How can any person manage to piss of virtually 100% of the population, Liberals and Conservatives alike, in the manner the WBC does? It just seems slightly more plausible that this is a meticulously contrived act, although It's very possible it's real.

[madeline_con]

22. No fistfight yet?

I want someone to punch Phelps in the head!

[Lindacooks]

24. If that had EVER happened to me at a family funeral, those effers

would not be alive now. And I'd go to jail happily, knowing they were off this earth.

[Ian David]

28. Phelps also protested at the funeral of Mister Rogers

See related threads:

8 Things you need to know about Fred Phelps
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=221&topic_id=12512#12521

Also:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=1470630&mesg_id=1472580