I just dropped my mom off at home in Anderson, MO . . .

[turtlelowe]

and there are police everywhere. Fred Phelps is coming to protest at the funeral of a local kid who got killed in Iraq. Missouri just passed legislation relating to protests at funerals and we hear that there will be 30 uniformed police officers assigned to crowd control. Just to put this in prospective, Anderson is a town of about 1400 and we usually only have one police officer on duty at a time. Anyone hear about this? It has been on our local news the last couple of days.

[boobooday]

1. I hadn't heard about that

But old Psycho Fred would be happy to know that Missouri legislators have proposed a law making Christianity the official religion of MO.

http://blogs.knoxnews.com/knx/silence/archives/2006/03/missouri_to_get.shtml

[MuseRider]

2. Shirley Phelps Roper

said they were going to test that new law. I hope they all get arrested if they do. Otherwise it is just best to ignore them.

[turtlelowe]

14. I don't know if people here can do that

I first saw Phelps when I was going to school in Lawrence. He has perfected the art of provoking, and people here are hurting. When someone dies, chances are that at least half of the population knew them. People are not the most rational when they are hurting.

[MuseRider]

15. I do understand that.

I have to live with these people, it works best to just ignore them but when they show up only once it must be a terrible shock.

[TomInTib]

3. This Phelps business has to end and I don't care if it takes a...

violent confrontation to accomplish that end.

As a matter of fact, if the situation ever gets violent with those bastards, I hope that I will be there.
And I hope Fred his ownself is there.

[Suich]

4. Why are they protesting at funerals?

I don't get it. :shrug:

[turtlelowe]

6. The kid was not gay

But Phelps is addressing the "evil America that accepts gays" as a springboard and twisted reason to protest at this funeral.

[turtlelowe]

10. It's on the news again

Our local station is saying that Phelps is contending that American soldier deaths in Iraq are God's retribution for allowing gays in America. This man is nothing but hate.

[MadMaddie]

5. There should be a veteran motorcycle group coming

to counter protest Phelps and his cult family..

Phelps has been doing this all over the country...Phelps is a sick twisted bastard with a hatred for gays thats never been seen.....he says that the soldiers deserved to die because they are fighting on behalf of a country that allows gays to exist......

What is the connection between Gays and the military....the answer is in Phelps twisted skull....

I gotta feeling one of these days his presence at a soldiers funeral is going to turn violent....

[rwheeler31]

7. Will the police protect the family or the Phelps insanityl

This is horrid,, how sad for a small community.

[turtlelowe]

9. They are here to protect the family

Anderson is a part of a small rural county and tensions are running high. People here a furious that he is trying to use a funeral as a opportunity to preach his hate. They know he is only doing this for the media. However, I grew up here and know that this could get out of control if the police are not careful. People here just won't tolerate this type of thing happening here, I don't know what they would be capable of. It is a little scary.

[Arkansas Granny]

8. I hope this group makes it to the funeral. They are called

the Patriot Guard Riders and they have been showing up at military funerals to shield the families from the protestors.

http://www.patriotguard.org/

[rwheeler31]

11. This crap needs to be more widely reported.

They are terrorizing small towns.

[kurth]

13. COMING SOON: Demonstrators accuse soldier's family of aggravated assault

No charges will be filed, local district attorney announces.

[turtlelowe]

12. I think they are here

Bikers are rare around here and I saw a group of them at a local gas station when I was coming home from work.