Westboro picketers outnumbered at Elizabeth Edwards funeral

[alsame]

http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/2010/1211/Westboro-picketers-outnumbered-at-Elizabeth-Edwards-funeral

By Brad Knickerbocker, Staff writer / December 11, 2010

Members of the controversial Westboro Baptist Church picketed the funeral of Elizabeth Edwards in Raleigh, N.C. Saturday. But they were vastly outnumbered by a “human buffer” of people who quietly stood in the rain singing Christmas carols and carrying signs reading “God loves Elizabeth Edwards” or simply “Grace” and “Hope.”

Westboro is a small, unaffiliated church in Topeka, Kansas, whose congregation consists mainly of the Rev. Fred Phelps and members of his family. Frequently described as a “hate group,” it’s known for its extreme views on homosexuality.

The group believes that God is punishing America for its growing acceptance of gay rights by killing US troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. Members typically show up at the funerals of war veterans carrying signs reading “God hates fags.”

In a 2007 interview, Mrs. Edwards described herself as “completely comfortable with gay marriage,” hence the Westboro protesters at the funeral. But on Saturday just five church members (two of them children) showed up to picket, waving hateful signs about Mrs. Edwards and the United Methodist Church where the service was held.



:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:


Members of various groups opposing the Westboro Baptist Church rally at the funeral for Elizabeth Edwards in Raleigh, North Carolina on Saturday. The groups created a "human buffer" to shield the Edwards family from the Westboro demonstration.

Chris Keane/Reuters

[OneGrassRoot]

1. It's like the Westboro idiots didn't even exist...

I was there, and from what I saw, there truly was a Line of Love; the handful of Westboro people were ignored and invisible, as it should be.

Wish we could ignore all the pathetic excuses for human beings and not give them any attention. Maybe they'd eventually just fade away...

[47of74]

6. Ignoring them is best

Because it's what they do not want. Phelps and his supporters want attention.

[undeterred]

2. Very nice way to handle it.

[asdjrocky]

3. That poor stupid stinky bigot just can't catch a break can he? nt

[nadinbrzezinski]

4. Ah the Comicon way

it works

[glitch]

5. God Bless these human buffers! nt

:cry:

[Raine]

7. Pathetic losers

doing anything for attention. x(

[Historic NY]

8. Did they buy new tires ? The streets are just littered with sharp objects these days.

[tuckessee]

9. Never have so few garnered so much attention.....

The Westboro morons could be outnumbered anywhere, anytime, by anybody.