Protest planned at soldier's funeral

[ECH1969]

Church: God angry with U.S. over gays

An anti-gay group has plans to picket the Turlock funeral of Army Sgt. 1st Class Chad Gonsalves today. The Westboro Baptist Church, a group that has protested at other military funerals in California, is calling for followers to picket at today's 1 p.m. service at Monte Vista Chapel, according to the church's Web site.

Gonsalves, a Green Beret, was killed in Afghanistan after a bomb hit his armored vehicle Feb. 13. A California chapter of a national motorcycle group, Patriot Guard Riders, also has plans to attend the funeral in an attempt to shield Gonsalves' family and friends from protesters.

Members of the small, Kansas-based fundamentalist church picket military funerals across the country with signs that say "Thank God for IEDs," referring to the improvised explosive devices that often have killed U.S. service members in Iraq and Afghanistan.

http://www.modbee.com/local/story/11867533p-12634388c.html

[Initech]

1. Will Phelps ever stop this crap?

What an asshole.

[MuseRider]

2. No.

Seriously.

[slackmaster]

22. Not until he either dies or gets "outed"

:evilgrin:

[sui generis]

3. what I want to know is

if god is such a great pal of his, why doesn't he send us a REAL sign. You know, a giant flaming asshole in the sky (A Burnin' Ring of Fire), or some other relevatory thing.

Hey, what about letting Phelps win the lotto so he can fund his mission to save the world from the evil homos?

Maybe he could just point to a map and tell Phelps where Bin Laden is.

just sayin'

:shrug:

[Bluzmann57]

4. I heard that some states are taking action against this type of thing

These are Phelps' people and I think I heard some states, Illinois included, are considering legislation against their brand of lunacy. While I am all for free speech, this protesting at soldiers funerals must stop. The protestors are probably lucky they're not dead. Somewhere, some crazy pshycotic person will mess them up and badly. The unfortunate thing about a scenario lke that is the person who did the beating would most likely go to jail, while the Phelps robot would go free.

[rodeodance]

8. Gov Doyle in WI just signed a bill---none of this stuff 500 yards I thinK)

[Serial Mom]

10. WI Gov just signed bill to ban these types of protests

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11468555

They are limited to how far they must be away from the funeral and when (hour before and hour after).

[951-Riverside]

11. I really don't like the idea that they are banning protests....

The klan/neo nazi groups are allowed to protest in areas where they not very much not welcomed and it will probably continue.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

5. I noticed that in eastern TN,

when a whole county came out for the funeral for a soldier killed in Iraq, the insane Phelps clan wasn't there. I think when there are enough people to stand in support of the grieving family they don't show up.

[marmar]

6. Fred "God Hates Fags" Phelps...

May he enjoy life in the great (and very hot) hereafter. :evilgrin:

[TechBear_Seattle]

7. "Will no one rid us of this troublesome priest?"

Hey, it worked for King Henry II.

[bleedingheart]

18. good one!

:thumbsup:

[ET Awful]

9. When is Phelps just going to finally give up and come out of the closet?

He'll have to finally admit his true nature one day, why not just save everyone else the agony?

[slackmaster]

23. Someone needs to set him up

Six Oxycontins, a fifth of gin, two dwarves, inflatable John C. Holmes doll, a camera...

[ET Awful]

25. You forgot the llama.

It's no good without the llama.

[ktlyon]

12. I am confused. Why protest military funerals?

Was the soldier being buried gay? Sounds anti-American and unpatriotic to me. Did his wife have an abortion? I don't get it.

[Earth_First]

14. The supposed meaning is that the soldier died for "retribution"

...because of homosexuality.

More right-wing fanaticism, nothing more. Pay no mind.

[aden_nak]

13. God's wrath seems to be very, VERY inconsistant.

I mean, I haven't read the Ten Commandments in a few years, but I am pretty sure "Thou shalt not kill" is on there, and "Thou shalt not be gay" is not.

[BenDavid]

15. I am mad,

at these reprobates that dishonor G-d by protesting this funeral.

[BattyDem]

16. Protesting at any funeral is bad enough ...

but protesting at the funeral of a United States soldier who died serving his country makes Phelps the sorriest excuse for a human being that ever walked this Earth! :grr:

On edit: Hey Phelps ... did it ever occur to you that a soldier's death is not retribution for our nation "tolerating" homosexuality, but is in fact retribution for our nation "tolerating" right-wing, fundie nut jobs who distort the teachings of Jesus Christ?

[MaryBear]

17. No excuse for protesting at a funeral!

Regardless of who died. Local police need to immediately round up anyone who does it.

[Just Me]

19. I wish a unit would surround these assholes,....

,...and just stare at them like,...well, like they're crazy WHICH THEY ARE!!!

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

20. Louisville Slugger:

It's Not Just for Baseball Any More.

[0007]

21. What filthy little rats that scurry around the cemetery in the name of GOD

While homeless & hungry children beg for food and rummage through dumpsters.

[WillParkinson]

24. WHY?

Why do they keep giving this "man" free publicity? That's exactly what they're looking for.