UnF'n Believable
 

Can you believe this? I am beyond words. Peregrino


Kansas group vows to crash Piper funeral
By Caitlin Nagle / For the Item
Wednesday, June 22, 2005

MARBLEHEAD - As Marblehead continues to plan a substantial event in honor of its fallen hero, Special Forces Army Staff Sgt. Christopher N. Piper, the Kansas-based Westboro Baptist Church is planning a protest at his funeral.

The funeral for Piper, who died a week ago today from injuries suffered two weeks earlier from a roadside bomb in Afghanistan, is scheduled for Monday at 10 a.m. at Old North Church, First Church of Christ (Congregational), 35 Washington St., Marblehead, followed by a graveside service in veterans' section of Waterside Cemetery, Marblehead.

According to Margie Phelps, daughter of Wesboro Baptist Church minister Fred Phelps, protesters from Topeka will stand on sidewalks holding signs that read "America Is Doomed" and "Thank God for IEDs," (IED being an "improvised explosive device," a reference to a roadside bomb or mine, which killed Piper and two of his fellow soldiers).

Phelps said, "This nation has institutionalized the most grievous sin (homosexuality)" and that God is taking vengeance on the United States through the killing of American soldiers and 9/11.

Town Clerk and former selectman Thomas McNulty responded to the purported protest with anger.

"If this group of kooks should present themselves in the town of Marblehead. I am sure they will be treated as they deserve to be treated, which is indifferently." He added, "I am appalled."

Other state and town officials expressed similar opinions.

Dick powers, spokesperson for the state Department of Veterans' Services, said, "It is sad and ironic they would choose to disrupt a private moment honoring the memory of someone killed defending their freedom of speech. While it may be their right, they have certainly crossed a moral line."

Marblehead Veterans' Agent David Rodgers added that he hopes no attention is given to the group as to avoid acknowledging its message. Consequently, he said he is not aware of and won't be organizing any counter protests.

Police Chief James Carney said his department is aware of the purported demonstration and is taking the necessary steps to ward off confrontation.

"We are developing a plan and we will have a police presence at the funeral," he said. "We are very blessed (Piper) was part of this community. The police department fully intends to support his family and honor his service to our country."

The protesters have also issued a proclamation to picket the funeral of Marine Capt. John Maloney of Chicopee. According to Phelps, for the past 15 years, members of the church have used their own money to picket schools, churches and funerals throughout the country.

She said, "We have been to every state and seven other countries."

The group converged on the town of Lexington two weeks ago in order to protest several churches and schools. Francine Edwards, pastoral associate of St. Brigid Catholic Church, said only 10 or so protestors arrived.

She reported that ignoring the placards and the radicals resulted in a short 30-minute protest.

"We just totally ignored them. The police were extremely organized just in case something happened." She said that most importantly, "Townspeople were urged not to confront them at all."

O2 thiefs.

Couldn't have said it better myself.

It just amazes me what goes through some peoples minds. So incredibly disrespectful. He should be killed with a dull spoon.

I sure hope no one drives by the protestors and pepper sprays them.

Did some Google'n to find out who these imbeciles are - turns out they're a bunch of RABID, foaming at the mouth, homophobes. Their only agenda is the national media attention they will gain from desecrating SSG Piper's memorial service.

Despicable.

Intruding on a memorial service and inflicting a hostile partisan viewpoint on the family and mourners in the profundity of their grief is an act beneath contempt. The depths to which self-appointed, self-important, arbiters of the National Conscience will stoop to force the dissemination of their messages of intolerance and an enforced conformity to their ideals nauseates and infuriates me. To denigrate the service, life, and sacrifice of a soldier slain defending their rights (however indirectly) bespeaks a contempt for all who would put themselves in harms way in defense of them. It also conveys contempt for the ideals that would have those rights apply equally to all. Yet these are the selfsame "pillars of the community" who leap to respond with righteous indignation when they are held deficient against some other equally arbitrary moral/ethical standard. I could only wish them a world made to their image: hatred and intolerance for all who do not conform to an arbitrary norm - that they may discern the fallacies of their beliefs by living subject to the results - were the rest of us not likewise required to suffer the consequences of their arrogance and ignorance. What really frosts my cornflakes - the only appropriate and civilized response is the resounding silence of indifference - to them and their causes.

Bastards! :mad: Peregrino

Well written Peregrino.

Now I sure hope no one drives by and uses a grizzly bear sized can of pepper spray on them.

Then we can ignore them.

Nice post Peregrino
 

I favor a different method than Bill. Go showup and start blending into the group as a silent "supporter". Make contact with the leaders, obtain contact phone numbers , names, addresses, favorite hang outs, place of employment, etc on the lot of them.

Allow some time to pass. Then...... express your disagreement with their morality in your own terms.

I like that method.

Doc

Contact whatever Baptist Convention they belong to and ask if these "people" represent their membership and official positions.

TR

I may be koo-koo, but I believe that this is illegal in some regard.

Disrupting a funeral is kinda like robbing a gun store at gunpoint on police and military discount day.

And the quote that pisses me off the most: "Phelps said, "This nation has institutionalized the most grievous sin (homosexuality)" and that God is taking vengeance on the United States through the killing of American soldiers and 9/11."

Thank you to the Kansas chapter of Al Qaeda recruiting. It's nice to know that I am going to be potentially punished by the almighty for someone elses sins. These so-called "Americans" can protest all they want. At some point I think that these jerk-offs should be infiltrated like Saca says and given some of their own crap in their place of worship. Nothing extreme,....Oh the wheels are spinnin'. :mad:

They are self-ordained. Apparently they don't even like Christians. Rather than send you to their website (godhatesfags dot com), see a brief summary here:

http://www.adl.org/special_reports/wbc/default.asp

They are no better than the Taliban IMO.

Doc

I think these "people" (loose terminology) have some self-loathing issues that they may need to seek help on. Looks like Aryan (sp?) Nation has a splinter group of extreme bigots. Unfortunately these kinds will not go away if ignored given the timeline in your link.

They are here to stay until someone finds a good reason to slot them in a dark alley. This may ultimately be the reason.

I notice that the Modus Operandi of this group is kinda weak and un-organized. 10 protesters, only show up at schools, 30 minutes of protesting. They are one of those cases in which nobody saw it coming. This has cult fanatacism written all over it.

Mr. Phelps has peaked my interest and I'm gonna put him on the study list. :mad:

This group protested another soldiers funeral a week or so ago, it was discussed in another forum. Checking them out you'll find the real Baptist want nothing to do with these people. Their website also, or did, post a list of funerals they plan to be at. He has a letter at his website ranting that IEDs are Gods vengeance on the U.S. military and ties it in with being revenge for some slight on his "church".

As for law I believe if they directly interferred or hindered the procession something could be done. If all they do is stand along the route with signs and yell they'd probably be protected. It'd be along the line of Democrats protesting the GOP convention.

I will gladly burn a sick day to administer an away game beat down.