[NinerPilot]

Our city is burying a Marine killed in Combat tomorrow and the "Church" in Kansas plans to attend and protest the funeral and burial. We sectioned off today where the 500ft boundries are, and yours truley is assigned to crowd control. One foot over the line and no warning, just scoop and go....

I got 5 pairs of steel cuffs and a couple pair of flex cuffs (zip ties) and hope to use them all.

[sammae01]

wow..... thats why I stay my ass in CA

[seamus]

That's odd. I normally get a PGR ride email when one of these is occurring. Guess the family didn't want them there.

[NinerPilot]

Rolling Thunder will be there at about 200 strong

[Mojave954]

Originally Posted by NinerPilot

Rolling Thunder will be there at about 200 strong

Rolling Thunder rocks with their support. Wear your hearing protection.

RIP to the one that gave all so we can live free.

[ND4SPD]

RIP

[deftones156]

RIP.

[sheepofblue]

Try to refrain from giving the beating they all have coming. I am thinking the boss they claim to serve has something 'special' waiting for them later.


My condolences to the deceased Marine's family. Thanks to them and the mostly the Marine for the sacrifice made, sorry that anyone needs to make such a sacrifice. May he rest in peace.

[JBODIE]

RIP for a fallen one.

[bwhip]

May the Marine rest in peace.

Too bad those foolish protesters choose not to allow the family some peace at this difficult time.

[steingar]

I despise the war, but the Marine died for his country, and his family should be allowed some peace during their time of grieving. The actions of the church are entirely inappropriate and do a great deal of damage to their cause.

Personal responsibility is an important part of living in a free society. It is a pity that some people forget this. Obviously the fallen Marine did not.

[onevcs]

Originally Posted by steingar

I despise the war, but the Marine died for his country, and his family should be allowed some peace during their time of grieving. The actions of the church are entirely inappropriate and do a great deal of damage to their cause.

Personal responsibility is an important part of living in a free society. It is a pity that some people forget this. Obviously the fallen Marine did not.

Very well said.
Condolences to the family. May he rest in peace.

[CBRVFR]

That "church" is the most inappropriate, self righteous, deluded group of cultists I've seen since, uh,.... Mission Impossible. I seriously hope you get a chance to literally hose them down with mace.

It's terrible to subject a grieving family to that kind of abuse. The counter-demonstrations must help to a degree, but they really should be left alone during this time.

[EDDIE110171]

There is a time and a place for protesting and this is not one. How could they ever think that harrassing a family in a time of dispair, would ever help their cause.

[phobiaphobe]

Any one of those lowlifes steps over the line, promise you'll fold the ****er like a lawn chair.

[SuperDave]

Is this the story you're covering?

I'm not a religous person, but I had to see what "church" organization was doing this. Seems these are just koolaid drinking anti-gay cults. Shameful, but needs to be isolated from other people's perceptions of "church".

More on a TN soldier's funeral and the protesters
Sgt. Dustin Laird was laid to rest yesterday.
All in all, the system worked. Law enforcement and the addition of the Patriot Guard was amazing.
Yes, Westboro was there (the Patriot Guard call them UG'S which stands for uninvited guests).
Due to the volume of not only wellwishers, but 224 bikes and 10 accompanying cars from the Patriot Guard, I don't think I've ever been so impressed with the human spirit.
Flags lined the small roads of the procession.
A Bagpipe player, a man who had lost his leg although I don't know where or when, was wearing a kilt and played "Going Home" as the hearst entered the cemetary.
I can't guarantee that the family didn't see the Westboro people, but I saw them. It was terrible.
I hope, within my heart, they didn't see them.
Young people, probably in their late teens and early twenties, held terrible signs but were so far away from the entrance of Westview High School they made little impact. The police chief in Martin was awesome. He even measured the distance from the southern farthest part of the school so they were positioned so far away from the entrance which was on the north side and didn't face the park.
Many Martinites thought they were protesting the war. When I explained they weren't protesting the war, they were protesting homosexuals, he was shocked.
The look on his face was sad. He kept saying "Why?"
I had no answer for him.
Local people I usually see in suits joined the Patriot Guard.
Everyone's main objective was to allow the Lairds to bury their son.
As a media person, we were not there in the capacity of reporters, although we did that job.
We were there to celebrate Dustin Laird, and to mourn the loss the family has had to endure.
Veterans were there. People talked about Dustin with reverance.
And Westboro Baptist Church did not win although there was little doubt they would.
Because as human beings, we have to take care of each other.
And when 10 protesters were met with hundreds of people who virtually ignored them, then it gives me resounding hope for mankind.
From Newscoma.



Anti-gay church protests at soldiers’ funerals

Counterdemonstrators in Tennessee chase away members of small church



SMYRNA, Tenn. - Members of a church say God is punishing American soldiers for defending a country that harbors gays, and they brought their anti-gay message to the funerals Saturday of two Tennessee soldiers killed in Iraq.
The church members were met with scorn from local residents. They chased the church members cars’ down a highway, waving flags and screaming “God bless America.”
“My husband is over there, so I’m here to show my support,” 41-year-old Connie Ditmore said as she waved and American flag and as tears came to her eyes. “To do this at a funeral is disrespectful of a family, no matter what your beliefs are.”
The Rev. Fred Phelps, founder of Westboro Baptist in Kansas, contends that American soldiers are being killed in Iraq as vengeance from God for protecting a country that harbors gays. The church, which is not affiliated with a larger denomination, is made up mostly of Phelps’ children, grandchildren and in-laws.
‘God hates you,’ signs read
The church members carried signs and shouted things such as “God hates fags” and “God hates you.”
About 10 church members protested near Smyrna United Methodist Church and nearly 20 stood outside the National Guard Armory in Ashland City. Members have demonstrated at other soldier funerals across the nation.
The funerals were for Staff Sgt. Asbury Fred Hawn II, 35, in Smyrna and Spc. Gary Reese Jr., 22, in Ashland City. Both were members of the Tennessee National Guard.
Large counterdemonstrations
Hundreds of Smyrna and Ashland City residents and families of other soldiers turned out at both sites to counter the message the Westboro Baptist members brought.
So many counterdemonstrators were gathered in Ashland City that police, sheriff’s deputies and state troopers were brought in to control traffic and protect the protesters.
The church members held protesting permits, and counterprotesters in Smyrna turned their backs to Westboro Baptist members until time expired on the protest permits.
“If they were protesting the government, I might even join them,” Danny Cotton, 56, said amid cries of “get out of our town” and “get out of our country.”
“But for them to come during the worst time for this family — it’s just wrong.”

[phobiaphobe]

I saw a Daily Show or Colbert Report or something where the "reporter" was interviewing Phelps and started hitting on him.

Someone should pin that guy down and assrape the bejesus out of him. I nominate the "PETE".

[deftones156]

Holy batshit! What in the hell does homosexuality have to do with soldiers dying for this country? That is the most ridiculous connection I have ever heard.

Hmm...perhaps those ****ing asshats should re-read the bible, and then reevalute their message. I don't believe that anywhere in the bible it states that God hates anyone. Also, I don't remember preaching hate being one of Jesus's main points.

I'm thoroughly disgusted. Go ****ing protest somewhere else, not at the funeral of a hero who died for this country so that we all may have the freedoms that we so often take for granted.

[CBRVFR]

Originally Posted by phobiaphobe

I saw a Daily Show or Colbert Report or something where the "reporter" was interviewing Phelps and started hitting on him.

Someone should pin that guy down and assrape the bejesus out of him. I nominate the "PETE".

SECOND!

[nedro]

Originally Posted by NinerPilot

Our city is burying a Marine killed in Combat tomorrow and the "Church" in Kansas plans to attend and protest the funeral and burial. We sectioned off today where the 500ft boundries are, and yours truley is assigned to crowd control. One foot over the line and no warning, just scoop and go....

I got 5 pairs of steel cuffs and a couple pair of flex cuffs (zip ties) and hope to use them all.

Sadly, you'll probably be handcuffing people who are against the bastards.

[steingar]

Its weird. Eskimos love homosexuals. They get food, take care of the kids, and don't reproduce, which helps, as there are no more mouths to feed for the resource-poor Eskimos.

What's the big deal? They contribute to the economy, rehab old neighborhoods, and mostly fit in with every one else. Somewhere the bible also says thieves should have their hands cut off, but that isn't the guiding light of our justice system. Do we want a Christian system of Sharia here in the United States?

That makes this really, really disgusting. I can at least understand an antiwar protest at a military funeral, though I disagree violently with the tactic. But if their beef is our attitudes toward homosexuality, shouldn't their protest be at the nearest Federal facility? This funeral is just a target of opportunity, and I hope the local security forces get the opportunity to use some gratuitous violence.

[CBR929RE]

Originally Posted by CBRVFR

SECOND!

MOTION CARRIED.



what ever happened to respect for the dead?

I hate whackos like these. If you're gonna protest go do it at some gay-pride parade. you have absolutely no business trying to ruin a man's funeral. there should be an amendment to the constitution that says something to the affect of "if your protest is retarded you should be beat." Their protest really served no purpose. they certainly were not going to change anyones mind about their belief thats for damn sure.

[phobiaphobe]

Originally Posted by steingar

Its weird. Eskimos love homosexuals. They get food, take care of the kids, and don't reproduce, which helps, as there are no more mouths to feed for the resource-poor Eskimos.

We prefer to be called "Inuit".