Phelps to test new funeral picketing law

   Topeka's anti-gay crusader Fred Phelps and members of his Westboro Baptist Church plan to picket yet another funeral this weekend in a move intended to set up the first challenge of a new Missouri law.
  Phelps' followers, known for their "God Hates Fags" and other crude placards, say they will picket the Saturday funeral of Army Pfc. Christopher L. Marion in Anderson, Mo., which is south of Joplin. Marion was killed last week by a roadside bomb in Iraq. Phelps claims that God is allowing soldiers to be killed because the U.S. tolerates gays.
   The new law -- signed last week -- bans picketing and protests in front of or near any church, cemetery or funeral home from an hour before the funeral until an hour afterward.

Photo taken by Scott Canon at a Phelps protest in South Haven, Kan.

AP story

 

Comments

I'm not worried about the Americans who tolerate gay lifestyles. I'm worried about the Americans who tolerate Fred Phelps. His reasoning is so absurd I can't understand how anyone would buy into it. I think Fred has gay tendencies of his own. There is absolutely no relation between dead soldiers and gay citizens of this country.

Believe what you want to believe...I'll never talk bad about anyone's religion. I'll only talk bad when you try to force your unfounded moral values on me. Let's tap Fred Phelps' phones. I'd consider him a terrorist, celebrating the death of American soldiers and abusing the same rights he does not want to give to gay people.

[J.P.]

Its amazing that in our society today that Fred Phelps even has a "voice". You would think that in the year 2006 that an ego-maniacal self-centered blow hard wouldn't even have a chance to voice his narrow-minded views. Thank you to the media for letting us know what he has to say though....it reminds us that even in our "free" world that we live in....we still have to watch our backs because there are still a few "Hitlers" out there.....

[Gnat]

As a Christian I an ashamed of Fred Phelps and the antics of his church. As a retired (26 years of active and reserve service) US Navy CPO I'm outraged. I can only imagine the emotional suffering the families of my fallen comrades in arms feel because of this misguided campaign.

Fred doesn't speak for the majority of Christians.

May God comfort these mourners with an abundance of love, peace and understanding from family, friends, comrades and strangers.

[Fred]

i wish he had another name. he disgraces my heritage when he uses my name. he is a jerk. freedom of speech is overrated when it is used by the very unchristian man.

O.K. all you feel good liberals. Let's not forget that Fred has a right to free speech! Just because he is doing something offensive does not make it illegal. It's not like he's having sex with another man is it?

[Angela]

I'd just like to add, that yes, I am a liberal, which I'm proud of. Anyways, the United States Supreme Court legalized consensual homosexual sodomy in 2003 in the case of Lawrence v. Texas. Last week, the Missouri legislature declared it illegal to protest at a funeral. So, Fred Phelps is doing something offensive AND illegal. It's not just offensive, it's morally wrong. How can somebody be proud that another person, whom they have never met, or know anything about, has died? Think about the children who don't understand why daddy isn't coming home and there's people outside the funeral telling them "Thank God he's dead." Instead Fred Phelp's is thinking of his sick and cruel publicity stunt. How someone can put a correlation between soldiers dying for our country and private sexual relations is beyond me.

This was a law enacted to prohibit one man's right to free speech. It was done for political reasons. VERY dangerous scenario. Another thing people try to do, (like in the previous post), is to play on sentiments of "what's going to happen to the children". The road to hell is paved with good intentions.

Eroding constitutional rights is a very dangerous prospect. Just remeber, a right you hold dear may be next! Today we don't like someone who protests at funerals, tomorrow we don't like what people say inside their churches. Are you next?

[BLUE VALLEY NORTH]

the most amusing thing ive seen was when fred phelps and all of his flammin crew came to my school. fights broke out all of his ppl ran like little bitches, his vans windows got broken out all the older men got there asses beat. i loved it

Somebody oughta show Freddie the krueger the way out.

blue valley, my normal dislike of violence doesn't seem to be able to get worked up about this story you just told. I'd like to see the losers run for their lives and not stop till they run off a cliff out in california.

[N THA HOOD]

LET HIM & HIS KIND KEEP TALKING WE NEED 2 C WHERE THE FOOLS ARE.