Some people......

[TheGhost]

Mourners Enraged By Anti-Gay Protests At Soldiers' Funerals
Preacher Says Soldiers Defend Country That Harbors Gays

POSTED: 7:57 am PDT August 29, 2005

SMYRNA, Tenn. -- Members of a church say God is punishing American soldiers for defending the United States, 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 Church in, Topeka, Kan., 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.

The church members carried signs and shouted things such as "God hates f*gs" 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.

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."

http://www.nbc4.tv/news/4909450/detail.html





There is a time and a place for everything, and a soldiers funeral is NOT the time nor the place for crap like this.  If it was my family member, I'd have went and kicked some asses for this stunt.

[nh_mopar_fan]

These a-holes were up in NH a couple months ago.

[ChgrSteve67]

Soldiers Defend Country That Harbors Gays

The church members carried signs and shouted things such as "God hates f*gs" and "God hates you."

I don't know that being gay was against the law.

Who are we harboring them from?

Preacher probably thinks molesting little boys is OK.

I thought "God loves everyone"

Some people have entirely too much free time on their hands

[RD]

geez, that is bad, but its just the tip of the iceberg of ol' so-called rev. phelps.  He has been in kansas for a long time preaching his cultish nonsense.  he will get his in the end.

[Lowprofile]

Sooner or Later, They all do

[andy74]

WHAT A BUNCH OF HEARTLESS PRICKS :nutkick:TELL THOSE WORTHLESS BASTARDS IF WE DIDNT HAVE A MILTARY,THEY WOULDNT BE ABLE TO SPEW THAT STUPID BULLSHIT,AND I HOPE A WHOLE FLOCK OF FAGS CATCH THEM AND CORNHOLE EM FOR WHAT THEY DID TO THAT POOR FAMILY,PEOPLE LIKE THAT NEED TO GET A FUCKING CLUE