My column today looks at the Phelps clan’s protests at military funerals and asks for more space for grieving families in the form of a no-protest buffer zone around funerals. I strongly believe in First Amendment rights, but I also feel strongly that mourning families trying to bury a loved one shouldn’t have to endure such harassment. Give them their space.
A funeral protest isn’t free speech — it’s cruelty.
I went to the Phelpses’ protest this morning at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Wichita — I wanted to see one of these protests up close. Believe me, it was way too cold for an outdoor protest.
But there they were — about eight Phelps protesters, standing right across the street from the church, waving their signs (one said “Thank God for Dead Soldiers”) and occasionally taunting and jeering. It was beyond offensive. It was ghoulish. Reaffirmed my belief that family members deserve better privacy protection.
About 150 Patriot Guard members were there, too — some had traveled many miles in bone-chilling weather to offer support and try to shield the family. I salute them.
Posted by Randy Scholfield
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32 Comments
He who lives by the sword…….! Fred, like the rest of us, is going to end up in the ground, and I’ll bet there’s a line several miles long of people waiting to piss on his grave!
As much as I’d like to “protest” Fred’s funeral. I think a total lack of coverage and nobody showing up would be the ultimate slap in his face. Don’t give him the final round of attention that he hopes to see when he looks up from hell.
God bless America and the families.The numbers say it all. 150 to 8.
Thank God there is only a small minority of these less than humans. To even equate them with Americans is a slap in the face to all Americans.
It would be wonderful to see lightning strike his Church while Pharisee Phred is preaching and take out his whole band of hipocrites. Jesus warned us about false preachers like Pharisee Phred.
My hat is off to the Patriot Guard.While I’d never advocate such a thing, If Fred and Co suffered a serious ass-kicking, I wouldn’t lose any sleep over it.
I suspect there’s a nice, toasty place in Hell awaiting the Phelps clan.
As a member of the Patriot Guard, I can assure you that many of us would like nothing more than beating the &$^@# out of those people. With many combat experienced vets, you can be assured that we could make short work of them.
However, that would play into their hands. They would sue and use the funds to continue spreading their hatred. We show up at the invitation of the family to shield them from that disgusting hate. And, we do. Nothing could be seen or heard by the grieving family.
After the service as the casket was carried out, over 100 very young school children from the attached parochial school streamed out and stood along a fence across the street—all standing there with American flags.
The sick cult members appeared for about 30 minutes and left. They could not be seen or heard by the grieving family and friends of Sgt. Hasse.
Due to the icy roads, we had very few motorcycles. We did have lots of respect, American flags, and honor for a fallen soldier and his loved ones.
You are a good man Ray. A suggestion: Make a bunch of two-sided signs. On one side messages of strength for the family. On the other side messages for the Phelpsies. With Fred’s history I’m sure you could come up with some appropriate comments. Also some Bible quotes that show Fred to be heretical.
Who knows, maybe one of his little band will attack YOU. Then, of course, you would be forced to defend yourself …
Ray,I certainly appreciate what you and the Patriot Guard are doing. It’s been needed for quite a while! While I realize that military funerals are at the top of your list, and rightly so, I wonder if some of you could find it in your hearts to show up wherever the Phelps clan protests. There should be no place that bunch feels safe to spew their hatred!
Why someone doesn’t or hasn’t kicked his sorry ass is beyond me. I have family in the service and if Phelps or his douche-bag daughter were to appear at their funerals he would have more to fear than loud bikes.
Here’s an idea I’ll give a $100 to whoever puts the Rev Phelps or a member of his church in traction. $500 for firebombing his compound. $1000 for doing on a sunday morning with the doors locked.
Pancho,If you do that, make sure there’s none of them left to sue you! They’re a particularly litigeous bunch.
I don’t understand why the law stating no protesting one hour before and two hours after a funeral isn’t being enforced. Does anyone know? It seems like that would be the logical solution to the problem.
Damoon, the law doesn’t protect funerals because there’s no donuts at a funeral.
God Bless the Patriot Guard and folks like Ray. Great ideas/posts. Two sided signs. Anti-protesting anywhere Phelps cult members are, including their own church! Having said all that, burning the American flag is equally sickening, as it is disrespectful to all those military heros who died to establish and keep democracy and freedom in the greatest country in the world.
I am never short of an opinion on most subjects. But on the protests outside of a funneral, any funneral. I have no words come to mind, the emotions I feel cloud my mind and hender my judgment. For lack of any words to expand onthe Phellps protests of any funneral. I can only say what has been said, thank you Ray.
Wish there were more people like you Ray, thanks for being there for teh families.More and more it seems like Fred Phelps stands for Kansas values. Or at least the ones we’re forcefed.
Hate and intolerance is accepted.
You are welcome, but I did nothing special–I am not one of the founders or organizers, just one of many who cares.
If you would like to join up, check out the website of http://www.patriotguard.org. You do not need to be a veteran, you do not need to own a motorcycle. You do not need any qualifications except to care for and about veterans families anda desire to help protect them from the disgusting sickness from Topeka.
Thanks Ray, it’s people like you that give the rest of us hope! Keep up the good work.
I want to thank the Phelpites for helping us anti-war demonstrators look better. If it wasn’t for them, those people trying to block them at the funerals might come and show animosity towards us. The Phelpites have taken care of that. No one dislikes us as much as they do the Phelpites.
For the love of God, don’t pick on our Christian leaders. We need to support what is right in our society and keep the fight going on all those liberal loosers – especially all those Vietnam vets that don’t know the lord! There is right and wrong – America, love it or LEAVE IT!
How about the next family announces a schedule for the funeral at one church in their denomination but then pulls the switcheroo and holds it at a church across town. The protestors would be left with an empty street. Or perhaps a group like Patriot Guard could arrange a fake funeral at the first church to act as a decoy. Like in the movies.
They are breaking the law by protesting right before, during, or right after a funeral. I think it would be a great idea for some family of a fallen soldier to give them a taste of their own medicine and sue their butts!Hello, WPD????…..Why aren’t the laws being eforced?!?
The hatred that Fred Phelps and his followers spew forth to the world is so misguided and DOES NOT — IN ANY WAY — portray the viewpoints of true Christians. I hope that everyone who reads this — no matter what your beliefs — realizes that Fred Phelps is not respresentative of the Christian majority!!!! I am highly offended by Fred Phelps and his chronies. They are all about hatred. Jesus was all about GRACE — something that they apparently know nothing about.The harrassment on the grieving familiies is absolutely deplorable and should not be tolerated. As a Christian, I am not only sickened by Mr. Phelps and his band of followers, but I am also embarrassed that he calls himself a Christian. He is a Pharisee. I think he’ll be very surprised someday to learn God’s judgment of him.
When the next funeral is going to be held for one of our soldiers, we all should call the police department and law enforcement officals and ask why the law regarding the guidelines and limitations for protesting a funeral isn’t being upheld.
How low can they get?
To say Fred Phelps and his congregation are Christian is like saying Hitler and the Nazis were humanitarians.
Even Hitler didn’t have the gall to claim he was doing God’s work!
It is not that often I agree with you Damoon but your reply is absolutely correct. You should have gone one step further in saying Phelps and his bunch are true hate-mongers which is the work of Satan. After all they will ultimately be judged and I am sure Satan is ready to meet each and every one of that bunch.
Mr Phelps is now coming to my town of Buckhannon, WV on Sunday to protest at the funerals of our fallen miners. I have to say it’s been a long time since the locals have discussed going hunting on Sunday. I fear there may be trouble. Please keep our town in your prayers
JFP – I’ve been in WVa – those good ol’ boys can be pretty good with a squirrel gun. Of course, if someone tried to send Pharisee Phred to meet his Maker I’m sure God would deflect the bullet to protect His spokesman.
NOT!
Probably NOT a good idea to show up in coal mining country, Fred! Surely, you’re smarter than that!