Counterprotest far outnumbers 8 anti-gay pickets at memorial

[SaintLouisBlues]

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/illinoisstatenews/story/9B9A24B2D204E26C862570D4002430A5?OpenDocument

VIRDEN — Family and friends of Army Staff Sgt. Gary Harper in his Illinois home town - and even some people who didn't know him - were puzzled why anyone would picket the memorial service for Harper, Green Beret medic and father of three killed in Iraq this fall.

They were disgusted at the thought of a maverick church demonstrating at the service Saturday in this town of 3,500 in Macoupin County, about 80 miles northeast of St. Louis. It was in Virden that Harper, a Boy Scout and athlete, graduated from high school and immediately entered the military, as he had always planned to do.

-snip-

"It's a tremendous disruption from what should be a nice ceremony," said Virden Police Chief Steve Huggins, as he and a line of officers stood between eight picketing Westboro Baptist Church members and more than 150 counterprotesters. "It really has the town upset."
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The real point of the day was the memorial inside the high school gymnasium, where roughly 200 people attended a service to remember Harper, who earned the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart as a Special
Forces combat medic.

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/illinoisstatenews/story/9B9A24B2D204E26C862570D4002430A5?OpenDocument

150 counterprotestors vs. eight whack-jobs. Lucky for them they have taxpayer paid armed security (police), otherwise I don't think they'd dare show their face.

[sasha031]

1. that would be the Fred Phelps gang from Kansas

They carry signs God hates fags and show up at military funerals all over the country, I wonder where they get their funding.

here's there web site: http://www.godhatesfags.com/

real sickos

[wookie294]

2. Phelps is literally mentally ill

This story is actually a good one! Nice to see the Phelps FREAKS outnumbered. Wish I could have joined the counter-protest!

[msongs]

3. they are conservatives standing up for family values... and

what could be more family values than wingnuts exercising their.....rights?

Msongs
www.msongs.com/political-shirts.htm

[proud2BlibKansan]

4. The best idea I have seen yet to counter Phelps

is the bikers. They sat across from the funeral home and revved their engines every time Phelps started chanting his crap.

[yorkiemommie1]

6. love it!

great idea!

[Danieljay]

8. Better yet...

Makie it a fundraiser. People donate to PFLAG or another group for every minute that Phelps is at a protest. This way, his showing up actually raises funds to support whatever he is against. His showing up makes money!

[proud2BlibKansan]

10. There was a bar somewhere that did just that

They had a pool where folks could predict how long he would protest at a local funeral. The proceeds went to PFLAG or a similar group.

[NJmaverick]

5. Why don't we see conservatives and Christians

Condemning these people??? Not condemning them is as bad as supporting them.

[Ian David]

7. They were certainly silent when Phelps protested outside gay funerals

And there was barely a whimper when Phelps protested at the funeral of Rev. Fred Rogers.

Yes, That Fred Rogers. As in Mister Rogers Neighborhood.

Phelps says Gawd destroyed the space suttle because Mister Rogers never said bad things about gay people.

[Danieljay]

9. what goes around comes around! n/t

[proud2BlibKansan]

12. He also went to Reagan's funeral

and he regularly protests at funerals of judges and legislators whom he perceives to be 'pro-gay'.

[BR_Parkway]

17. Damn, its hard to keep straight just which disaster happened due

to which homo. Can't wait to see which one gets pinned on me - I'm hoping for a volcanic eruption personally.

[Ian David]

19. Today's earthquake off New Guinea was caused by Sir Elton John

[proud2BlibKansan]

11. I live nearby

and the consensus here from the media and churches is that the best tactic is to just ignore them. They are NEVER mentioned in local media. I read more about them here on DU than anywhere else. Some communities have tried to pass laws prohibiting picketing at funerals but Phelps (who is an attorney, BTW) usually takes them to court.

They protested at a funeral right up the street from me in June and I had no idea they had been there until I read about it here on DU a week or so later. I have seen them out and about over the years and it is kinda funny. There are usually only 4 or 5 of them and they really do look like royal idiots.

Since Phelps is a publicity hound, ignoring him is actually not a bad tactic. Plus, he fights dirty. I have friends who have driven by and honked at his group and then were bombarded with nasty phone calls, letters and emails after Phelps was able to trace their license plate number to figure out who that was who honked at him.

[NJmaverick]

13. The right wing conservative Christians need to sound off

This is their monster and they need to do something about it.

[proud2BlibKansan]

14. Actually he is a registered Dem

and a big contributor to Gore's presidential campaign.

In the 1980s, the Phelps family were strong political allies with then-senator Al Gore. The home of Fred Jr., Phelps' eldest son, located in the Westboro compound, acted as Gore's campaign quarters for one of his senate races, and the Westboro compound was host to a fundraiser. Numerous photos exist on the internet of Fred Phelps Jr. and his second wife, Betty Phelps-Schurle, posing with Al and Tipper Gore in Phelps Jr.'s home. Phelps also served as a Gore delegate on the floor of the Democratic National Convention in Atlanta in 1988. <64>

During Bill Clinton's presidential campaign, Fred Phelps Jr. and members of Westboro campaigned for Gore, though simultaneously attacking Hillary Clinton. In January 1993, Fred Phelps Jr. and Betty Phelps-Schurle were invited to the inaugural ball in Washington, D.C.<65>
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rev._Fred_Phelps#Political_affiliations:_Saddam_Hussein.2C_Fidel_Castro.2C_Al_Gore.2C_and_the_Democratic_Party

[NJmaverick]

15. Interesting

Although he did turn against the Dems for not hating Gays like the Republicans do.

[proud2BlibKansan]

16. Neither side really wants to claim him LOL

But when we start throwing him to the conservatives on the right, they always respond with the fact that he is a Dem.

One more reason to ignore him.

[goddess40]

20. the silence is a silent cheer

to remain quiet when someone is using your name to promote their hate it to put a your stamp of approval on the hate.

[FooFootheSnoo]

18. I used to live in Topeka

One of Fred Phelps daughters was my supervisor for a while. She was actively involved in his church. I hate to say it, but she wasn't bad to work for. She never mentioned her father's "ministry" at work. I could not figure out why she continued to participate in the picketing because she seemed like a nice person.
One of Phelps's sons has disassociated himself from the family and lives somewhere in California. I heard he was gay, but I don't know if that's true or not.
I went to a Unitarian church in Topeka once and they were there with their "God Hates Fags" signs.
I believe he is a lawyer and most of his kids are too.