When you have fringe radical jerks (sorry for that kind of language, but that is just what they are), who come out to protest against America at Military Funerals. Something has to be done. The portion of the first amendment that guarantees free speech, does not in spirit give someone the right to disrespect another human life in such a solemn occasion as a private funeral. The disgraceful actions by Fred Phelps (I will not give this person any credence by referring to him in any way as a man of God) of the Topeka Kansas Westboro Baptist Church. Who uses Military funerals as a spring board for his anti-christian and anti-American stance. He uses the issue of Homosexuality to justify his hate mongering. He is not only Homophobic, Anti-American, Antisemitic and what I would add a False-Prophet (closer to Satanic than Christian). Church members, led by Phelps, believe God is punishing the United States for "the sin of homosexuality" through events including soldiers' deaths. Members have traveled the country, shouting at grieving family members at funerals and displaying such signs as "Thank God for Dead Soldiers," "God Blew Up the Troops" and "AIDS Cures Fags." To make things worse the Judiciary has come to his aid, when Missouri, imposed tight restrictions on protests and picketing outside military funerals (Kudos to Missouri), the courts granted a temporary injunction blocking enforcement of the law until it could be challenged. (Sour Grapes to the Courts).
Phelps, his daughter, Shirley Phelps-Roper, and other church members had protested near the August 2005 funeral of Army Spc. Edward Lee Myers in St. Joseph, Missouri. The married Army Airborne Ranger died while on patrol in Samarra, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his Humvee military vehicle. He was 21, and in addition to his wife, he left behind a daughter (I ask "what did this man have to do with homosexuality"). He was later buried at Leavenworth National Cemetery in Kansas. In response to that protest, Missouri lawmakers passed the "Spc. Edward Lee Myers Law," criminalizing picketing "in front or about" a funeral location or procession.
The congregation is made up mostly of Phelps and his family. The pastor has 13 children, and at least 54 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. He described himself as an "old-time" gospel preacher in a CNN interview in 2006, saying, "You can't preach the Bible without preaching the hatred of God."
Phelps obviously, has misinterpreted God's message, and in his own way ensuring God's wrath upon himself, as he preaches hatred not Love, Intolerance not tolerance. He does harm to Christianity by twisting the word of God into his own lawyer-istic perverted interpretation.
Sorry for that tangent, but, it is the above situation which spurred me on to put into word my two-cents worth. Every American has the right to peaceable assemble and protest, to say his piece, under the first amendment. However, every American is also granted his right to worship in his own way, and be protected from the prejudiced hate of others. Phelps exercising his right to free speech is infringing on the right of families exercising their freedom of religion. Yes funerals are a religious ceremony a way of mourning the passing of a loved one. When these hypocrites, come out from under the decaying filth of their own hatred strewn deficant, like cockroaches from under garbage (my apologies to the cockroaches), then they forfeit their right of free speech. What if it were the KKK protesting at Martin Luther King's funeral? Would the courts be so understanding? Does the liberal disregard of the contribution of the American Serviceman, justify the disrespect? I say once again every American deserves the right, to be buried in peace, at whatever cost, even the cost of curtailing the right of free speech, during that moment of silence in respect of an American Sacrifice.
Mr Phelps, may God have mercy on you. May he open your eyes to your misinterpretation of his word. May he fill you with the Love of your neighbor he spoke of in Matthew 22:34-40 34 But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. 35 And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. 36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” 37 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”
Mr Phelps, I recognize you from the Bible as well in Matthew 7:15 - 20 15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16 You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? 17 So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. 18 A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.
Mr Phelps, remember as Christ said in John 8:3-11 3 The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst 4 they said to him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. 5 Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?” 6 This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. 7 And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8 And once more he bent down and wrote on the ground. 9 But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. 10 Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” 11 She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.” So I ask of you.... Since you are so ready to cast the first stone, are you saying you are without sin?
Mr Phelps, as far as your anti-semitism is concerned, remember Abraham, Issac, Jacob, Israel, David, John the Baptist, Paul, Peter, James, the rest of the apostles and even Jesus were Jews, and if you blame the Jews for his Crucifixion I ask you to remember what he said on the cross in Luke 23:34 And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And they cast lots to divide his garments.
Mr Phelps, you need to study your bible, the whole bible, and if you have missed these passages and the multitude like them, or if your bible does not include the new testament, I recommend you get a new one. Read it, and find within yourself the fault of your current path.
In Conclusion, I say every true American, has the right for that quantity of respect, needed to bury them in peace. At those times, our right to free speech, if not coupled with respect is forfeit.
