Anti-Gay Protesters Descend on Soldiers' Funerals

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Posted by DaveSZ on Aug-29-2005 09:53:

Anti-Gay Protesters Descend on Soldiers' Funerals

http://aolsvc.news.aol.com/news/art...828002909990004

Anti-Gay Protesters Descend on Soldiers' Funerals
Faction Claims Troops Punished by God for Defending Country Harboring Gays
By BETH RUCKER, AP

SMYRNA, Tenn. (Aug. 28) - Members of a church say God is punishing American soldiers for defending 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 in Kansas, 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 fags'' 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.''

08/28/05 10:16 EDT

Copyright 2005 The Associated Press.

Posted by killingjoke on Aug-29-2005 11:13:

Babylon now Iraq harbors gays?

lol

wow Saddam had something up his sleeves other than WMD, gays and lesbians...

how come Colin Powell and Donald Rumsfield did not emphasize this when going to war?

should have brought Dick Cheney's lesbian daughter, Mary cheney instead.
she could become next iraqi gay ambassador to Iraq.

Posted by Dupz on Aug-29-2005 11:57:

since when did God 'hate'??

Posted by DaveSZ on Aug-29-2005 12:09:

quote:
Originally posted by Dupz
since when did God 'hate'??

You'll have to ask Bin Laden, Al Zarqawi, Pat Robertson, Fred Phelps, and their followers that one.

Posted by metalgearsolid on Aug-29-2005 14:27:

since when did god ever exist?

Posted by ilya49 on Aug-29-2005 14:29:

Another event, when church uses "GOD" to control the masses, as it was done thousand years ago and now.

Posted by metalgearsolid on Aug-29-2005 14:37:

Thanks to the church we are behind a thousand years in tech and ideas why won't people learn from the mistakes made in the past?

Posted by Lepanto on Aug-29-2005 18:33:

I strongly believe in God, however arguments like "AIDS is God punshing gays" or "God is punishing a country harboring gays" is retarded. God, if he exists or not, loves all his children and all humans, how could this be true? It's shit like this that makes me doubt religion.

Posted by metalgearsolid on Aug-29-2005 20:19:

quote:
Originally posted by Lepanto
I strongly believe in God, however arguments like "AIDS is God punshing FAGS" or "God is punishing a country harboring gays" is retarded. God, if he exists or not, loves all his children and all humans, how could this be true? It's shit like this that makes me doubt religion.
I put fags in because that is the word they use often not gays. So you believe in god but not doubt religion. Help me out here if it wasn't for religion wouldn't than there be no god that people would recognize? I know that sounds stupid but explain to me how would the world look if there wasn't the religion which exists now.

Posted by Lepanto on Aug-30-2005 00:13:

im not sure what you meant but what i meant is stupid extremists like this who claim that God is punishing fags is nonsense. Also, I could believe/have faith in God and not follow a religion completely because there's alot of silly shit in any religion.

Posted by metalgearsolid on Aug-30-2005 00:16:

Yeah you anwered my question, it is what I wanted to say so you actually had some idea as to what I wanted.