thedrifter
02-25-06, 06:08 AM
Preserving dignity
Bill aims to thwart hate-group protests at funerals
Saturday, February 25, 2006
BY TOM BOWMAN
Of The Patriot-News
Members of a Kansas church that pickets nationwide to protest homosexuality are taking their hate messages to the funerals of U.S. Marines, including at least one of the two local men killed off the coast of Africa last week.
Told yesterday that members of the Westboro Baptist Church are picketing at Marines' funerals, John McColley of Adams County asked if they had mentioned his son's upcoming service.
McColley's son, Sgt. Jonathan Eric McColley of Gettysburg, and Capt. Bryan D. Willard, formerly of Enola and Swatara Twp., were among 10 U.S. service members killed Feb. 17 when two U.S. Marine Corps helicopters crashed off the eastern coast of Africa.
McColley's funeral is tomorrow and Willard's is scheduled Thursday.
"If they dare show their face around any event that involves my son or that I am a part of, they will do so at their own peril. I cannot guarantee their safety if they ever try to do this," said John McColley of Straban Twp.
State Rep. Jennifer Mann, D-Lehigh, announced yesterday that she plans to introduce a bill limiting protests at funerals and memorial services, including those of military personnel who died in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Her bill would require protesters to stand at least 500 feet from a funeral or memorial service and begin their demonstration no earlier than an hour before the service and end it within an hour afterward.
Gov. Ed Rendell hasn't seen the legislation yet, but will review it on its merits, said his press secretary, Kate Philips.
"Our intent is not to limit the right to free speech or peaceful protest," Mann said. "What we want to do is preserve the dignity of the deceased and show the proper respect for their families during this difficult time."
Shirley Phelps-Roper, a spokeswoman for the 100-member Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kan., said the intent of her group's protests is to tell America that God is punishing this country for its sins.
"They turned America over to fags. They're coming home in body bags," and "Semper Fi, Semper Fag" are just two of the signs church members carry at the funerals.
Phelps-Roper said God has always punished those who go against his laws.
"That's every one of these guys who goes off to a foreign country and comes home dead," she said.
"Look, it's not rocket science. It's this -- I set before you this day a blessing and a curse. A blessing if you will obey the commandments of the Lord your God. And a curse if you will not obey the commandments," Phelps-Roper said.
David Willard of Enola said the Westboro Church's threat to picket his son's funeral is an invasion of his privacy.
"I would be extremely disappointed" if they show up, Willard said. "I would feel that my privacy was invaded. Anybody is allowed the freedom of expression. But I don't think the venue of that cause is invading a family's very, very private moment at a memorial. Not only is it an invasion of my personal privacy but also of the community that has solidly embraced us and supported us."
That sentiment is behind Mann's proposal and proposals in at least a dozen other states.
Mary Catherine Roper, an attorney with the Pennsylvania American Civil Liberties Union, agreed that funerals are private affairs, but she said protesters can still picket on public sidewalks.
"As long as they are outside of the service on public property, not disrupting businesses, not blocking streets, those kinds of things, then they have a right to be there," Roper said.
Local laws that specify a buffer zone around a funeral "have to meet some very precise requirements. I'm not going to comment if those buffer zones are appropriate," Roper said.
Phelps-Roper said yesterday that she had just returned from picketing a serviceman's funeral in Wisconsin on Thursday. She said she wasn't sure if she would be able to protest at the Gettysburg funeral because of the short turnaround, but she would picket at the Enola services.
Westboro protesters, who are led by pastor Fred Phelps, have picketed in Lebanon and the Harrisburg area several times, always against homosexuality. They have taken their protests to schools and churches and to The State Museum, claiming the institutions support homosexuality.
Phelps and his congregation, composed mostly of his children, grandchildren and in-laws, began preaching in the streets about 15 years ago to condemn homosexuality in a Topeka park.
He drew national attention in 1998 when he picketed the funeral of Matthew Shepard, a college student who was slain for being gay. Appearances followed in Rolling Stone and The Washington Post, and on television's "20/20" and "The Ricki Lake Show." George magazine named him one of its "20 Most Fascinating Men in Politics" in 1999.
In recent years, Phelps and his group have expanded their agenda to include the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks and the deaths of U.S. soldiers in the Middle East. In all cases they said the U.S. has turned its back on God and is being punished.
Asked if U.S. troubles are caused by homosexuality, Phelps-Roper responded, "Oh, please. That's such an insult. It's the bottom rung, the bottom rung. The fags are just the bottom rung on the depravity chain. This is all about the little guy sitting in his house, flipping off God."
Phelps-Roper said the dead Marines have "everything to do" with the church's message.
"You turn the country over to the fags. Now these soldiers are coming home in body bags," she said.
Staff writer Jan Murphy contributed to this report. TOM BOWMAN: 255-8271 or tbowman@patriot-news.com
Ellie
Bill aims to thwart hate-group protests at funerals
Saturday, February 25, 2006
BY TOM BOWMAN
Of The Patriot-News
Members of a Kansas church that pickets nationwide to protest homosexuality are taking their hate messages to the funerals of U.S. Marines, including at least one of the two local men killed off the coast of Africa last week.
Told yesterday that members of the Westboro Baptist Church are picketing at Marines' funerals, John McColley of Adams County asked if they had mentioned his son's upcoming service.
McColley's son, Sgt. Jonathan Eric McColley of Gettysburg, and Capt. Bryan D. Willard, formerly of Enola and Swatara Twp., were among 10 U.S. service members killed Feb. 17 when two U.S. Marine Corps helicopters crashed off the eastern coast of Africa.
McColley's funeral is tomorrow and Willard's is scheduled Thursday.
"If they dare show their face around any event that involves my son or that I am a part of, they will do so at their own peril. I cannot guarantee their safety if they ever try to do this," said John McColley of Straban Twp.
State Rep. Jennifer Mann, D-Lehigh, announced yesterday that she plans to introduce a bill limiting protests at funerals and memorial services, including those of military personnel who died in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Her bill would require protesters to stand at least 500 feet from a funeral or memorial service and begin their demonstration no earlier than an hour before the service and end it within an hour afterward.
Gov. Ed Rendell hasn't seen the legislation yet, but will review it on its merits, said his press secretary, Kate Philips.
"Our intent is not to limit the right to free speech or peaceful protest," Mann said. "What we want to do is preserve the dignity of the deceased and show the proper respect for their families during this difficult time."
Shirley Phelps-Roper, a spokeswoman for the 100-member Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kan., said the intent of her group's protests is to tell America that God is punishing this country for its sins.
"They turned America over to fags. They're coming home in body bags," and "Semper Fi, Semper Fag" are just two of the signs church members carry at the funerals.
Phelps-Roper said God has always punished those who go against his laws.
"That's every one of these guys who goes off to a foreign country and comes home dead," she said.
"Look, it's not rocket science. It's this -- I set before you this day a blessing and a curse. A blessing if you will obey the commandments of the Lord your God. And a curse if you will not obey the commandments," Phelps-Roper said.
David Willard of Enola said the Westboro Church's threat to picket his son's funeral is an invasion of his privacy.
"I would be extremely disappointed" if they show up, Willard said. "I would feel that my privacy was invaded. Anybody is allowed the freedom of expression. But I don't think the venue of that cause is invading a family's very, very private moment at a memorial. Not only is it an invasion of my personal privacy but also of the community that has solidly embraced us and supported us."
That sentiment is behind Mann's proposal and proposals in at least a dozen other states.
Mary Catherine Roper, an attorney with the Pennsylvania American Civil Liberties Union, agreed that funerals are private affairs, but she said protesters can still picket on public sidewalks.
"As long as they are outside of the service on public property, not disrupting businesses, not blocking streets, those kinds of things, then they have a right to be there," Roper said.
Local laws that specify a buffer zone around a funeral "have to meet some very precise requirements. I'm not going to comment if those buffer zones are appropriate," Roper said.
Phelps-Roper said yesterday that she had just returned from picketing a serviceman's funeral in Wisconsin on Thursday. She said she wasn't sure if she would be able to protest at the Gettysburg funeral because of the short turnaround, but she would picket at the Enola services.
Westboro protesters, who are led by pastor Fred Phelps, have picketed in Lebanon and the Harrisburg area several times, always against homosexuality. They have taken their protests to schools and churches and to The State Museum, claiming the institutions support homosexuality.
Phelps and his congregation, composed mostly of his children, grandchildren and in-laws, began preaching in the streets about 15 years ago to condemn homosexuality in a Topeka park.
He drew national attention in 1998 when he picketed the funeral of Matthew Shepard, a college student who was slain for being gay. Appearances followed in Rolling Stone and The Washington Post, and on television's "20/20" and "The Ricki Lake Show." George magazine named him one of its "20 Most Fascinating Men in Politics" in 1999.
In recent years, Phelps and his group have expanded their agenda to include the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks and the deaths of U.S. soldiers in the Middle East. In all cases they said the U.S. has turned its back on God and is being punished.
Asked if U.S. troubles are caused by homosexuality, Phelps-Roper responded, "Oh, please. That's such an insult. It's the bottom rung, the bottom rung. The fags are just the bottom rung on the depravity chain. This is all about the little guy sitting in his house, flipping off God."
Phelps-Roper said the dead Marines have "everything to do" with the church's message.
"You turn the country over to the fags. Now these soldiers are coming home in body bags," she said.
Staff writer Jan Murphy contributed to this report. TOM BOWMAN: 255-8271 or tbowman@patriot-news.com
Ellie