thedrifter
03-06-06, 06:29 AM
Anti-gay group may protest at Marine's funeral
RELIGION:Members of a Kansas Baptist church plan to protest at the Superior funeral of Adam Van Alstine.
BY JANA HOLLINGSWORTH
SUPERIOR DAILY TELEGRAM
While family, friends and high-ranking state and military officials attend the funeral today of U.S. Marine Adam Van Alstine at Superior High School, anti-gay protesters plan to deliver their message outside.
Members of the Topeka, Kan.-based Westboro Baptist Church founded by Fred Phelps say the deaths of soldiers and Marines fighting in the war on Iraq are punishment for America's tolerance of homosexuals.
Gov. Jim Doyle on Feb. 20 signed a law banning protesters at Wisconsin funerals, but it doesn't go into effect until Wednesday, said Scott Campbell, Superior's assistant police chief.
Police will be at the funeral, Campbell said.
Van Alstine, a lance corporal, was killed a week ago in an explosion in Iraq.
Margie Phelps, a representative of the church, said Friday that seven protesters plan to be in Superior.
The group previously involved itself in the Northland, threatening pickets, during a 2004 controversy over the Ten Commandments monument that for years rested on Duluth City Hall property.
The Wisconsin law was inspired by the same group, which has protested at several military funerals around the country.
"If a funeral is going to turn into a political, patriotic pep rally, we're going to use that platform," Phelps said, adding that, "soldiers aren't going to stop dying until America stops sinning. That lieutenant governor should say, '... Our soldiers are coming home in body bags with no toes for their toe tags. So let's stop it.' But (s)he won't. So we will."
Corrine Anton, a pastor for the Central Assembly of God Church in Superior, will officiate at Van Alstine's funeral. She said the protesters are "ridiculous."
"I feel for them because they are blinded," she said. "To hurt a family like that -- that is grieving to begin with -- that's very un-Christian as far as I can see it."
She said Van Alstine once told her that he wanted to be in Iraq to protect his family and his country.
"He believed that if they fight over there, they can avoid fighting over here," she said. Anton doesn't believe values should be compromised, but said that in religion and life, there should be balance.
"Some of the people who are radical and using Christianity or religion as their reason for being that, I just don't believe that's the kind of God I know," she said.
State Sen. Bob Jauch, D-Poplar, voted for the bill that bans disruptive protesters at funerals. He said it's an unfortunate requirement.
"They're sick, wacko citizens who have no respect for life and sacrifice," Jauch said. "Those nut cases are abusing the First Amendment."
The law requires protesters to stay 500 feet from a funeral one hour before or after the service. Protesters who violate the law could face fines up to $10,000 and nine months in jail. A second offense could lead to three and a half years in jail.
Jauch said he's a strong defender of First Amendment rights, but that the Westboro group had crossed the line for singling out someone -- who honorably served his country -- for what they thought were sins of society.
"If you want to protest society, find someplace else to do it," he said. "I think people will begin to understand why we have this (law) when you have people who, under the guise of morality, don't have any personal scruples."
Although the funeral-protest law is not yet in effect, Campbell said existing laws contain similar language.
Ellie
RELIGION:Members of a Kansas Baptist church plan to protest at the Superior funeral of Adam Van Alstine.
BY JANA HOLLINGSWORTH
SUPERIOR DAILY TELEGRAM
While family, friends and high-ranking state and military officials attend the funeral today of U.S. Marine Adam Van Alstine at Superior High School, anti-gay protesters plan to deliver their message outside.
Members of the Topeka, Kan.-based Westboro Baptist Church founded by Fred Phelps say the deaths of soldiers and Marines fighting in the war on Iraq are punishment for America's tolerance of homosexuals.
Gov. Jim Doyle on Feb. 20 signed a law banning protesters at Wisconsin funerals, but it doesn't go into effect until Wednesday, said Scott Campbell, Superior's assistant police chief.
Police will be at the funeral, Campbell said.
Van Alstine, a lance corporal, was killed a week ago in an explosion in Iraq.
Margie Phelps, a representative of the church, said Friday that seven protesters plan to be in Superior.
The group previously involved itself in the Northland, threatening pickets, during a 2004 controversy over the Ten Commandments monument that for years rested on Duluth City Hall property.
The Wisconsin law was inspired by the same group, which has protested at several military funerals around the country.
"If a funeral is going to turn into a political, patriotic pep rally, we're going to use that platform," Phelps said, adding that, "soldiers aren't going to stop dying until America stops sinning. That lieutenant governor should say, '... Our soldiers are coming home in body bags with no toes for their toe tags. So let's stop it.' But (s)he won't. So we will."
Corrine Anton, a pastor for the Central Assembly of God Church in Superior, will officiate at Van Alstine's funeral. She said the protesters are "ridiculous."
"I feel for them because they are blinded," she said. "To hurt a family like that -- that is grieving to begin with -- that's very un-Christian as far as I can see it."
She said Van Alstine once told her that he wanted to be in Iraq to protect his family and his country.
"He believed that if they fight over there, they can avoid fighting over here," she said. Anton doesn't believe values should be compromised, but said that in religion and life, there should be balance.
"Some of the people who are radical and using Christianity or religion as their reason for being that, I just don't believe that's the kind of God I know," she said.
State Sen. Bob Jauch, D-Poplar, voted for the bill that bans disruptive protesters at funerals. He said it's an unfortunate requirement.
"They're sick, wacko citizens who have no respect for life and sacrifice," Jauch said. "Those nut cases are abusing the First Amendment."
The law requires protesters to stay 500 feet from a funeral one hour before or after the service. Protesters who violate the law could face fines up to $10,000 and nine months in jail. A second offense could lead to three and a half years in jail.
Jauch said he's a strong defender of First Amendment rights, but that the Westboro group had crossed the line for singling out someone -- who honorably served his country -- for what they thought were sins of society.
"If you want to protest society, find someplace else to do it," he said. "I think people will begin to understand why we have this (law) when you have people who, under the guise of morality, don't have any personal scruples."
Although the funeral-protest law is not yet in effect, Campbell said existing laws contain similar language.
Ellie