Burial of SEAL protested

[USNAviator]

This sickens me. I drove up to the viewing on Sunday to pay my respect to Brendan's family. I was not able to attend yesterdays funeral..

Westboro Protests SEAL Funeral Procession

As if to remind the everyone of why they are appearing as defendants in a case before the U.S. Supreme Court Oct. 6, members of a controversial church that protests at the funerals of fallen American troops demonstrated yesterday along the funeral route of a Navy SEAL being buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

But as the funeral procession of Navy Lt. Brendan Looney, 29, of Silver Spring, Md., drove along Memorial Drive to Arlington a group of motorcyclists revved their engines to drown out the voices of the protesters, according to a report in The Washington Post.

Typical of the members of the Westboro Baptist Church, some held signs reading "Thank God for Dead Soldiers" and "Thank God for IEDs." The church contends that God is behind the deaths of U.S. servicemembers because the country has fallen into sin.

On Oct. 6 the Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in a case brought against Westboro church leader Frederick Phelps by Albert Snyder, the father of a Marine lance corporal whose funeral Westboro protested in 2006. Snyder successfully sued Phelps and Westboro in 2007, winning $2.9 million in damages.

[hbharrison]

I am praying for a victory for Synder, real hard I am praying for this. I live just 35 miles from the Phelps compond know right where it is. We live with these people all my life and I am not alone in saying it must stop and now before some one gets hurt. Yes Freddy phelps wears a vest all the time as he has been shoot twice. I have never seen people so worked up over this some thing is going to happen I just know it and it an't going to good.

[USMC7DG]

I pray for the ignorant people in this country that they may wake up one day and realize their mistakes. The men and women in Arlington (if there are women there yet, I don't know) died fighting for their right to protest...and they use to protest against them. So illogical.

[firedog974]

Friggin jackazzes.............

They need a good azz kickin!

[SlingerDun]

Westboro "church": Head Crone In Charge

[Backhaus 1103]

Let me see this b!tch at a funeral. I'd punch her in the face then kick her in her ugly ****. I'd gladly go to jail for that chance.

[SlingerDun]

Dammmnn Back:scared: so you wouldn't do her first?

[Integrity57]

I can't wait until the ATF raids their home, I'll be sure to bring marsh-mallows.

[ShannonL]

Thats blatent disrespect to the armed forces. I hate it when whack jobs use the word of God to thier own and F'cked up means. Like Warren Jeffs and his a**hole cronies. May God have mercy on her black soul. To her and a**holes like her, its money that they take from thier misguided flock...that really ****es of God.

[hbharrison]

Now hear this Shirley Phelps-Roper is only one of the leaders, her father Fred Phelps, a disbared lawyer, is very much alive and is running the Phelps family. One of the problems is that she and several of her siblilings are lawyers she herself works for the State Dept of Corrections as an Attorney. They have a compond that covers one city block, Freddy never go out without a vest on as he has been shot twice now. God will someday judge them just wish it would be soon. S/F

[ShannonL]

Now hear this Shirley Phelps-Roper is only one of the leaders, her father Fred Phelps, a disbared lawyer, is very much alive and is running the Phelps family. One of the problems is that she and several of her siblilings are lawyers she herself works for the State Dept of Corrections as an Attorney. They have a compond that covers one city block, Freddy never go out without a vest on as he has been shot twice now. God will someday judge them just wish it would be soon. S/F


It will be soon Marine. Just like that Jeffs prick. Would suprise me if an explosion happens at the compound.

[USNAviator]

Now hear this Shirley Phelps-Roper is only one of the leaders, her father Fred Phelps, a disbared lawyer, is very much alive and is running the Phelps family. One of the problems is that she and several of her siblilings are lawyers she herself works for the State Dept of Corrections as an Attorney. They have a compond that covers one city block, Freddy never go out without a vest on as he has been shot twice now. God will someday judge them just wish it would be soon. S/F

Thanks Butch... been a long weekend. I stood before my friends. Brendan's parents, his two brothers and his three sisters. I paid my respects to a great young man. And this POS "church" dares protest the death and internment of a young man who went in harms way so they could enjoy their "freedom" How sad.

[ShannonL]

Thanks Butch... been a long weekend. I stood before my friends. Brendan's parents, his two brothers and his three sisters. I paid my respects to a great young man. And this POS "church" dares protest the death and internment of a young man who went in harms way so they could enjoy their "freedom" How sad.

Thier "freedom" is slavery. I bet controlling yourself took alot. Man I cant even imagine the anger you felt when you looked at the protesters.

[bwmarines18]

this Westboro crap ****es me off, how dare they protest funerals of fallen Military. This should be a sacred and protected service under rules of the DOD. The Supreme Court should rule their 1st ammendment right to protest military funerals unconstitutional. It is an invasion of privacy and they have no productive part in the funeral. These people have a weak argument saying "the Military protects fags in the country", they are nothing but no good homophobic christians. It goes to show how religion can really mess people up.

[hbharrison]

Cmdr I can understand what it is like as for myself I have had to face the Phelps directly as a Law Enforcement Officer over the years it is not easy. You and others here may wish to look on the web under Fred Phelps Sr. there are several sites devoted to his bio. And yes I do dislike what they stand for and no I do not go around them anymore as it has become to difficult for me to not act out what I feel, jail just does not fit in my life right now.

[advanced]

I was surprised she had all her teeth. Those bikers are probably the Patriot Guard. We're all across the country. I'm going to two funerals in Sarasota in the morning. I know that we don't have those whack jobs down here, but we're there just in case, and we respect the fallen.

[thewookie]

Nightline did a segment on this group last night, what a bunch of poop these folks are and that is being very nice. I can see somebody just saying f it one of these days and taking out this compound/group. They are mean and vile. The old hag Shirley is a lawyer and she knows exactly what the law and the constitution allows for,, and they are pushing the limits of it everytime they protest.

It is sad that they laugh at the fact that their right to protest is protected and ensured by by the people they protest.

Karma is a biotch, this is proven -- and they will get theirs.

[thewookie]

In small town north of Boston, these maggots came to protest the death of a local soldier. The State Police were there with mounted cops, who backed-up their horses so that, not only were the protesters blocked from view, but they were given a bunch of horse's ass to smell during the procession. It was awesome.

[thewookie]

THE WOOKIE---I just noticed that we are only about 35 miles apart.

Yes, we are - Semper Fi.

Are you with the Cape and Islands MCL Det. #955? Good people in that group.

[USNAviator]

I just joined the Patriot Guard at patriot guard dot org, just to show my support. I've never been on a motorcycle in my life. It's not a requirement, the organization is open to everyone and it is free.....I will contribute at some point soon but signing up just now was a step in the right direction, if anything just to stand behind these people as they combat the WBC every step of the way. They block the WBC from seeing the funerals themselves and act as a buffer in other ways, revving their engines to drown out the insanity of the WBC vocal protests, so it seems like a good organization to support.


Dave

Thank you for doing that. And I too have a MA connection. I graduated from BU and will return there this Spring to teach a few courses. Hoping for a mild winter....but i doubt it will happen....;)

[advanced]

dcb188 - Glad you joined the PGR (Patriot Guard Riders), they're a good group. On their website you can click on your state and request to receive emails for all missions in your area. Then, if you choose, you can make one of the flag lines. The unescorted (forgotten) vets are the ones most of us attend. We stand up for them.

Getting cold up there huh. It's averaging way down in the mid 80's here just south of Sarasota. Brrrrr.

[EGA1957]

Nightline did a segment on this group last night, what a bunch of poop these folks are and that is being very nice. I can see somebody just saying f it one of these days and taking out this compound/group. They are mean and vile. The old hag Shirley is a lawyer and she knows exactly what the law and the constitution allows for,, and they are pushing the limits of it everytime they protest.

It is sad that they laugh at the fact that their right to protest is protected and ensured by by the people they protest.

Karma is a biotch, this is proven -- and they will get theirs.
Did that report also mention that "The old hag Shirley" has a $66,000/year job with the Kansas Dept of Corrections? Apparently she moonlights by representing her "community" in Court cases (Is there a fee for appearing in front of the USSC?).

And while Fred may loom in the background (when seen he does not appear too whippy), Shirley appears to carry the ball(s) for the group.

I don't know who's being groomed to take over the reins of their bile-mobile, but if anything unfortunate were to happen to her (shades of Madeline Murray O'Hare), the WBC likely wouldn't travel much outside the Shawnee County line then.

With the vileness they present, I really can't help but believe that ANY jury would have a hard time not practicing jury-nullification if some distraught parent or family member committed the ultimate act of outrage by ruling "Not Guilty Ny Reason Of Temporary Insanity."

That wouldn't even be Karma, that would seem to be merciful Justice.

[advanced]

Advanced, did you mean click on the State Captains list, and send an email? Or is there another area to click on?

EGA1957---what bothers me is that these people (the WBC and folks like them) cannot stand for their own rights to be trampled on by others. They are only concerned about ruining the funerals of others. But when the tables are turned, they don't say, well, what else can you expect, turnabout is fair play, they cry, saying they are victims of unfair treatment. Cowards always have double-standards.

Click this link or copy and past, then follow the directions. Looks like you must contact your area capt. I've been with the PGR for about 4 years and can't remember exactly. Hope this helps. There is no strict chain of command, guys just show up when they choose. No pressure.

http://www.patriotguard.org/PGRFAQ/tabid/250/Default.aspx

Q. DOES THE PGR HAVE ANY PRINTED INFO TO PASS OUT TO POTENTIAL MEMBERS?
Q. I OWN A BUSINESS THAT MIGHT BE OF INTEREST TO PGR MEMBERS. CAN IT BE LISTED ON THE WEBSITE?
Q. WHAT IF I HAVE AN IDEA FOR A FUNDRAISER FOR PGR?
Q.
WHERE WILL THE FUNDS GO?

Q. WHAT KIND OF MISSIONS DO WE DO?
Q. HOW DO I REQUEST A MISSION?
Q. HOW IS THE PGR NOTIFIED OF A PENDING MISSION?
Q. HOW DO I FIND OUT ABOUT MISSIONS IN MY AREA?
Q. CAN I RECEIVE EMAIL NOTIFICATIONS OF MISSIONS?
A.
We have an external mail system to send out initial mission notices to members. These notices are sent out at the request of your State Captain. The notice will include a link to the specific mission thread. It is then up to you to monitor that mission thread. Some of our State Captains maintain their own contacts lists and don’t use our mail system. It is best to contact your State Captain as soon as you have signed up on the web site. You MUST make sure you have entered your country, state and zip code in your user account in order to remain on our email lists.

You can receive blanket email notifications by subscribing to the Watch List. Possible missions are posted there until they become a Confirmed Mission. Click on the Watch List forum. In the top left-hand corner you will see a small check box labeled “Email me when someone posts to this forum.” Put a check in that box. Any posts to that forum will be sent to the email address you have listed in your profile.
Several members have set up a separate email address for PGR communications due to the high volume of information they wish to receive from the site. You may also want to keep track of other threads that are of interest to you. This will allow you to keep PGR communications separate from business and personal email. If you do not wish to receive blanket email from the Watch List you will need to log on to the site and check the list periodically. Information can change rapidly for missions so it is suggested that you check at least once a day. If you find a mission in your area you can enter the thread for that mission and subscribe to that thread by checking the Email notification box as described above. If you wish to stop receiving email notices on a thread, just return to it and uncheck the notification box.

Q.
WHAT IF I DON’T WANT TO RECEIVE STATEWIDE EMAIL NOTIFICATIONS?

[Ramadi01]

If this everr happens at anyone Marines Funeral i am attending, i will stop and i will leave in hand cuffs, there is no doubt. the things i heard in this thread make me so angry i dont even know what to type.

[FistFu68]

:evilgrin: I don't like QUEERS either...but these common mutha F**Kers give GodFearing people a Bad Name.Dam Timothy McVeigh You blew the Wrong Building up You should have Hit this Westboro Compound up and Blew all their Asses away including their Sick Inbred OffSpring...With all due Respect :beer: :iwo:

[ShannonL]

One question Marine...Why not join togther for a final battle. Protest them! Make life hell. During thier Sunday service rock up with bugles Harleys or whatever and drown them out. Shun them from society

[ShannonL]

Use the Harleys like the trumpets of Jerico...dont give them a reason to press charges...but make compund life hell and shake the walls. For every Brother and Sister's memory dishonoured, roar for...

[ShannonL]

Ah, what a beautiful sight!

You guys have faced all sorts of sh1t from Nazis wanting to make soap out of to rice eating shadows in Nam the thrived off torture of thier POW's. Faced chemical attck from Sadams f'ed up regime and Talaban sending children with explosives...So tell me...After the USMC has faced enemies like these...what the hell is the reason these whack jobs have not been engadged?

[advanced]

You guys have faced all sorts of sh1t from Nazis wanting to make soap out of to rice eating shadows in Nam the thrived off torture of thier POW's. Faced chemical attck from Sadams f'ed up regime and Talaban sending children with explosives...So tell me...After the USMC has faced enemies like these...what the hell is the reason these whack jobs have not been engadged?

ShannonL - One word - Orders!

You sound like you're trying to start some **** for your book.

[hbharrison]

ShannonL, it is becuase we are Marines and most of us know that there will be a judgement day for them who do these things. So why should bring dishonor to country and our Corps by doing the same as they do to us and ours.

[FistFu68]

:evilgrin: Revenge Is Mine Sayeth The Lord I Will Repay :beer:

[Sgt0811]

Sooner or later they will get their com upems (spl). I hope it is sooner.

[ShannonL]

Marines. I understand with your history's you thought I meant "grab a M16 and blow em away." What I meant was take them on in court, hell if a woman can sue Mc Donalds for a $100 000 000 for spilling hot coffe on herself and win then a Marine can sue them for emotional damages, a class action lawsuit with the family members testifying in court. With damages paid to the family members of the fallen and to the VA post...ETC. I bet at least one Senator or govenor etc is a Marine or has a Marine son/Daughter. Recruite that man/woman. I know I'm not a Marine but evil thrives when the good do nothing. You all are LIONS. Use the constitution that many of died for and fight. No orders needed for civil lawsuit. You guys will win. You outnumber your enemy 200 to 1. There are many ways to fight a war.

[EGA1957]

You might want to look at this 1999 article to see how long this group has virtually terrorized various individuals BEFORE he took on funerals:
http://motherjones.com/politics/1999/03/man-who-loves-hate

For those who wonder about his political party, he's basically a Democrat apparently (unless some such Democrat has "offed" him - he has impacted some political careers just in Topeka and at the State level).

For those not familiar with where many of the family (I didn't know 11 were law school graduates by '99) attended law school, it is Washburn University Law School which has a very high degree of respectability.

The unfortunate part of reading the '99 article, is that it shows there was an opportunity to bring out the "personalization" aspects of filing successfully against the group, and that "failed" then, so if the current USSC is to bring up that "direction" of argument, it just might not work - again.

So, IMO, attrition (either natural or not) may be the only way to get the more "enthusiastic" of the group to pass the "torch of torture" to those less capable of keeping the (in)flame burning.

[usmc987332]

This sickens me. I drove up to the viewing on Sunday to pay my respect to Brendan's family. I was not able to attend yesterdays funeral..

Westboro Protests SEAL Funeral Procession

As if to remind the everyone of why they are appearing as defendants in a case before the U.S. Supreme Court Oct. 6, members of a controversial church that protests at the funerals of fallen American troops demonstrated yesterday along the funeral route of a Navy SEAL being buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

But as the funeral procession of Navy Lt. Brendan Looney, 29, of Silver Spring, Md., drove along Memorial Drive to Arlington a group of motorcyclists revved their engines to drown out the voices of the protesters, according to a report in The Washington Post.

Typical of the members of the Westboro Baptist Church, some held signs reading "Thank God for Dead Soldiers" and "Thank God for IEDs." The church contends that God is behind the deaths of U.S. servicemembers because the country has fallen into sin.

On Oct. 6 the Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in a case brought against Westboro church leader Frederick Phelps by Albert Snyder, the father of a Marine lance corporal whose funeral Westboro protested in 2006. Snyder successfully sued Phelps and Westboro in 2007, winning $2.9 million in damages.
Why not try a non-violent approach? Their congregation must have deaths from time to time. What if men in uniform began attending their funerals. No ruckus, just attend their funerals in mass.

[BE19Pilot]

I know this sounds really wimpy, but when I heard about what these people had done at a service member's funeral I had to stop and cry like a baby. It hurt so much that anyone would disgrace themselves and their countryman by behaving in such a disrespectful, hateful and disgusting manner. Something MUST be done to stop it!

[USNAviator]

I know this sounds really wimpy, but when I heard about what these people had done at a service member's funeral I had to stop and cry like a baby. It hurt so much that anyone would disgrace themselves and their countryman by behaving in such a disrespectful, hateful and disgusting manner. Something MUST be done to stop it!


I started this thread mainly because I knew the Lt. and his family. I went to the viewing the day before his funeral. Brendan and his two bothers all graduated from the Naval Academy and his two remaining brothers are still in service. In fact the middle brother is now at BUD/S following in Brendan's footsteps

If there is anything positive that can be taken away from this sad story is that this POS "church" didn't get their message through to the family. Elements of the Patriot Guard and others stood firmly in front of the "protesters" facing the funeral cars effectively blocking the vile hated they tried to spew

I want to leave you with this. It's the SEAL code:

"Loyalty to Country, Team, and Teammate
Serve with Honor and Integrity On and Off the Battlefield
Ready to Lead, Ready to Follow, Never Quit
Take responsibility for your actions and the actions of your teammates
Excel as Warriors through Discipline and Innovation
Train for War, Fight to Win, Defeat our Nation’s Enemies
Earn your Trident everyday."

[usmc987332]

I have tried to hold my cool. I find myself enraged by the attitude of a group of people who call themselves a "Church." If they are right, which they are not, where is their compassion for the sinners of their world? If they are "Christian" how can they feel their so called rights take precedent over the rights of every one. Pardon me for being judgemental, but I do not think they are one of us (Christians). Please do not judge us by "them." We are a peculiar people, but not a phony people.

There I go, sinning again.

[wildwoman73]

I don't understand what the hell goes through people's minds that they are so disrespectful to the dead. They do this in protest to what the military does? Why aren't they aggressive to the big guy with the big guns? People like that have too many civil liberties. This is a freedom of speech country, so write that garb in a letter. It won't get anywhere just like it's not going to get anywhere now by the means they are using. Karma....karma takes care of cowardly people like that.

[hbharrison]

I hear you all and I must say I am one who has had to face the WBC as a Law Enforcement Officer and could not speek against what they said to my face. So I can say to you all they are infact not christians they may call them selves that but they are not . The only thing I can say and have a lot is that one day they will be called apon to justify what they do now and that it will not be before a court.

[ShannonL]

I say you all make noise during thier funerals and masses. Fight fire with fire as they say. Make them regret they ever disrepected a soldier for freedom and honour. I think dcb188 would love to one of those re-inacting the fall of Jerico. Maybe you Marines should stand around thier church shouting OOHRA!. Let them all know that you are a Marine damn proud of it. Drown out the pleb preaching his lies.

[wildwoman73]

Those kind of people worship so many false gods. My dad spent many days during the stand down with the Branch Davidians(Davidiots-as we called them) as he was a State Trooper. They are unpredictable. You get one with a little power and recruit 100 who can't possibly think for themselves and you have a huge mess. Don't remember who said it earlier, but it is a problem and it will become a bigger problem unless someone squashes it. They hide behind their bible...but bank on the constitution to protect them from sanctions from their blatant disrespect to a burial. They are not Christians. If they were, they would focus a little more on living by the golden rule.

[wildwoman73]

I say stick about three times as many working hats on them and see who can yell the longest!!



I say you all make noise during thier funerals and masses. Fight fire with fire as they say. Make them regret they ever disrepected a soldier for freedom and honour. I think dcb188 would love to one of those re-inacting the fall of Jerico. Maybe you Marines should stand around thier church shouting OOHRA!. Let them all know that you are a Marine damn proud of it. Drown out the pleb preaching his lies.

[ShannonL]

Thats the way! Make it a day event! A re-union of every Marine or Seal or Navy. Get out beers, meat, a barbecue (braai here in SA) and some and have a great day. Lay the plebs under seige. Party hard for your Brothers and Sisters that cant join you. The winner of the roaring contest gets to chose a charity of his/her choice to give the $1000 prize.

[SemperFiParent]

I just came across this group:

http://www.patriotguard.org/

[advanced]

That's what we were talking about earlier in this thread, the PGR (Patriot Guard Riders.)

[SemperFiParent]

That's what we were talking about earlier in this thread, the PGR (Patriot Guard Riders.)

I had heard of them before, they do a great service, and with a lot more self-restraint than I would be capable of

[Vise]

These people deserve to be featured in a jihad video.