This image above the posting should be disturbing to you. It makes me sick to my stomach and to many other people. In 2006 members of the Westboro Baptist Church started to protest at funerals of servicemen and women who died in Iraq. They held up signs saying “Thank God for Dead Soldiers.” I could not imagine the family members who had to encounter this. Imagine going to your son’s funeral, and seeing hateful protesters ruining the last honorable moments of your son.
To give some background information, the protestors are from the Westboro Baptist Church based in Topeka Kansas. They have been actively protesting military funerals since 2006 and have traveled to 22 states to reach their goal. Not only do they protest the military, but they protest people who are gay, bisexual, transgender people, Roman Catholics, Muslims and Jews. Their claim for protesting are for religious reasons, and that it is God’s message—that God is punishing the Americans for disobeying. Personally, I think this is why religion sometimes receives a bad reputation, because organizations like this take it to the extreme. They claim they are Baptist and Christian people, but this is not the Christian way. In fact they are considered a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center. Below I have included a clipping from Fox News that interviewed a woman who is a member of Westboro Baptist Church that justified her acts and of the church. I really think she is disturbed.
Many families who encountered the Westboro Baptist Church have tried to stop these protests from occurring. However, in defense, the church claims it would violate their First Amendment rights. After searching what justice has occurred, I found an article about a father who won his case in court against the church. His son who was a Marine died in Iraq. When the family had their funeral service, the protesters came shouting their slogans. The father was very disturbed and angry, so he created a lawsuit against the church. Today he won $2.9 million dollars in compensatory damages. Along with that, there are many congress members who are trying to get laws passed so that protesters have to be at least 500 feet away from the funerals.
I am glad to hear that some people are fighting against this church. I am so angry about the church, I can not even find the words that best expresses my anger. But, shame on your Westboro Baptist Church for disturbing the funerals of the honored. How dare you call yourself members of the church.
The Troop’s Advocator
1 comment:
It is disturbing, just remember that these people will get theirs and burn in Hell one day. There are certainly some sickos out there and I can't imagine being that heartless towards the families who have lost a loved one regardless of how I felt towards a cause.
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