Funeral for Fallen Hoosier Soldier Brought Some Unwanted Guests

WISH-TV-Indianapolis ^ | August 28, 2005 | WISH-TV

[sam_whiskey]

Emotions ran high for an army soldier's funeral in Martinsville Sunday.

Sgt. Jeremy Doyle's sacrifice, brought many out to honor him but also sparked a standoff on a city street.

People arriving to say goodbye to a hometown hero, met an altogether different scene in Martinsville. Demonstrators dragging American flags on the ground and holding signs opposing U. S. troops.

"The thing that got us here is that Sgt. Doyle died for us to give us our freedom and then you have people like this to come and it's ridiculous. It's absurd," one funeral attendee told News 8.

Tension grew before the demonstrators finally left their location, right across the street from Army Sgt. Jeremy Doyle's funeral service.

According to the group's website, it sees American deaths in Iraq as a kind of punishment for social misdeeds. Martinsville residents said the protesters picked the wrong time and the wrong town to express their views.

[Mr. Lucky]

There are probably more military veterans in Martinsville, Indiana, per capita, than just about anywhere else in the country. This a hardcore, blue collar, rural community where duty, honor and country are taken seriously.

I'm proud to say that the decision of the screwballs to get on the bus and head back to Kansas was probably not enirely voluntary.

[SandRat]

Good for all of the Brothers!

[Mr. Lucky]

The local paper's story about these disgraceful losers included a line from the Chief of Police telling them to stay out of the street during the funeral procession. It included the quote: "I'd hate to see you get hurt".

Only those familiar with the natives of Morgan County, Indiana, could truly imagine how draped with sarcasm this statement would have been.