Posted on 09/23/2006 6:46:44 PM PDT by Chaos
Weir Family Speaks Out About Potential Protests
Angela Lee
September 23,2006
As family and friends of Sergeant David Weir prepare to say their final good-byes. They make one final statement for our camera. Sergeant David Weir died while serving in the 101st Airborne September 13th. Sergeant Weir's funeral is set to take place Monday. In the wake of his final farewell, a Kansas church group has announced their intent to protest outside of the funeral. The church says the deaths of U.S. soldiers in Iraq are “an angry God's say of punishing American's acceptance of homosexuality”. Saturday, Sergeant Weir's brother Chris tells NewsChannel9 his brother died protecting freedom. Chris Weir says while people are free to express their opinions, is unique and comes with responsibility. He says, “There is a time and a place for everything. Express your views. It is your right – but not here and not now.” With the threat of protester's presence, the Weir's call out to all who would like to honor Sergeant David Weir, to not retaliate or acknowledge the protest... But to honor Sergeant David Weir and his family by coming and lining Cleveland's streets with flags and banners of thanks.
Yes but they usually put edited by so and so up there. Oh well.
I did not know about you folks till now. Glad you all are coming.
Wish I could be there myself -- the PGR will do good by the family. God bless them!
Can you help me with something. Do you know why this "so called church" would protest soldiers because of Homo's.
This guy had a wife and baby. Can someone explain.
PGR Bump!!
They say that the fact that our soldiers are being killed is because God is getting back at our country for allowing homosexuals to live here. They would like homosexuals rounded up and executed, IIRC. So the death of a soldier is our punishment for not doing that. They are SICK people.
They are sadly and badly deluded about the central focus of the Gospel.
"Rev" Phelps is a known... hmmmm.... eccentric...
Most of the "church members" are his children and extended family -- they are also mostly lawyers... a double whammy..
Blessings
No -- I wish. We have a couple rides here this week that I am going to try to make. The Monday one is probably NOT going to work. But there's one later this week that I may attend in the cage with the kids.
Thanks for the info.
I'm Sure there will be something on this in our newspaper on Sunday. If so I will post it here tomorrow.
I'll check back in the morning.
I hope you have many, many of my fellow riders standing tall with you.
It'll happen one day.
Sooner or later these loons are going to do this at the wrong funeral. Some sweet, dear 90 year old grandmother is going to go get her great-grandsons hunting rifle out of the truck, and blow someone away.
I'd send money for her bail ;).
These people (and I use that term becomes animals would be insulted) are no more 'Christian' than Usama Bin Laden. For Gods' sake have a little decency. You want to protest do it in front of Congress. Not at the funeral of a Man or Woman who died while serving their Country.
One Day Fred, one day -- Grannies gonna get a gun. I'll pray for Fred, but I'd hand Granny the ammunition.
No, Phelps is a DEMOCRAT buddy of Al Gore. He's the real deal as far as insanity goes.
The family must contact the Patriot Guards.
http://patriotguard.org/
The family must contact the Patriot Guards.Please see post 25. The PGR is all over this. Also, FWIW, the WBC makes a poster/announcement for every soldier. Yet, they only show-up at a few services.
Bump before all the Football games begin
Went by the Furneral Home today and your riders are there proudly displaying the Flag in honor of Sgt. Weir. Also no sign of the protesters yet. Here's an article from our local paper.
Sgt. Weir funeral scheduled Monday
By LARRY C. BOWERS Banner Staff Writer
Published Sunday, September 24, 2006 6:00 AM EDT
“My little brother has come home!” were the tearful words of older brother Chris Weir at an afternoon press conference Saturday announcing the arrival of the body of Sgt. David Weir from Iraq.
The slain soldier’s body was flown from Baghdad to Kuwait City and from there to Dover, Del. From Dover the body was flown to McGhee Tyson Air Base in Knoxville and transported to Fike Funeral Home in Cleveland. Chris Weir said the family was at the funeral home for the arrival and was able to view his brother’s body.
He said the family has received a list of the medals his brother has received, including the Bronze Star. “There will be others I’m sure,” he said.
Saturday’s press conference was not only to announce the arrival of Sgt. Weir’s body but also for the family to address the probability a Kansas religious group will protest at Monday’s funeral.
Chris Weir said he did not want to address the church group’s plans but to say it’s their right to protest, which is one of the freedoms for which his brother was fighting. “They have the right to protest and express their views, but not here and not now,” he said. “Such a protest is irresponsible and disrespectful,” he continued. “They’re only looking for a venue for their faces for a cause.”
The elder Weir brother cautioned Bradley County’s citizens not to respond to the protesters. “I hope the people of this community don’t go down to their level,” he said.
Sgt. Weir is the son of Charles and Jackie Weir. He is survived by his wife, Allison, and 18-month-old son, Gavin.
A Bradley County native, Sgt. Weir died on Sept. 14 as a result of an Iraqi ambush on Sept. 13. He was memorialized in tributes at Oak Grove Elementary School and Bradley Central High School last week. Family members and community leaders have described the young soldier “as a hero to all of us.”
In addition to announcing the arrival of his brother’s body, Chris Weir addressed the tremendous support of the Bradley County Community and what it has meant to his family. Concerning last Wednesday’s memorial service on the Bradley Central football field, he said he cannot attempt to describe it and the feelings of his family. “I’m not sure Webster has invented the words,” he said.
“The pride we feel has filled our hearts and is what is helping us through this,” he continued. “It means more than I can personally describe.”
In contrast to the anti-war protesters expected at Monday’s funeral, Chris Weir is urging Bradley County residents to wave flags and banners along the route of the funeral procession to show their support of his brother’s sacrifice.
The funeral is scheduled for 1 p.m. Monday at Fike Funeral Home. The service is expected to conclude about 2 p.m., and the motorcade will proceed onto Ocoee Street and along 25th Street to Interstate 75. It will then proceed to Chattanooga where it will merge onto Interstate 24 and exit at Rossville Boulevard. The procession will then turn right onto Lynchburg Street, which changes into Holtzclaw, to the National Cemetery. A member of the U.S. Army’s 101st Airborne Division, Sgt. Weir will be buried with full military honors.
There are several locations along the funeral route in Cleveland and later on overhead bridges along the interstate for local citizens and veterans to view the procession and show their support.
The motorcade to the National Cemetery is being set up by Bradley County Sheriff Tim Gobble and his department. Sheriff Gobble said his deputies will “take appropriate measures to secure the service and allow constitutionally protected freedom of expression.”
Federal law will not allow protesters within 300 feet of a funeral, while Tennessee’s Legislature has banned protesters within 500 feet.
U.S. Congressman Zach Wamp plans to meet with the family prior to Monday’s service.
Beautiful! Our heroes deserve no less than this honor -- whether the detractors show or not is inconsequential. The PGR honors them irregardless.
Actually, the way it works is that there are certain members of PGR who find and post every announcement of every fallen hero's passing on the PGR site. The State Ride Captains (or local ride captains) then make contact with the family to see if they would like the PGR's involvement or not, and then honors the wishes of the family. This is done whether the WBC is showing up or not. It is our honor to stand guard for the families and honor their brave loved ones who given all for our country.
The WBC doesnt always show up. We did a PGR ride here NJ and they said they were coming and they never showed. I hope they stay home for this funeral. I have gone to their site and heard Ol Fred ranting on how God hates America and how we are doomed. Well I wanted to write him and ask him if God hates America so much what are the WBC doing here? They spread no message from the God I know. I think some court ordered sanity tests should be done on his whole clan. I think they need to make sure these people are fit to raise the children they have. The fact they bring small children to places where their safety could be endangered makes me wonder where social services are . And why they havn't checked out the WBC and the Phelps clan.
Prayers for this soldier and his family. God Bless them.
Agree with you totally
Thanks for the info. I always thought the family had to contact the PG first.
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