Free Republic

My parents taught me never to speak ill of the dead, but in the case of Fred Phelps, who died last week at the age of 84, I think they would have made an exception. The man, who will be referred to in this column without the modifier "reverend," because there was nothing reverent about him, defined the word "odious." He and some of his family members constituted the entire membership of the Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kan. It was BINO, Baptist in name only. Phelps and some members of his family (though not all) picketed military funerals with...

The troop hating Westboro Church will be at Arlington Cemetery this coming Wednesday, July 11 at 12:15PM. They are usually next to the Metro entrance on the south side of Memorial Drive. If you can make it, you need to bring flags and troop support signs and plenty of water. Meet on the north side (entrance side to Arlington) of Memorial Drive.

Police escorted the Westboro member to safety and used tear gas to control the crowd.

The Left does some truly despicable things in this world, but this is a new low for Democrats. Former three-time Democrat gubernatorial candidate Fred Phelps Jr. (commonly called just “Fred Phelps”) and his Westboro Hate Group have announced plans to disrupt the funeral of 9 year-old shooting victim Christina Greene. Christina was murdered by Jared Lee Loughner yesterday in his assassination attempt on Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords. The little girl was born on September 11th, 2001, so her parents have been cursed with a horrific trifecta of high profile trauma: their daughter born on the worst day in our generations’ lives,...

The DC Chapter started gathering at 3:30, unloading flags, banners, signs and a sound system. We expected Westboro Baptist Church to arrive at 4:30 but they arrived at 4. We responded by setting up quicker. DC Chapter members were Lurker Bill, Cindy_True_Supporter, GunsAreOK, RongKirby, [Mrs] Trooprally and myself. We were joined by a mother and her two kids who were walking by, 5 other patriots who heard about our rally, 3 Marine wives from Quantico, a guy in a wheel chair, and 6 Vietnam Vets on their Harleys. They did not claim to be part of Rolling Thunder or Patriot...

No, you don’t have the right to protest at a funeral. I know the First Amendment, I love the First Amendment, but bullhorns and picket signs at a cemetery or mortuary are not the First Amendment. That’s what I hope the Supreme Court decides. As it commences its new term today, I hope that foolishness is not done in the name of freedom. I hope that the justices will remember that your freedom to swing your fists stops at the tip of my nose, and that one person’s liberty must not be empowered to disturb another person’s peace. The case...

York, Pa. (AP) - One thing Al Snyder wants to make clear: His boy fought and died for freedom in Iraq, but not for the right of some "wackos" to spew hate at soldiers' funerals under the protection of the Constitution. "It's an insult to myself, my family and the veterans to say this is what our military men and women died for," Snyder says, barely concealing his anger. Yet more than four years after the death of his only son, Matthew, Snyder is in the middle of a Supreme Court case that raises almost precisely that issue. The court...

TOPEKA - The estranged son of a controversial Kansas pastor encouraged people to feel sympathy for members of his father's church, "at least for the young children stuck in that situation." Nate Phelps, 51, spoke in Topeka over the weekend, marking his first trip in 20 years to the city where his father, Fred Phelps, runs Westboro Baptist Church. He alleged that he endured fear, intimidation and abuse before leaving the family and church on his 18th birthday. He said that while society is quick to take steps to protect children, it seems "curiously blind" when religious beliefs jeopardize a...

I ran across the Phelps clan a few years ago when they were protesting a church I was attending in Wichita Kansas. I had never heard of the group before and I suddenly found myself within swinging distance without any context of who I was dealing with. I assumed from their colorful “GOD HATES FAGS” signs that they were a pro-homosexual advocacy group possibly angry about a bible lesson on Sodom and Gomorrah that they might have heard at the church that did not fit their lifestyle. I later found that the Westboro Baptist Church was a small, crazy, dysfunctional...

LAWTON-- It's supposed to be the time to honor a fallen American hero. But, once again a radical church group from Kansas has plans to the contrary. On Sunday, Fort Sill will hold a memorial service to remember Specialist Wilfred Flores, Junior of Lawton. You'll remember he was killed last month in Iraq while fighting the war on terror. 7-News has learned the Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kansas plans to protest the memorial. They're the same group that has sparked states across the country, including Oklahoma, to create laws restricting when and where they can protest funerals. They believe...

Members of the Westboro Baptist Church found themselves outnumbered Sunday when they arrived to protest the funeral of U.S. Army Spc. Chris Sitton. A phalanx of flags held by more than 100 Patriot Guard Riders and volunteers stood between them and the grounds of Montrose High School, as people chanted the Pledge of Allegiance and more than 20 police officers monitored the scene. But Sara Phelps said she didn't care what others thought. "These people hold patriotic pep rallies for these dead soldiers and this is the time to tell them, 1. Don't worship the dead. And, 2., Don't worship...

The father of a Marine whose funeral was picketed by anti-gay protesters from a fundamentalist Kansas church filed an invasion-of-privacy suit against the demonstrators Monday. It is believed to be the first lawsuit brought by a soldier's family against Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kan., whose members routinely demonstrate at military funerals around the country. Members' demonstrations in Colorado prompted lawmakers to approve -- and the governor to sign -- a bill banning protests within certain distances of funerals. Snyder, 20, died March 3 after an accident in the Al Anbar province of Iraq. The church has inspired dozens of...

This week, trouble is coming to Tennessee, New York State and Oklahoma, courtesy of deranged cult leader Fred Phelps and his Westboro group from Topeka, KS. From their website, this is the list of soldier funerals they plan to ruin: August 11, 2005 (Tomorrow) 2:30 pm - 3:00 pm McKenzie, TN McKenzie Funeral Home, 1749 E. Cedar Ave., for funeral of Army Spc. James Dustin "Dusty" Carroll August 12, 2005 10:30 am - 11:00 am Ronkonkoma, NY St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Fag (Phelps' words, not mine) Church, 800 Portion Rd., for funeral of Army Staff Sgt. James D. McNaughton...