Anger rises over bill to father of slain Marine

"As soon as we heard this, we just knew that it was going to go through the roof, and people were going to be upset. We seized on it," Seavey said. "On an issue like this that cuts across political lines, it's relatively easy, and it's the kind of fight we want to wade into because it's not right or left, it's right or wrong. We're going to do the best we can to make sure that Mr. Snyder doesn't have to deal with this. We're going to make sure he doesn't have to pay a red cent." Mark C. Seavey, new-media director for the American Legion

Seavey is right and this issue has captured the attention (and outrage) of the American people. This is not about anything other than doing the right thing.

Albert Snyder, right, and lawyer Sean Summers are waiting for the Supreme Court to rule in their suit against Westboro Baptist Church. A lower appeals court ruled that the York, Pa., man must pay $16,510 in some court costs incurred under the church members' appeal. (Baltimore Sun photo by Barbara Haddock Taylor / March 22, 2010)

Anger rises over bill to father of slain Marine
Support, money sent to help pay court costs in Westboro suit
By Robbie Whelan

March 31, 2010
Outraged that the father of a dead Marine was ordered to pay some court costs incurred by a group he had sued for picketing his son's funeral, people from across the country have launched a grass-roots fundraising effort to help the grieving family.

"I was appalled," said Sally Giannini, a 72-year-old retired bookkeeper from Spokane, Wash., who had called The Baltimore Sun after seeing an article about the court decision against Albert Snyder. "I believe in free speech, but this goes too far."

Living on a fixed income, Giannini said she could send only $10 toward the $16,510.80 that the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ordered Snyder to pay to Fred Phelps, leader of the Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kan., an anti-gay group that travels the country picketing military funerals. The group says military deaths are God's punishment for America's tolerance of homosexuality.

Snyder sued Westboro because its members waved signs saying "God hates fags" and "God hates the USA" at the 2006 funeral in Westminster of his son, Lance Cpl. Matthew Snyder, who had been killed in Iraq. A federal jury in Baltimore awarded Snyder $11 million in damages in 2007, saying Phelps' group intentionally inflicted emotional distress on the family. The award was later reduced to $5 million, and eventually overturned on appeal.
read more here
Anger rises over bill to father of slain Marine

Bill O’Reilly Pays Legal Bill for Fallen Marine’s Father

But it turns out, the money may not be needed to pay the protesters.

Updated March 30, 2010
Marine's Father Will Not Pay Court-Ordered Funeral Protesters' Fees
FOXNews.com
The father of a Marine killed in Iraq whose funeral was picketed by anti-gay protesters told Fox News he will defy a court order and not pay the protesters' appeal costs.

The father of a Marine killed in Iraq whose funeral was picketed by anti-gay protesters told Fox News he will defy a court order and not pay the protesters' appeal costs.

Albert Snyder, of York, Pa., told Fox News he does not intend to pay $16,510 to Fred Phelps, the leader of Kansas' Westboro Baptist Church, which held protests at Marine Lance Cpl. Matthew Snyder's funeral in 2006.

"I don't think I'm going to be writing a check until I hear from the Supreme Court," Snyder told Fox News on Tuesday. "I'm not about to pay them anything."

The Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit ordered Snyder on Friday to pay Phelps. A two-page decision supplied by his attorneys offered no details on how the court came to its decision.

The decision adds "insult to injury," said Sean Summers, one of Snyder's attorneys.

Snyder is also struggling to come up with fees associated with filing a brief with the U.S. Supreme Court, his attorneys said.
read more here

Marine Father Will Not Pay Court-Ordered Funeral Protesters'

Does this mean that O'Reilly will pay the money Mr. Snyder owes his lawyers for taking on this case?

Somehow I have a feeling O'Reilly will do the right thing and help this father with his own legal bills because he cares and this is not some kind of a stunt. This is not about politics at all and people on both sides agree this is wrong, wrong, wrong beyond belief!

Soldier's mom describes dealing with funeral protestors

An automatic reaction to this is that this group of a family calling themselves a church has no right to do what they do. The truth is, they have every right but are too self-centered, too filled with hate, to notice why they have the right to say what they want. They have this right because of the constitution, the same one the men and women in the military serve to protect and defend.

The good news here is that while these people apparently know nothing about why they enjoy the right to say what they want, they are regarded as pests far outnumbered by everyone else. When people see their signs and hear their words, they are repulsive.

The only thing that needs to happen so that the family of the fallen soldiers are provided with the ability to bury their family member in peace is that the folks from Westboro are kept away much like a restraining order keeps predators and abusers far away from victims. Let them say what they want and prove how disgusting they are but keep them away from the families they are trying to harm.

Soldier's mom describes dealing with funeral protestors
Chris Williams 8 On Your Side Reporter
4:12 PM CST, March 9, 2010


KNOX COUNTY, Illinois - A Quad Cities Area mother had to deal with protestors during her son's funeral. Now the same church group wants the U.S. Supreme court to protect them from a lawsuit.

Members of Kansas based Westboro Baptist Church gained a reputation for taking their anti-homosexual message to funerals of soldiers killed in Iraq and Afghanistan. A Maryland family sued the group for pain and suffering and won but a Federal Appeals Court ruled in favor of the church setting up the showdown in the U.S. Supreme Court. The high court should get the case this fall.

For the first time since her son's funeral a local woman spoke publicly about dealing with the same protestors at her son's funeral. News 8 reporter Chris Williams has her story.

This June will mark 4 years since Knox County gathered to honor Private First Class Caleb Lufkin. Most people will see the video and pictures in this story and wonder if it really has been that long. For Caleb's family the memories of that day are as vibrant and painful as though it were only yesterday.

"The pain never goes away. It never goes away", said Caleb's mother Marcy Gorsline.

For many, Caleb's day was marred by out-of-town protestors using the loss to push their agenda. One woman from Westboro Baptist said she brought nine of her 11 children here to make a point.

The Patriot Guard Riders tried to shield the family from what they saw as a political message that was way out of place.
for more and video go here
Soldiers mom describes dealing with funeral protestors

Supreme Court to decide on anti-gay protests at military funerals

Top court to decide on anti-gay protests at military funerals
James Vicini
WASHINGTON
Mon Mar 8, 2010 1:07pm EST

(Reuters) - The Supreme Court said on Monday it would decide whether constitutional free-speech rights protected anti-gay protests by members of a Kansas church at funerals for U.S. military members killed in Iraq.

The high court agreed to consider whether the protesters' message and picketing was protected by the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, even though it was a private family funeral.

The justices said they would hear an appeal by Albert Snyder, the father of a Marine killed in Iraq in 2006. The family's traditional funeral service was held at St. John's Catholic Church in Westminster, Maryland.

The funeral for Marine Lance Corporal Matthew Snyder drew picketing by members of the fundamentalist Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kansas.

Westboro Pastor Fred Phelps and other church members have picketed at funerals of U.S. military members killed in Iraq or Afghanistan as part of their religious view that God is punishing America for its tolerance of gays and lesbians.
read more here
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6274T020100308

Will Supreme Court Stop Westboro Baptist Church attack on our soldiers?

VIDEO: Veterans 'Disgusted' By Funeral Protests
News 8's Keri Babic showed Jere Gish's report to a group of Lancaster County veterans.
http://www.wgal.com/video/22470609/index.html

Some will say this is a free speech issue but there is accountability when it is used. No one has the right to say whatever they want without consequences if they harm someone else. Making a false accusation can lead someone to end up in court but what do you do when they hide behind their own understanding of God?

This is what they hide behind. The question is, what will the Supreme Court do? Will they honor the men and women serving this country and protect the families of the fallen or will they protect the free speech rights of this group? If they side with the haters, will they then allow other groups to drown them out in a counter protest? If this happens, what will dueling protests do to the families while they are already grieving the loss of someone they love?

Does the Westboro Baptist "Church" have a right to cause pain and suffering? Does free speech allow anyone to cause pain and suffering or does it allow law suits to hold them accountable?

Father's Lawsuit Over Soldier Son's Funeral Not Over ...

SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY, Pa. -- A military father is fighting back. Al Snyder's son was killed serving in Iraq, but an unexpected protest at the funeral set up a rollercoaster court battle. Thursday, February 4, 2010

Westboro Baptist Church to protest Caylee Anthony's Memorial?

The same people showing up to protest at funerals for our service men and women plan to protest at a memorial for a murdered child? What is wrong with these people?

Kansas-based group to protest Caylee Anthony's memorial
Amy L. Edwards Sentinel Staff Writer
4:30 PM EST, February 9, 2009
Members of a controversial Kansas church known for protesting military funerals plan to picket Caylee Marie Anthony's memorial Tuesday.Westboro Baptist Church detailed its plans in a recent news statement, which concludes with the phrase "GOD HATES AMERICA."The Topeka church claims that U.S. troops killed in combat are God's punishment for a nation harboring homosexuals.Westboro Baptist Church is considered a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center.

Westboro Baptist Church sues over military funeral

Church sues over soldiers’ funeral protest ban


Posted : Friday Jan 9, 2009 13:58:39 EST

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A Westboro Baptist Church member has sued the city of St. Joseph over its ordinance banning protests at soldiers’ funerals.

The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Kansas City, asks a judge to declare the ordinance and its enforcement unconstitutional.
go here for more
http://www.armytimes.com/news/2009/01/ap_mo_funeralban_010909w/

Fire breaks out at Westboro Baptist "church" garage

They call it a "church" but when you watch the video, it's a garage! Do they have a free speech right? Sure but they also have to be ready to hear what others say about them using their own free speech rights as well. They have a right to show what they are when they protest military funerals and the families have a right to have the Patriot Guard show up to keep them away from the family.

As the camera covered the firefighters putting out the fire, you can see people standing there holding up their signs of hatred. It really is a shame that their "religion" also seems to have decided they can harass a 91 year old neighbor.

Fire breaks out at 'God Hates Fags' church

by Nick Langewis

Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kansas, known for its vocal condemnations of homosexuality, website GodHatesFags.com and picketing of gay pride parades and funerals, has sustained thousands of dollars in damage after a fire early Saturday morning. Impromptu protest followed as firefighters carried out their response.

"None of what they do is going to stop us from delivering our message," said church counsel Shirley Phelps-Roper of any "cowards" that would have set the fire on purpose, also saying that it was the "most aggressive act" towards the Phelps family to date.

"There is evidence that hatred of our religion was the motivation, in part at least," states a "Civil Rights Hate Crime Complaint" written by pastor Fred Phelps Sr. to Attorney General Michael Mukasey. In a recently released YouTube presentation, Phelps also blames law enforcement, judges, and the "filthy, fag-riddled military" for what he considers an assault on his First Amendment rights.

Meanwhile, a neighbor is suspicious that the fire is a hoax meant to intimidate her into giving up her property. "They keep claiming that this property is theirs, and it is not theirs," said 91-year-old Leona McQueen. "They keep wanting to buy me, but I don't want to sell it. I don't know if whether they are trying to push me out."

"It's a ridiculous accusation," Phelps-Roper countered. "The fire was started by someone as we slept. Thankfully the lord our god (sic) keeps us in all our ways."

The cause of the fire has not been determined. No picketing signs were harmed. Video footage taken during the emergency response appears below, courtesy of The Topeka Capital-Journal.
go here for the video
http://pageoneq.com/news/2008/westboro080408.html

Westboro church to picket pregnant GI death

Westboro church to picket pregnant GI death

The Associated Press
Posted : Wednesday Jul 9, 2008 7:13:10 EDT

FAYETTVILLE, N.C. — Some Fort Bragg wives say they’ll oppose a fundamentalist church’s plan to celebrate the death of a pregnant soldier.

The Fayetteville Observer reported Wednesday a Kansas church plans a “gospel picket” on the death of 23-year-old Army Spc. Megan L. Touma. Police Sgt. John Somerindyke says Westboro Baptist Church is seeking a city permit for July 16.
go here for more
http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/07/ap_touma_westboro_070908/

The Patriot Guard will be waiting for them. That's for sure.

Patriot Guard at service for sailor in Oregon

Phillip Leveque has spent his life as a Combat Infantryman, Physician, Pharmacologist and Toxicologist.
Patriot Guard at a service for a fallen sailor in Oregon
Photo by: Tim King
(MOLALLA, Ore.) - Margie Boulé authored an article in the September 9th edition of the Oregonian about the Patriot Guard and PTSD. She unknowingly pushed the button of PTSD and inadvertently touched the tip of the PTSD iceberg.
The Patriot Guard is a nationwide group of 110,000 “bikers” who ride, some in groups as large as 200 riders, as “Honor Guards” for their dead war comrades and heroes returning home from Iraq and Afghanistan. This is a noble tribute by many who have “been there, seen that, done that”. However, when many of them came home, a large portion from Viet Nam, they were spit on and reviled.
The only mission of a soldier, or Marine, in the service is to “kill or be killed”. If anyone thinks their mission is otherwise or that the rifleman has any control what-so-ever as to what happens to him or what he has to do to survive doesn’t know or understand anything about battle.
go here for the rest
http://www.salem-news.com/articles/september142007/leveque_ptsd_91407.php


Patriot Guard Riders Mission Statement
The Patriot Guard Riders is a diverse amalgamation of riders from across the nation. We have one thing in common besides motorcycles. We have an unwavering respect for those who risk their very lives for America’s freedom and security. If you share this respect, please join us.We don’t care what you ride or if you ride, what your political views are, or whether you’re a hawk or a dove. It is not a requirement that you be a veteran. It doesn't matter where you’re from or what your income is; you don’t even have to ride. The only prerequisite is Respect.Our main mission is to attend the funeral services of fallen American heroes as invited guests of the family. Each mission we undertake has two basic objectives.
1. Show our sincere respect for our fallen heroes, their families, and their communities.
2. Shield the mourning family and their friends from interruptions created by any protestor or group of protestors.We accomplish the latter through strictly legal and non-violent means.

To those of you who are currently serving and fighting for the freedoms of others, at home and abroad, please know that we are backing you. We honor and support you with every mission we carry out, and we are praying for a safe return home for all.


Lineage of the Patriot Guard Riders.

Updated
Several people have asked how the Patriot Guard Riders got started. Here’s what we’ve been able to piece together. If anyone can give us more details, it would be greatly appreciated.It all started back in early August of 2005 with the American Legion Riders chapter 136 from Kansas. They were appalled to hear that a fallen hero’s memory was being tarnished by misguided religious zealots who were protesting at funerals.
They decided to do something about it. At the ALR 136 August meeting, Director: Chuck " Pappy " Barshney appointed members, Terry “Darkhorse” Houck, Cregg “Bronco 6” Hansen, Steve “McDaddy” McDonald, and Bill ”Wild Bill” Logan to form a committee to strategize and form a battle plan to combat Fred Phelps and the Westboro Baptist Church.When they heard that the WBC was going to protest at the Funeral of Sgt. John Doles in Chelsea, Oklahoma, they established a Mission Statement, which included getting the families permission and contacting Law Enforcement and other Motorcycle Groups in Oklahoma.
They agreed that their ultimate goal was to get veterans and motorcycle organizations involved in every state so that each state could handle the situation internally and not rely on other states to do the job. They were very successful in mustering riders to honor Sgt. Doles and limiting the intrusion by the WBC.
After the Chelsea Mission the Kansas American Legion Riders wanted all Motorcycle Groups/ Organizations to be recognized. On the 18th of October 2005 the Patriot Guard name was established and was announced on the 27th of October 2005 to the 100 + motorcyclists present at the Tonganoxie Mission to Honor Spc Lucas Frantz.Following the missions in South Haven, KS and a later ride in Edmond, OK, Jeff “Twister” Brown, from Broken Arrow, OK, decided to do more than just ride.
He saw a need to get a strong nation-wide communications and recruiting program in place. He contacted the original AL riders in Kansas and told them of his plans. They openly shared their experiences, suggestions, and encouragement. Within a matter of days, Brown had formed the Patriot Guard Riders and began a nation-wide campaign to garner support.Similarly, after a mission ride in Greeley, CO, Hugh Knaus and Jason “Waldo” Wallin answered the call of the newly formed Patriot Guard Riders, becoming the national webmaster and communications director, respectively. Within a matter of days, a mission statement was refined and a website was built, rebuilt, and launched.
A call immediately went out to individual riders and groups across the nation to join and ride with the PGR. State Captains were recruited to work more closely with the members in their area.The growth has been phenomenal. Within a week their membership included many riders from associations like the VFW, American Legion, Rolling Thunder, ABATE, Combat Vets Motorcycle Association, Intruder Alert, Leathernecks Motorcycle Club, and almost five hundred individual riders. To the credit of Hugh and “Waldo”, the PGR website had received almost 566,000 hits in the first two weeks! Patriots from all over America and several foreign countries responded. Emails were pouring in from people wanting to support and join the newly formed PGR.So, that’s a pretty concise picture of where we came from and where we are today.
A great deal of credit goes to that small group of Kansas American Legion Riders, but none of this could have ever been accomplished without the patriot member who takes time out of their life to honor a fallen soldier and their family.

http://www.patriotguard.org/Home/tabid/53/Default.aspx