Phelps threatens soldier's funeral

[polmaven]

MARBLEHEAD: Police are warning residents to keep their cool if threatened protesters appear at Monday's funeral for U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Christopher Piper, lest they give a small Kansas hate group the attention it is seeking.

The story is in the Salem News tonight. Posting a link won't do any good uless you are a subscriber and have access to the "Plus Edition".

Christopher Piper died on June 16 after suffering burns whil serving in Afghanistan. His funeral is planned for Monday morning. Mourners will leave Old North Church and follow a Memorial Day parade route
to Waterside Cemetary for interment. Phelps & Co. have threatened a protest because military deaths are a result of a nation which tolerates a gay life style.

The police chief has stated that "It honors Piper more if the event remains peaceful"

He is absolutely right. If these people (and I use that term lightly) are give "face time in the media", as the chief called it, it will embolden them more and more.

Only thing is...I sure wish we would hear people like Santorun or Delay or Falwell or Buchanan or, for that matter, Bush or Cheney or Rumsfeld OR ROVE condemn them. They have not endorsed them, exactly, but their silence speaks volumes.

[BattyDem]

1. Huh?

"... military deaths are a result of a nation which tolerates a gay life style."

Sooooo ... if there were no gay people in the US, our troops wouldn't be getting killed in an illegal, unnecessary war? :wtf: :banghead:

[China_cat]

4. Actually, Phelps is saying this is

retribution for -his- church being bombed a couple years ago.

[Nite Owl]

2. What sick minds

and evil hearts they have to do this.

[Fridays Child]

3. Here's a free link...

http://www.thedailyitemoflynn.com/news/view.bg?articleid=9448&format=text

[MuseRider]

5. PLEASE

walk by them, head down and do not engage them at all. Engagement is what they want. Just hating gays isn't getting them the attention they think they should be getting. Be aware, they have a new sign. "Thank goodness for IED's" Please ignore them and they will be unsucessful. This is not letting them have their way. Letting them have their way is to bring attention to them.

[BattyDem]

8. "Thank goodness for IED's"

Where the f*ck is the outrage from the RW "support the troops" crowd over that?! Why isn't * complaining about the troops being demoralized by that?! Why isn't Rove bitching about that?! :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr:

These people make me sick! I wish some veterans groups would show up and give Phelps a good talking to. :spank:

[MuseRider]

9. The first time I saw that

one of the girls was standing at one of our local churches among the crosses with soldiers names that are all over the lawn. It was such a disgusting scene but then they have been providing us with disgusting scenes like this for many years.

[proud2BlibKansan]

21. Hey Muse, has anyone ever tried

reporting them for child abuse? That allegation comes up here every time someone posts pictures of their kids wearing those horrid t-shirts. So I wonder if anyone ever has turned them in. If enough folks did that, SRS would eventually put some heat on them.

[MuseRider]

22. Guess who works in the SRS?

Guess who works in our local jail? Guess who does all the decision making in those two institutions regarding health issues?

[proud2BlibKansan]

25. But SRS is a state agency

and it has a state director. And this is not a health issue, it is child welfare.

I'm just sayin - if SRS is bombarded with reports of abuse by this family . . .

And if anyone can start a bombardment campaign, DUers can. If you know what I mean. :eyes:

[MuseRider]

27. It all runs through

one of the Phelps kids. I had a conversation about this with one of the lawyers I was talking with about the marriage issues and we were discussing the sad situation in the jail with AIDS and HIV prisoners with a Phelps in charge. The child abuse issues came up next. There are people working on these things but damn if you even look like you are trying to do something the city gets sued. I don't know about the state, if they have tried anything there. It is being looked into though.

[proud2BlibKansan]

29. We have trouble with local county

office where I teach (in MO) so we finally started reporting directly to the state office and it is working. When we call Jeff City, we get investigators to respond.

I doubt the Phelps could be found guilty of child abuse just for making their kids protest and wear these t-shirts. BUT who knows what could be uncovered if the state investigated? And if they got 100s of calls for the same family, you betcha they would investigate.

[polmaven]

32. What a demonic group of scum they are.

Of course, IED is what took the Staff Sgt's life in Afghanistan, and one took the right leg of a friend's nephew in Iraq in March.

I am encouraged that they do not seem to be growing in number, but where do they get the money to travel the way they do? <sigh> Sometimes I wish that the interstate transport of hate was as illegal as taking a pregnant girl across state lines for an abortion.

I can barely even bring myself to use the words Baptist and Church in the same sentence with that ....um....I don't even have a word for his species....not without being pornographic anyway....so I'll just call him a "that".

WE ARE ALL WAITING KARL!!!! What did Fred Phelps see when he looked at the horror of 9/11???????? Karl? Are you there Karl????

[polmaven]

10. I cannot be there, but some friends will be..

I fully intend to STRONGLY urge them to do just as you suggest. Keep their heads down and ignore them.

I admired the actions of the members of the Lynnfield/Wakefield United Methodist Church when these low life creatures showed up there a few weeks ago. They turned their backs, joined hands, and stood silently facing their church building.

The pictures in the paper showed them....not the protesters...except the one sign that snuck int the picture that read "God Hates America". ....How 'bout that KKKarl? Does that not even merit a word of condemnation from you?

[MuseRider]

13. Perfect.

Business picks up here when they stand outside local businesses. The owner might be gay or gay friendly and they decide to try to drive them out but everyone will stop in to say something friendly if not buy something just to spite the Phelps clan.

That was the perfect response, turn your back or your head and walk away. Let them know that they mean absolutely nothing in our lives and that they can keep their hate for themselves.

It took me a long, long time to realize that my city was actually doing the right thing by ignoring them. It does cost us money because they get security but it has kept violence down.

[catnhatnh]

12. I'm sorry to disagree but happy I don't live there...

...real soon someone will say "Friggit" and lay down the unmerciful beating on these walking hemmorhoids that they so richly deserve.I'm betting on that day the local police will find something (anything) more important to focus on till the beating is well and truly into advance stages and then (grudgingly) arrest the assailants for simple assault. I will GLADLY contribute to their defense fund and I'm betting they walk when judged by a jury of their peers....

[MuseRider]

14. Nope.

It has happened and they will sue the pants off of the assailants and the city. They are lawyers and you have to remember they have been at this for a very long time and know every single inch that they can take from you. Out city has been there and they do not wish to go there again or it would have been over and done with a long time ago.

I admit, I would not morn them but they mean nothing

[Warpy]

6. Dunno, if they get ignored

they are going to escalate their behavior. I don't think anybody but Phelps himself gives a shit about hoe-moe-sek-shuls. I think they're addicted to attention.

At some point, anyone who is alerted that this bunch is on the way needs to contact ANSWER and get a team out to link arms around the Phelps gang and march them away from the proceedings, at least out of sight of them.

Giving them carte blanche to disrupt military funerals is not the way to go, even if they are doing more damage to themselves. Families of slain soldiers have enough to contend with in the way of shock and grief without these crass publicity hounds destroying their dignity.

[proud2BlibKansan]

7. Read post #5

Muse knows the Phelps clan and has dealt with them for years.

Take her advice and IGNORE them. That is really the best tactic.

[MuseRider]

15. Hey there!

:hi:

[proud2BlibKansan]

18. Hey how goes it?

We are thinking about going to the KCK Blues Fest this evening. Sitting here killing time waiting for my friend to call.

[MuseRider]

19. Have fun!

Did you go to the concert in Lawrence? I suppose we should take this conversation elsewhere. :shrug:

[proud2BlibKansan]

23. No I couldn't go this week

but hopefully I will be back this Wed. We're going to Arnold, NE in 2 weeks for their blues fest. I am a fanatic for outdoor music.

And I think this is a fine place for a conversation other than Phelps. We must practice what we preach and ignore them. :)

[MuseRider]

26. LOL!

Lots of singing and patriotic stuff this week. I can't remember if there are fireworks. You MUST try to make the last one, it is outstanding!

Outdoor concerts are really fun unless you are crammed onto a small stage in the heat. Last week was miserable, just awful. This week looks like it could be worse.

[Warpy]

16. Then expect them to keep escalating unacceptable behavior

just like a tantrum throwing two year old or rebellious teenager. They're attention seekers. They've been given carte blanche to do what they want because people are afraid of them.

There's another way and I suggested it, removing them without engaging them. If anybody else has any ideas, now's the time to post them.

Ignoring them aint working.

[proud2BlibKansan]

20. But you just said it

They're attention seekers. So ignoring them is the last thing they want. That is what Topeka has done. And it's working. They are now going all over the world to do their protesting. But not so much in Topeka anymore.

[MuseRider]

28. They are out 3 times a day here.

Sorry, 3 corners 3 times a day at least. Every event. I simply do not see them getting violent ever. They are pushy and threatening but Fred keeps his violence for his kids. So far that is. I just don't think that would fit him at all to do something like that. Now, I could be very wrong about that but after all these years he has never once done it that I know of. He simply changes his issues. It was abortion before gays.

He wants you to strike out then he can sue you. That seems to be the extent of it from him

[proud2BlibKansan]

30. Oops I had no idea

Damn. How many of them are there?

I do at least appreciate that the media here ignores them. I haven't seen anything in our local KC papers or on TV news about them in years. I asked a reporter once and she said the KC media has an unwritten agreement to just ignore them.

[MuseRider]

31. We only get coverage

when they do something new. We have a new Stadium, Sports area for the local high schools with one of those scrolling billboards and he wants to put his hate on them since they are public. It is just one more thing from them. There are a bunch of them. My generations group is now having grandkids and there were a bunch in my generation, can't remember how many though, 12? I did not know all of them since Fred Jr. is my age the younger ones were far to young for me to be aquainted with.

[dddem]

33. and from what I understand about this group,

they use the money they win in lawsuits, or settlements, to fund their "field trips". They visited us in Massachusetts a few weeks ago to protest a 12 year old who won an essay contest because she wrote about Ellen Degeneres. Gotta love them "christians".

[MuseRider]

34. They did that here too.

I can't remember what the essay was about but it was a high school boy so they stood outside the school for several days with his name on nasty signs. It also does not hurt that they live in a "compound" that is tax exempt because it is their church. Complete with pool etc. They have been getting away with that since 1953 or so. It is all fenced off this whole section of one neighborhood.

[MuseRider]

11. Hopefully if they escalate

they will do it here where we deal with them daily. They get little response here if any and I think that is why they have recently excalated to this. First they started travelling, now this. We will see it here first most likely and I would wager, in fact I know there are more than a few here who would love to be the ones to deal with them.

[rox63]

17. What a sick bastard... n/t

[justgamma]

24. Where does he get

all the money to do this shit with?

[paineinthearse]

35. See related story on the greatest page

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x1584484

I've been away a few days and just learned of this. Did anyone go?

[polmaven]

36. I've been trying th reach some friends

who were plaanning to go. I talked with them yesterday, but haven't reached them yet today to see how it went. There has been nothing on the news about any disruption. I'm not sure they even showed up.

I'll let you all know....

[Kat45]

37. I think they did go.

I heard his name mentioned on the local news tonight when they did a story on the funeral; I think I may have seen a "God hates fags" sign or shirt or something. I'm not certain about this because I just got in and I wasn't really paying attention to the news yet.

[polmaven]

38. Yes...well...sort of...

There were 4 of them there, and the police took care to be sure they took advantage of the "designated zone" rule that has been poplar lately.

As the people came out of the church and began the procession to the cemetary, they were moved to a different location.

My friend says that one guy waving an American Flag confronted them, but was quickly subdued.

Marblehead brought in 100 extra police officers for the day.

The news programs have covered the funeral, the procession, the caisson, and the man with a small mention of the protestors. Looks like the preparation worked. The hundreds of people who were there mostly ignored them...Nothing to see here, folks....Just a bunch of reprobates acting beneath contempt. Ignore them and they will eventually fade into nothingness.

[TaleWgnDg]

39. See this DU thread . . .

.
See this DU thread . . . http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=158&topic_id=5343&mesg_id=5343 . . . as well as any further updates in the Marblehead local newspaper (the Marblehead Reporter). Its online version is at: http://www2.townonline.com/marblehead/ . . . however, its a weekly newspaper publication and isn't updated daily on its online version.

R.I.P. Staff Sergeant Christopher Piper; and my condolences to your wife, children, family, friends and neighbors.

.