Marine's father sues funeral demonstrators

estranged4life · #1 06-07-2006, 09:07 PM

Protesters say soldiers' deaths are God's penalty for U.S. tolerance of gays

GREENBELT, Md. - 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 serviceman's family against Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kan., whose members routinely demonstrate at military funerals around the country.

Albert Snyder of York, Pa., the father of Lance Cpl. Matthew A. Snyder, is seeking unspecified damages. The younger Snyder, 20, died March 3 after an accident in the Anbar province of Iraq. He was buried in Westminster, Md.

"We think it's a case we can win because anyone's funeral is private," Albert Snyder's lawyer Sean Summers said. "You don't have a right to interrupt someone's private funeral."

'I want it to stop'
After filing the suit, Snyder said at a news conference that he hoped a hefty judgment would leave the church members unable to afford travel for more protests.

"I want it to stop," he said of the protests. "I didn't know there were people in the world who did that."

Members of Westboro say the military deaths in Iraq are God's punishment for America's tolerance of gays. They typically carry signs with slogans such as "God Hates Fags" and "Thank God for IEDs," a reference to the roadside bombs used by insurgents.

The church has inspired dozens of state laws banning funeral protests, including a Maryland law that did not go into effect until after Snyder's memorial.

Shirley Phelps-Roper, a spokeswoman for the small congregation, said it is the first time Westboro has been sued by a soldier's family.

"We were exercising our First Amendment rights," she said.

© 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

GypsySorcerer · #2 06-07-2006, 09:13 PM

How dare these loons bring their hate-filled, bigoted **** to private memorials of servicemen and women? Disgusting pigs.

seeker007nmss · #3 06-07-2006, 09:27 PM

Tacky. Just Tacky.

carrie721 · #4 06-07-2006, 09:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by seeker007nmss

Tacky. Just Tacky.

not just tacky. also heinous!

Johnny Stew · #5 06-07-2006, 09:38 PM

I hope Mr. Snyder wins his lawsuit and takes every dime "Reverend" Phelps and his brainwashed family has. They are among the sickest, most vile human beings (and I use that term very loosely) to ever walk this earth.

paleshadow · #6 06-07-2006, 09:50 PM

Sometimes I just can't believe how insane people can be, but mostly how they all seem to find eachother and form groups.

Johnny Stew · #7 06-07-2006, 10:09 PM

I think everyone should familiarize themselves with Fred Phelps and the Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka. It's an eye-opener.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westboro_Baptist_Church

By the way, their congregation consists of less than 100 members... at least 90 of whom are related to "Reverend" Phelps either by blood or marriage.

And anyone with any doubt as to the degree of Phelps' insanity, need look no further than this quote:
"The Lord God Almighty killed [the people who died on 9/11], looked at them in the face, laughed and mocked at each one of them as he cast each one of them into hell".

GateandGarden · #8 06-07-2006, 10:44 PM

They have an entire photo gallery depicting their protests on their site.

Notice how they're actually sick enough to use small children in their games.

Lala · #9 06-07-2006, 10:48 PM

I had no idea people were going this far, although it isn't that hard to believe.

I am disgusted. Free speech is one thing, but what about a little human decency and compassion.

carrie721 · #10 06-07-2006, 11:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GateandGarden

They have an entire photo gallery depicting their protests on their site.

Notice how they're actually sick enough to use small children in their games.

hillary, ever been to godhatesfags.com? we are sooooooooooooo ****ed! lol.

seriously, they're really scary people. it still doesn't bother me that there are people out there who hate me, but it can get pretty freaky.

GateandGarden · #11 06-07-2006, 11:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by carrie721

hillary, ever been to godhatesfags.com? we are sooooooooooooo ****ed! lol.

I got the pics from there. It's really easy to forget that place is real, you know? It's just so damn ludicrous.

Quote:

seriously, they're really scary people. it still doesn't bother me that there are people out there who hate me, but it can get pretty freaky.

I can't think of any scarier groups, though these people make for stiff competition.

Lala · #12 06-07-2006, 11:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Johnny Stew

I think everyone should familiarize themselves with Fred Phelps and the Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka. It's an eye-opener.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westboro_Baptist_Church

By the way, their congregation consists of less than 100 members... at least 90 of whom are related to "Reverend" Phelps either by blood or marriage.

And anyone with any doubt as to the degree of Phelps' insanity, need look no further than this quote:
"The Lord God Almighty killed [the people who died on 9/11], looked at them in the face, laughed and mocked at each one of them as he cast each one of them into hell".

I started to read the article and got to their "Theology"...

Absolutely disgusting...and it doesn't even make sense. Scary.

carrie721 · #13 06-07-2006, 11:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GateandGarden

I got the pics from there. It's really easy to forget that place is real, you know? It's just so damn ludicrous.

I can't think of any scarier groups, though these people make for stiff competition.

oh snap.

what the hell is wrong with people ...

GateandGarden · #14 06-07-2006, 11:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by carrie721

oh snap.

what the hell is wrong with people ...

Seems that they're a bunch of winners, huh?

estranged4life · #15 06-07-2006, 11:29 PM

from the link Mr.Librarian posted (From wikipedia.org)

"The church recently avoided a funeral in McDonald County, Missouri due to a recently enacted law. Juvenile court authorities stated that using their children in their protests (as they often do) constituted child endangerment and the children could be put into foster homes."

In Oklahoma a similar law was passed this year, But the lawmakers were hoping/praying that those asshats from WBC would show up for a funeral with their children in tow, cause he children would have been taken from their parents and placed in DHS custody due to 'child endangerment'...

And wouldnt ya know it these chicken****s of WBC didnt show up...Darn, I was looking forward to seeing those kiddies being taken away from their relig-a-tarded parents.