Religious protesters disgracefully cross moral line
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March 23, 2010
Marie Hofer
The ceremonial folding of the flag and a twenty-one gun salute are common dignified events at military funerals, but dispicable acts of hatred have tarnished some recent military funerals…all in the name of “god.”
“They turned America over to fags; they’re bringing them home in body bags.” “Thank God for 9/11.” “Thank God for dead soldiers.”
These slogans graced signs held by members of Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kansas when they protested against gay rights at a Maryland funeral of an American marine killed in Iraq. The church rationalizes their actions by saying that God is punishing America for its support of gay rights when soldiers die in battle or when terrorsists strike.
“A funeral is a time to mourn the passing of a loved one. Protesting and picketing have no place at a funerals,” teacher Tom Hottinger said. “It certainly doesn’t present this church in a good light. People do have their own beliefs about homosexuality, but these comments make one wonder if this church is really a church.”
This church, Westboro Baptist, is a congregation made up of about 60 members, most of whom are related to the pastor of the church, Fred W. Phelps Sr. The congregation targets funerals because it creates the most media attention for their cause. But at what expense are they furthering their cause and is the cost worth it?
“Legally the first amendment protects the picketer’s right of free speech. Having said that, I do not believe it was appropriate to say or show by signs what they thought at a private funeral,” Hottinger said. “I believe that they should not have been there in the first place.”
In an interview with Dennis Drenner from The New York Times, Albert Snyder, the father of the deceased marine, Lance Cpl. Matthew A. Snyder, revealed his motivations for legally going after Westboro Baptist Church.
“If I can take whatever they have and stop them, good,” said Snyder. “I was not motivated by money. I want to shut this church down, if you can call it a church. I call it a cult or a hate group. I sat in that courtroom for a week-and-a- half and never once heard them say a good thing about God.”
The case is bigger than just Snyder’s family. The Snyder’s were not specifically targeted for any reason and were not the only victims. The church is vehemently attacking other families at funerals making a somber ceremony an even greater tragedy.
“I had seen them do it to another family,” Mr. Snyder said, “and it brought back all the bad memories. I don’t even know how I got the courage to do it. I was like the papa bear: ‘You can do anything to me, but don’t try to do it to my children.’ Those people tarnished Matt’s coffin.”
Because of the outrageous behavior of these constitutionally protected protesters, 40 states and the federal government have enacted laws restricting funeral demonstrations.
“Morally they are wrong, even if they are defending their faith; they are going about it the wrong way,” senior Marie Kunze said. “There is no doubt about the protests at the funeral crossing a moral line. Treating people like that is anything but moral and it gives the churches and religions a bad name and starts a chain reaction of violent activity.”
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