Albert Snyder the father of a fallen Marine, has won $10.9 million in a lawsuit against the Westboro Baptist Church for protesting at his son Matthew’s funeral. Living in Kansas I am particularly ashamed of the Topeka based church run by Fred Phelps. Albert Snyder says he does not expect to receive the $10 million but he intends to collect everything they have…
“I do not expect to collect $10 million, but I do intend to collect everything they have,” [1]
WBC is trying to turn this into a freedom of religion and speech issue. If there is a good reason to have limits on the 1st Amendment these people and their actions are definitely it.
“Not only did you fail to stop our preaching, but our message has gone forth to the entire world,” the statement said.
“Thank God for the $10.9 million verdict!” Church officials said the verdict would have no effect on their picketing plans. They plan to protest at two funerals Friday: one for Army Sgt. Scott Turner in Norton, Kan., and one for Army Staff Sgt. Larry Rougle in Kearns, Utah.
Church officials say they take their pickets to funerals to protest the military’s[sic] defense of a country that tolerates homosexuality. They expressed confidence that an appellate court will overturn the verdict because the First Amendment protects their speech and religion. [2]
These lunatics not only protest the funerals of fallen U.S. soldiers but also were going to protest at the funerals of the Amish girls killed in PA. last year.[3]
The Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kan., planned to boycott funerals for the victims Thursday and Friday but later canceled the protests in exchange for media airtime. The church claims on its Web site that the shooting spree was carried out by a “mad man” in retribution for Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell’s “blasphemous sins against WBC.”[4]
When my brothers friend, Army Sgt. Joel Murray was killed in Iraq by an IED along with several other soldiers on September 4th,[5] Westboro Baptist protesters were at his funeral in Salina, KS with “Thank God for IEDs”signs wearing their usual “God Hates America” shirts.[6]
Albert Snyder filed this lawsuit a few months after his 20 year old son was killed in Iraq in March of 2006. As expected the article states the case may be tied up in appeals for some time before a final resolution. Snyder has set up a website and a legal fund. He says that he has received thousands of phone calls, letters and emails. Continue reading ‘Marine’s Dad Vows to Shut Down Westboro Baptist’
Say what?