Just got a call from my sister (file under "sick story")

[Neecy]

Some people just never give up.

My sister just phoned from work, angry as hell. "You'll never believe who's here!" she sputtered. Hmmmmm, I mused to myself. She works for a mortgage company so my first thought was Homeland Security, FBI, or Treasury Department and they had devised a new 'n fun way to spy on the financial records of our citizenry.

She didn't wait for an answer. "Fred Phelps and his band of idiots!"

It seemed exceedingly odd that Phelps would show up at a mortgage company, and it took a couple of minutes to get the story (she was really, really mad).

Their office building is next to a cemetery and she noticed on her way in to work this morning that the front entrance to the cemetery was decked out in American flags. She figured a soldier from Iraq was going to be buried there today or perhaps a high-ranking military retiree. She didn't think any more about it until she got into the parking garage, which overlooks the cemetery, to find it swarming with KCMO cops. As she got out of her car she noticed that cops were all over the front gate of the cemetery as well.

No one knew what it was about until a co-worker went out an hour or so later and came back to report that Phelps and his family were out in full force, wearing "vile t-shirts" and carrying signs. The new law that is supposed to prohibit these activities only keeps them off of cemetery property itself - they can congregate outside of the gates, which is where they were. Everyone in her office wanted to go outside and start a brawl with them, which I advised her is exactly what lawyer Phelps wants - it's how he makes his living, suing people.

So all the new laws in the world won't keep this sick bastard from his sick activities. They laugh at the laws that have been put in place to keep them away from grieving military families and thumb their noses.

And yes, his protests at AIDS funerals were disgusting as well - I'm gay and I have my own special hatred for him, and no one passed any Phelps laws to protect us - but still this is a sick new chapter in the Phelps' legacy.

[Ian David]

1. Some day, someone in Fred's family will die...

and I will spare no expense to fly across the country to protest at their funeral.

[kanrok]

8. Excellent idea.

I like the way you think. :toast:

[Ian David]

9. We should be collecting money for a Fred Phelps Burning in Hell Memorial

And perhaps even a fund to pay for people to get to a Phelps Family Funeral once one of those bastards finally meets Justice.

[JitterbugPerfume]

2. this is so disgusting

no words ,Neecy--NO WORDS can express the disgust I feel for him

[WilliamPitt]

3. Are you in KC?

I know that Staff Sgt. Kevin L. Zeigler, age 31, was to be buried today in Overland Park, KS. The Phelps brigades have been protesting soldier funerals for a couple of years now, and several vet groups are gathering for the funeral of Ziegler to defend his memory and his family from these scumbag protesters.

Weirdly enough, I *just* got finished writing about this about an hour ago. I'll post it later.

[Neecy]

5. yes, I am

That would explain the cops swarming over the area.

I'll watch the noon news and see if this is the soldier in question - although my sister's office is on the Missouri side, a few miles from Overland Park.

[WilliamPitt]

12. I'm fairly certain that's it.

Do not fear for the families. The Patriot Guard Riders are standing with them today. I'll post my report on this later.

[MuseRider]

4. I will be confronting that creep this weekend

in Meade, Kansas. Should be a rip roaring time.

[Warpy]

6. Find a partner

When he graced the university here in central NM, a couple of men who barely knew each other went into a very long soul kiss right in front of him.

He left.

It was the most effective counter protest I've ever heard of.

I love this town.

[MuseRider]

7. It is our state wide GLBT group.

There will be plenty of "love". It just so happened that he is going to be there the day we have our state board meeting and it was time to have the Southwest chapter host so that is what we are doing.

I tried years ago to get a friend of mine to give me a big smack when we were crossing through them to an AIDS benefit tennis match. She would not do it.

Love the story, thanks.

[Ian David]

14. Better idea: Dress-up to look like Fred Phelps and make-out with a dude.

[Fridays Child]

17. A buff, shirtless dude, holding this sign, will take care of the problem.

[Marnieworld]

18. Brilliant

That should be the counter protest to everything.

[shireen]

10. fight back -- with sprinklers

If there's a funeral planned for a fallen soldier, the funeral home and neighboring businesses/homes should install sprinklers along their property line facing the road. At just the right moment, turn it on to douse those sick morons. It sounds silly, but i love playing that visual in my head whenever I see idiot protests like that....

[Neecy]

11. Just heard from her again...

Her office is on an upper floor and overlooks the cemetery so she has a good view of what's happening.

The funeral procession is passing by and apparently the vets groups have a contingent on motorcycles that are lining Holmes to keep the Phelps lunatics from getting within eyeshot of the family. Huge turnout. Good to see that people are standing up to this maniac.

[WilliamPitt]

13. Those riders are the Patriot Guard

http://patriotguard.org/

Our own PaganPreacher is a charter member, and is riding today with that group to stand with the Ziegler family.

[Neecy]

16. wow

Thanks for the link. I think I'll share this with her later or she might go down and join them, sans motorcyle.

It's funny, she's a very liberal Democrat - she was a ward captain for Kerry, is volunteering for Clair vs. Talent, has been to several of the KC protests against the war - and yet she's more angry today than I've ever heard her. So much for the filth that thinks we don't 'support the troops'

[Solo_in_MD]

22. I ride with them too

[MuseRider]

15. The Patriot Guard

they have been wonderful for the families of the soldiers. They are supposed to be in Meade this weekend as well.

I would love to hope that after we are finally done intering soldiers that the Patriot Guard would contine to help the loved ones of the GLBT dead.

[spinbaby]

21. The Patriot Guard is doing a good job

I have a friend who rides with them and he says they've been doing pretty well keeping Phelps out of the sight of the grieving family.

[Marnieworld]

19. That must be what Will was talking about

The Patriot Guard. Looking forward to his piece.

These people must be confronted head on. They are the worst of the worst.

[Archae]

20. Phelps is getting old...

When he dies, that family and "church" will fall apart, most likely over money squabbles.

Then the "kiss and tell" books will come out.