[Rodd]

http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/02/21/fun....ap/index.html

Bikers roll to military funerals to oppose anti-gay protests

FORT CAMPBELL, Kentucky (AP) -- Wearing vests covered in military patches, a band of motorcyclists rolls around the country from one soldier's funeral to another, cheering respectfully to overshadow jeers from church protesters.

They call themselves the Patriot Guard Riders, and they are more than 5,000 strong, forming to counter anti-gay protests held by the Rev. Fred Phelps at military funerals.

Phelps believes American deaths in Iraq are divine punishment for a country that he says harbors homosexuals. His protesters carry signs thanking God for so-called IEDs -- explosives that are a major killer of soldiers in Iraq.

The bikers shield the families of dead soldiers from the protesters, and overshadow the jeers with patriotic chants and a sea of red, white and blue flags.

"The most important thing we can do is let families know that the nation cares," said Don Woodrick, the group's Kentucky captain. "When a total stranger gets on a motorcycle in the middle of winter and drives 300 miles to hold a flag, that makes a powerful statement."

At least 14 states are considering laws aimed at the funeral protesters, who at a recent memorial service at Fort Campbell wrapped themselves in upside-down American flags. They danced and sang impromptu songs peppered with vulgarities that condemned homosexuals and soldiers.

The Patriot Guard was also there, waving up a ruckus of support for the families across the street. Community members came in the freezing rain to chant "U-S-A, U-S-A" alongside them.

"This is just the right thing to do. This is something America didn't do in the '70s," said Kurt Mayer, the group's national spokesman. "Whether we agree with why we're over there, these soldiers are dying to protect our freedoms."

Shirley Phelps-Roper, a daughter of Fred Phelps and an attorney for the Topeka, Kansas-based church, said neither state laws nor the Patriot Guard can silence their message that God killed the soldiers because they fought for a country that embraces homosexuals.

"The scriptures are crystal clear that when God sets out to punish a nation, it is with the sword. An IED is just a broken-up sword," Phelps-Roper said. "Since that is his weapon of choice, our forum of choice has got to be a dead soldier's funeral."

The church, Westboro Baptist Church, is not affiliated with a larger denomination and is made up mostly of Fred Phelps' extended family members.

During the 1990s, church members were known mostly for picketing the funerals of AIDS victims, and they have long been tracked as a hate group by the Montgomery, Alabama-based Southern Poverty Law Center's Intelligence Project.

The project's deputy director, Heidi Beirich, said other groups have tried to counter Phelps' message, but none has been as organized as the Patriot Guard.

"I'm not sure anybody has gone to this length to stand in solidarity," she said. "It's nice that these veterans and their supporters are trying to do something. I can't imagine anything worse, your loved one is killed in Iraq and you've got to deal with Fred Phelps."

Kentucky, home to sprawling Fort Campbell along the Tennessee line, was among the first states to attempt to deal with Phelps legislatively. Its House and Senate have each passed bills that would limit people from protesting within 300 feet of a funeral or memorial service. The Senate version would also keep protesters from being within earshot of grieving friends and family members.

Richard Wilbur, a retired police detective, said his Indiana Patriot Guard group only comes to funerals if invited by family. He said he has no problem with protests against the war but sees no place for objectors at a family's final goodbye to a soldier.

"No one deserves this," he said.

I cant for the life of me understand how a person can have the audacity to organize a protest at a funeral. His issue has nothing to do wit the particular families as far as I can see. Can you imagine your son or daughter dying in Iraq, and when you finally get to see them again, they're dead in a box, and the last time you get to say goodbye this asshole brings his circus of dingbats over to make things that much worse for you.

There is a time and place for everything, and this guy is way out of line imo. Far be it from me to side with patriotic bikers of all people, but they are doing a good thing for what it's worth. But that kinda makes things that much worse, now you've got protesters, friggin motorcycles, it's a god damned circus on your child's grave.

My ex girlfriend once said "it's guys like that that make things so hard for the regular Christians to be understood," referring to an "in-your-face" family of Christians that walked over to us and said "give yourself to Jesus or face eternal damnation." As a Christian she felt violated and it's easy to see why. This guy is another example of the wrong way to go about things.

[bad1]

You are the reason most people dont understand Overgeneralizers

[Noodle Boy]

Why don't people beat the shit out of him?

[Blackferne]

I'm siding with the Bikers here, because they are not only drowning out Phelps, but also celebrating the soldier with Patriotic displays. Alot of military families really appreciate that.

Bikers get: 5 / 5

[Rodd]

Originally Posted by 1bade wok

You are the reason most people dont understand Overgeneralizers

What did I overgeneralize? Wait is that a word?

[Noodle Boy]

By the way, I'm pretty sure BT already made this thread.

[bad1]

He is not a Christian...he is our equivalent of a muslim extremist terrorist.

[D8alus]

Holy Deja Vu, Batman! Holy Deja Vu, Batman!

[Rodd]

Originally Posted by 1bade wok

He is not a Christian...he is our equivalent of a muslim extremist terrorist.

Well yeah that's what my point was, these morons are fucking it up for you every day.

Why dont you normal Christians wage war on them!

[Blackferne]

HAY GUYS MOSES IS BACK FROM THE MOUNTAIN WITH SOME TABLETS!!!

[bad1]

Originally Posted by RodFlanders

Well yeah that's what my point was, these morons are fucking it up for you every day.

Why dont you normal Christians wage war on them!

To be honest...this thread is the first time i've heard of this...




rest assured...ive made some phone calls.

[Dakk]

Originally Posted by Noodle Boy

By the way, I'm pretty sure BT already made this thread.

Hmmm...

[Dakk]

Originally Posted by 1bade wok

To be honest...this thread is the first time i've heard of this...



rest assured...ive made some phone calls.

Did you get Jesus' answering machine?

[Blackferne]

Originally Posted by Dakk

Did you get Jesus' answering machine?

Nah, 1bade has his cell. They tight like that.

[Dakk]

Originally Posted by Blackferne

Nah, 1bade has his cell. They tight like that.

Man, that's wack. I try to text him and all I get is:

¿Quiénes son usted? ¡Parado el incomodar de mí! ¡Soy Jesús, no Jesus!

[FarKalkir]

I'm really surprised no one's kicked the shit out of him. If I were one of those boys' fathers, I'd have a baseball bat at the ready.

[D8alus]

Originally Posted by Far

I'm really surprised no one's kicked the shit out of him. If I were one of those boys' fathers, I'd have a baseball bat at the ready.

He's just lucky all the soldiers are still deployed. If any of them showed up at a funeral, there'd be blood.

[Rodd]

Originally Posted by D8alus

He's just lucky all the soldiers are still deployed. If any of them showed up at a funeral, there'd be blood.

I'm glad to see we're all agreed on this.

Hey lets put GAT City on the map for real, we'll show up with the bikers, break this dudes neck and "GAT City United" oh his corpse

[FarKalkir]

Seriously, he deserves to be beaten Hartigan style.

"After a while all I'm doing is punching wet chips of bone into the floorboards. So I stop."

[Welshy]

A funeral is no place to protest, regardless of the deceased.

[bad1]

Originally Posted by Welshy

A funeral is no place to protest, regardless of the deceased.

Welshy Rawks!!!

[Kzin]

As BOC put it in Divine Wind, a song about a different fundie nutjob: "If he really thinks we're the Devil ... then let's send him to Hell!"

[Son Gokuu]

wait wait wait...

How do I join that biker gang? That sound so freaking awesome...

[D8alus]

Originally Posted by Son Gokuu

wait wait wait...

How do I join that biker gang? That sound so freaking awesome...

cheering at a funeral isn't much better than jeering at a funeral

[Rodd]

Originally Posted by D8alus

cheering at a funeral isn't much better than jeering at a funeral

Yeah I kinda agree there, although someone in this thread had said that the families seem to appriciate it.

All this shit needs to be done away from something like a burial, it's not a mothers fault her son died in a war, and it's beyond reason that this guy picks these events to protest gay rights? That's so left field it's comical.

[Blackferne]

I want to send Cindy Sheehan to go talk to Rev Phelps. That would be awesome.

[Son Gokuu]

Originally Posted by D8alus

cheering at a funeral isn't much better than jeering at a funeral

don't they do other things too? Like cheering at deployments or at bases or something? It would be bad ass if a biker gang went into SF to cheer when those fags are doing their anti war protests and blocking off the streets for hours so people can't get home to their families.

[Son Gokuu]

Originally Posted by Blackferne

I want to send Cindy Sheehan to go talk to Rev Phelps. That would be awesome.

She's too busy sucking south american dictator dong.

[D8alus]

Originally Posted by RodFlanders

Yeah I kinda agree there, although someone in this thread had said that the families seem to appriciate it.

All this shit needs to be done away from something like a burial, it's not a mothers fault her son died in a war, and it's beyond reason that this guy picks these events to protest gay rights? That's so left field it's comical.

that's beyond left field...that's like the parking lot behind the nose bleed section

[Welshy]

Originally Posted by Son Gokuu

don't they do other things too? Like cheering at deployments or at bases or something? It would be bad ass if a biker gang went into SF to cheer when those fags are doing their anti war protests and blocking off the streets for hours so people can't get home to their families.

Hells Angels beat up a bunch of student protesting the vietnam war back in the day

[Blitz]

Originally Posted by Blackferne

I want to send Cindy Sheehan to go talk to Rev Phelps. That would be awesome.

I think they might just kill eachother. That would make the world a better place.