HARRISBURG, Pa. (RNS) Westboro Baptist Church, the controversial group that just won a free speech Supreme Court case, said it plans to protest at a funeral for seven Pennsylvania children who died in a fire Tuesday (March 
night.
“I’m baffled that they would choose this,” said Perry County District Attorney Charles F. Chenot III. “This is a family that’s obviously apparently Christian in their beliefs and certainly shouldn’t conflict with the beliefs of the Westboro Baptist Church.”
Westboro says the children’s deaths are linked to the recent Supreme Court decision, in which a father sued the church after it protested his slain Marine son’s funeral in 2008.
“The bottom line is that they can’t interfere with the funeral itself,” Chenot said of the service set for March 15.
The church has threatened to picket funerals in Perry County before, Chenot said. They did not show up though, and Chenot said he hopes that this is an empty threat.
“I suspect this is just to get attention,” he said. “That’s the only reason I can think they would want to attend this funeral.”
A police presence will be assembled, just in case. “Will there be some vigilante justice? I hope not,” Chenot said. “But I think the potential is there.”
- SARA GANIM, Religion News Service
(Sara Ganim writes for The Patriot-News in Harrisburg, Pa.)
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posted March 14, 2011 at 11:17 am
When does “free speech” become harassment?
At long last, have they no sense of decency?
posted March 14, 2011 at 12:34 pm
GOP—I agree—those warped people have no sense of decency. What in the world have those innocent children who died in the fire have to do with the really horrible beliefs of Westboro or the (controversial) decision of the Supreme Court?? NOTHING. Absolutely nothing. IF they show up,and I really hope they don’t, things could get nasty—since apparently the police will be there. AM glad the police will be there.
posted March 14, 2011 at 1:37 pm
I live near where this happened. There are several groups (biker groups included) planning to show up at the funeral to shield the funeral against the Westboro Baptists. It’s been all over the radio all day. I hope it doesn’t turn nasty. That kind of attention is what Westboro is looking for.
posted March 14, 2011 at 2:15 pm
Cults like this shouldn’t be allowed to hide behind Freedom of Speech or Freedom of Religion. It is out and out harrassment and should not be tolerated. The Supreme Court had a chance to correct this and only one Justice could see that, pathetic. Gives you such a good feeling to live in the land of the free, doesn’t it?
posted March 14, 2011 at 4:06 pm
I have no problem with the supreme court decision. They should be allowed to say whatever they want, that is what free speach is all about. The problem is that they should have to apply for a permit to assemble(like any other group does) or they should be fined and/or thrown in jail for failure to comply. The city that takes the permit application should put much stricter limits as to where counter protests can be held(IE-on the opposite side of town). That way they can still say anything they want to people who want to be there to hear them, but not infringe on the privacy that others deserve to have for their own gatherings. You don’t hold an NAACP convention in the same hotel as a KKK rally, you have to keep them separated to keep the peace. In this case, the WBC wouldn’t be able to get all of the PUBLICITY it gets and Phelps wouldn’t get the ego boost he so clearly desires.
posted March 14, 2011 at 5:01 pm
What are Fred Phelps and the WBC afraid of? Rainbows? Unicorns? A flaming pink queer apocalypse? I attempted to address this with a portrait of the good reverend on my artist’s blog at http://dregstudiosart.blogspot.com/2011/03/fred-phelps-and-westboro-baptist-church.html Drop in and let me know what you think!
posted March 14, 2011 at 9:22 pm
What are Fred Phelps and the WBC afraid of? Rainbows? Unicorns? A flaming pink queer apocalypse? I attempted to address this with a portrait of the good reverend on my artist’s blog at http://dregstudiosart.blogspot.com/2011/03/fred-phelps-and-westboro-baptist-church.html Drop in and let me know what you think!
posted March 15, 2011 at 10:34 pm
“Westboro says the children’s deaths are linked to the recent Supreme Court decision, in which a father sued the church after it protested his slain Marine son’s funeral in 2008.”
So Westboro’s God was offended that his followers got sued for being massive douchebags, so he vented his anger by killing some kids? No wonder his only followers are a bunch of inbred hicks (who somehow managed to get through law school).
Henrietta22: “Gives you such a good feeling to live in the land of the free, doesn’t it?”
Has this country ever really been the “land of the free”? It seems like someone always gets left out. All men are equal, but some are more equal than others.