I know to many this may not be news, but to me it is. I finally got a chance to hop on the computer, to do a few things when I came accross this post. After reading this, I had nothing but pure distain for people who do things such as this.
In 2006 Westboro Baptist church an anti gay group, based in Topeka Kanas, picketed a marines funeral. With signs in hand such as God Hates You, or your going to hell. The father Albert Snyder,filed a suit stating that the picketers cause emotional distress, and were so close that they had to use the side door of the funeral home. He won an award against the church for 11 million in 2007. It was appealed in the 4th US Circuit Court of appeals, and last week the father was ordered to pay $16,510.80 of the nearly $100,000 in legal fees of the church.
Now aside of the legality, of the issue, what galls me to no end is people who take their freedom of speech to far. Was it not bad enough, the man had to lose his son, and couldn't grieve properly, because of the hate spewed by such a group? I can see voicing your feelings, but why at a funeral? The deceased cannot recieve the message your throwing out there, and he is the one your spewing your hate towards. Why should the grieving parent have to have such hate thrown his way? Was it his fault his son was gay? Or that he served in the military? What can they possibly gain from picketing a funeral? Personally I think this is about as low as one gets! I'd like to hear the opinion of others on Gather on this.
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Comments: 22
I have to say, just because people say they are Christian and do things in Christ's name, doesn't mean they have a clue.
People like to hate and cause others pain and "for a cause", and it is really awful... So sad that people thought that this was okay with God and went ahead with it. Everyone has a right to their opinion, but this I feel, was a hate crime.
Its like the band of men who were going to stone a woman guilty of adultery. Jesus said to them, those who are without sin, cast the first stone...and they all left. My point is, Jesus himself stopped these men...and if he was at that funeral, he would have said the same thing to those people.
My point is not about being gay being a sin or not, my point is about a crowd of people deciding to take vengence on someone, and if they had a clue about Jesus, they would have known he wouldn't have been for their actions at all.
To make matters even worse... The judges ordered the Snyders to pay, yes pay for the court costs which total over 60,000. Mr. Snyder said, he didnt have that kind of money... He was told you are getting money from the military for your sons death.. Use that... Boy, it that wasnt a slap in the face... I am surprised that anyone even wants to serve our country anymore.... the way they are treated...
Bill Oreilly, offered to pick up the tab and pay the Snyders cost... I like Oreilly and I think he is a good hearted person...