Support this guy, please

[bomelia]

I read that story this morning about the dad that was ordered to pay the legal costs of that Phelps POS that demonstrates at funerals of our fallen heros. Man, that just got all over me. And I suspect some of you felt the same way. If you do, go here, send an email, send some money. Why is it that some kid goes to school with a sick T-Shirt on (sick message) and the ACLU is all over that with support? But a man loses his son in Iraq, sickos show up and denigrate the funeral, and no one lifts a finger?

Might I suggest you lift a finger in the direction of Phelps and his sicko church? You can do it by helping out at the link below.

http://www.matthewsnyder.org/index.html

Mike

[Gunner]

It seems like an easy problem to fix. Just make sure the honor guard has live ammo, adjust the angle of firing, and... let Mr. Phelps and his friends explain things to that Jesus fellow they profess to adore.

[bomelia]

Nothing wrong with that Jesus fellow. For sure, He would find Phelps' approach totally inconsistant with His teachings.

Send the dude your support.

Mike

[Gunner]

Precisely what I meant. It sometimes seems that the more loudly someone professes his faith, the more likely his actions are to be contrary to it.

[Jamo]

I made a contribution a few days ago when the ruling came out.

Let's keep this thread clean of political discussion...it's a worthwhile cause.

[Fordzilla]

Jamo, Can you or Ron make it a sticky for awhile?
Thanks, Mick

[Ron61]

That is the same group that showed up here a year ago for a funeral for one of the local guys that was killed in Iraq. The local motorcycle gang met them at the funeral and the police spent their time keeping the motorcycle gang away from them, but they were afraid to do much. When the funeral left, the police were the first to leave and by the time they got out of there the rig they were driving was beat all to pieces. And they never stopped for lunch or any other demonstrations either. I do not believe there is a single religious person in the whole bunch of them.

Ron

[VRM]

They came to my town (and it is a small town) about 4-5 years ago. They went to he high school to demonstrate against a kid who wrote an essay that mentioned some gay celebrity. The essay ended up winning some local contest, so they showed up and waved a bunch of signs. One townie I know who was there said that the crowds on both sides were well behaved, and most people just ignored the Phelps people, or laughed at them for being idiots. A few people drove by and flipped the bird towards them.
I think after that Phelps and his bunch of inbreds popped over to Lexington, and a couple of other places. It made the news, and discussion about protesting at funerals of people ended up being a local topic for a while.

Steve

[Jamo]

Mick...looks like the fees are covered, and in fact, the father has received funding for taking an appeal.

[Bill Wallace]

I have the misfortune to live in the community where the Phelps reside. They have a compound in the middle of town where a number of them live. They fly the American Flag upside down outside their church. They are despised in the community and it amazes most of us that, to date at least, they haven't been physically harmed.

[Ron61]

Bill,

It is hard for me to believe that this bunch has anything at all to do with religion except use it as an excuse to spread their hatred and anger. After their experience here, I doubt they will come back for any more funerals as the last two none of them have shown up. I really don't understand what is going on in todays society that it seems everything despicable is done in God's name. But I also don't wish them any real harm as that would only serve to make the rest of us the same as them. I just think of them as another branch of the so called Neo Nazi movement hiding behind religion and try to ignore them. I wonder if the thought ever occurred to any of them that is is the service men and women that keep this country free for cowards like them tom spew their filth out.

Ron

[CobraEd]

Originally Posted by Bill Wallace

I have the misfortune to live in the community where the Phelps reside. They have a compound in the middle of town where a number of them live. They fly the American Flag upside down outside their church. They are despised in the community and it amazes most of us that, to date at least, they haven't been physically harmed.

Is it legal to fly the American flag upside down ?????


.

[bomelia]

Is it legal? Some guy has been doing that (somewhere) ever since Obama got elected. I don't think they have been able to do anything about it. I thought it was a signal of distress (not to be used lightly).

I am glad to see that this fellow got his fees covered. And then some. I only asked him that he not use my money to pay Phelps.

Mike

[4RE KLR]

Jamo,

Just a thought here but do you think these guys are using the "church" for tax evasion reasons? Or just for the tax advantage reasons. It is hard to believe a church would do what these folks are doing.

WOW, I can say this is the first I have heard of this group. The laws need to be strengthened to put an end to this nonsense at our soldiers funerals.

[Jamo]

chicken or the egg...

Obviously, it doesn't hurt to be cloaked within a church's protective cover...hell, the Catholic Church has done that for centuries as have many other religions when the topic turns from belief in a higher being to socio-economic power projection.

So, did this sect create the loons, or did the loons decide to become a sect? Who knows?

Personally, I can now understand the basic elements which can lead to jihad...seems like a proper target in this case.

[Gunner]

Originally Posted by CobraEd

Is it legal to fly the American flag upside down ?????

Yes. Also to burn it, pee on it, paint it on your butt or replace the stars with Joe Stalin's face.

It's called free speech, and whether you like what someone does with that right or not, we have no more important guarantee under the Constitution. If we start limiting someone's right because we don't like what they say, you might as well tear up the whole thing. Our Flag will become just a meaningless rag.

Put it this way: I have no doubt that I disbelieve to the point of hilarity something you consider a core component of your thinking - and vice versa. Does your disbelief in my belief invalidate my belief, or vice versa? I don't think so. If some schmuck wants to wipe his ass with the flag, does it diminish your respect for it? No.

Let the pinheads have their fun. They're irrelevant.

[Fordzilla]

Originally Posted by Jamo

Mick...looks like the fees are covered, and in fact, the father has received funding for taking an appeal.

Jamo, OK, & a big THANKS for the info

[Fordzilla]

Gunner, Just a simple question- Have you ever worn the uniform of the United States Military?

[Gunner]

Originally Posted by Fordzilla

Gunner, Just a simple question- Have you ever worn the uniform of the United States Military?

I'll answer only because I hope you're not going to take it down some pointlessly simplistic road. I'll be happy to discuss all the collateral issues you might think are defined by the answer; I assure you that my beliefs are not that simple.

No, I've never served. I came into majority in the aftermath of Vietnam and every single one of my friends who served in that time regretted it deeply. The military was a demoralized clusterf*ck for nearly ten years after Saigon, and every one of nine or ten friends and family who served in 1975-1982 or so came out scarred and disillusioned. I also had a young family at the time.

I have regretted never serving every day of my adult life. I take comfort in my father, who served with distinction in the AAF; in my stepson, who served three tours in Iraq and came home intact in mind and body; in my namesake uncle who was one of five men who returned to a 300-man barracks after one of the major battles for Pork Chop Hill; and in my younger uncle who participated in several of the close-range nuclear tests (Project Teapot?) where he was less than a mile from some of the shots and marched across still-hot atomic glass.

Did you have a followup question or comment?

[Fordzilla]

Yes, I do........... I Thank your Family for their Service & Sacrifice.

No need to further discuss or engage you on your beliefs.

Regards,