Fred Phelps Crew Saddens Mourners While Changing Nothing

Thanks to Colleen Kotke for her follow-up on the Fred Phelps/funeral protest story this week. She sends me a link to Aubrey Fleischer's Fon du Lac Reporter article that appeared yesterday (but didn't come up in response to my web search, for some reason):

TOWN OF THERESA — About five picketers belonging to a radical anti-gay religious group stood along County Trunk AY across from Immanuel Lutheran Church before funeral services began for Spc. Michael Wendling.

The group — members of Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kan. — pickets soldiers’ funerals because it believes God is punishing soldiers who are fighting for an America that supports homosexuality, according to its Web site, http://www.godhatesfags.com/.

The group claims its church was bombed by an improvised explosive device (IED) made by homosexuals, and now, in turn, American soldiers are being killed by Muslim-made IEDs.

Dodge County Sheriff Todd Nehls said he moved the picketers down the road about 300 yards from the church to avoid dangerous confrontations or a riot-like situation between the picketers and funeral guests.

Nehls said some people attending the funeral were upset to see the picketers. He said that verbal arguments occurred between some funeral guests and the picketers before they were moved.

The picketers were not outside the church following the funeral.

Again, thanks for your prayers and well-wishes. I believe they made the difference for these grieving families.

Cross-posted @ GMC.