[Okie Enfield]

Brothers, My wifes great uncles remains were recently discovered on a small Island in the south pacific. He was 19 years old when lost near the start of our nations war with Japan. Him and the rest of the flight crew have been missing since and the discovery of their remains was a welcomed suprise for my wifes family.

He is to be buried in town and will recieve full military honors. The funeral will be held soon.

I recently learned that the westboro baptist church is planning on picketing his funeral.

Words cant really discribe how disgusting this is to me.

The Patriot Guard Riders are a group of volunteers who attend funerals, at the request of the family, and their specific goal is to block WBC protesters from interfering with the funeral of our fallen heros. They do this by creating a wall of bikes and flags between WBC and the family.

I know that alot of us on this site are veterans, and many have lost friends and family who have fallen in the service of this country. I think that this cause is important and just and have just joined the PGR so that afterward, I can also help to provide protection and comfort to the families of our fallen soldiers, police officers and firefighters.


If you feel the same, please take a moment to check out the PGR website.

http://www.patriotguard.org/

[tooseevee]

Brothers, My wifes great uncles remains were recently discovered on a small Island in the south pacific. He was 19 years old when lost near the start of our nations war with Japan. Him and the rest of the flight crew have been missing since and the discovery of their remains was a welcomed suprise for my wifes family.

He is to be buried in town and will recieve full military honors. The funeral will be held soon.

I recently learned that the westboro baptist church is planning on picketing his funeral.

Words cant really discribe how disgusting this is to me.

The Patriot Guard Riders are a group of volunteers who attend funerals, at the request of the family, and their specific goal is to block WBC protesters from interfering with the funeral of our fallen heros. They do this by creating a wall of bikes and flags between WBC and the family.

I know that alot of us on this site are veterans, and many have lost friends and family who have fallen in the service of this country. I think that this cause is important and just and have just joined the PGR so that afterward, I can also help to provide protection and comfort to the families of our fallen soldiers, police officers and firefighters.

If you feel the same, please take a moment to check out the PGR website.

http://www.patriotguard.org/

          I've given these guys tons of respect ever since the first day I heard of them forming to fight back against these Westboro cretins with a wall of leather & bikes. I especially give them respect for being able to restrain themselves & not beat these these people to a bloody pulp & leave them bleeding in the street. I would not have that restraint. I hate those people with every fiber of my body.

[Ice]

 PRG has provided escort, route direction even parking lot ushers at numerous yellow ribbon or coming home events when units return home. 

[Ducati Scotty]

Who pickets a funeral?  Let alone the funeral of a fallen soldier with his family attending.  That's just shameful.  Thanks for letting me know about this group. 

Scott

[GreenMachine]

+ 1 scotty...bunch of sick bastards...thanks for the link/

[The Garbone]

Good to see Soldiers coming home all these years later.  It is the least we can do to make the effort and bring them back.

Patriot Guard Riders are good folks. 

[Chiefharlock]

What I don't get is why the heck are they picketting a World War 2 era casualty's funeral.  That makes ZERO sense.  I can understand them possibly having an issue with the more modern wars but WW2?  Are you serious?  Someone needs to talk to the eleader of these idiots....

[Ducati Scotty]

And why picket soldiers?  Picket their bosses in DC.

Scott

[TWinOKC]

PGR do good work.  Its a wonder the Westboro Baptist church people don't get accidentally run over some time.  I heard a story once they were doin their thing and somehow all the tires on their vehicles went flat, no shop in town would help them.  They finally got a shop from several miles away to come fix their tires.  If I were them I would not want to be in town after dark.

ps  They are not part of a Baptist church, they just use the name.  An insult to all good Baptists everywhere.  

[Marrtyn]

Just reading about this in the UK.
 I thought we had some "sicko's", but this lot beats everything.
Good luck to the Patriot Guard Riders.

[AgentX]

The sad part is that they're such a small group capable of generating such big press.  Thought most of them were actually relatives in the Phelps clan.  (Cue the banjos).

Hats off to the riders helping out with this, although it's tragic any family has to waste its attention dealing with any such situation and countermeasures at such a shitty time.  I'm sure the riders make it as transparent as possible, but still, I bet they'd rather keep private rather than get sucked into Westboro's media-whoring.

When I'm back in the States I will donate some decibels if I can.


Edit:  Okie, glad your family has some more closure.  I personally would have to face down the Westboro bunch with a smile and a few questions about the chronology of their beliefs and actions...  What a bunch of morons.  Someone died in WWII because God foresaw America's future tolerance of homosexuality...?!

[prof_stack]

PGR do good work.  Its a wonder the Westboro Baptist church people don't get accidentally run over some time.  I heard a story once they were doin their thing and somehow all the tires on their vehicles went flat, no shop in town would help them.  They finally got a shop from several miles away to come fix their tires.  If I were them I would not want to be in town after dark.

ps  They are not part of a Baptist church, they just use the name.  An insult to all good Baptists everywhere.  

AND, an insult to normal and backsllding Baptists, too! 

[TWinOKC]

+ 1  even the back row Baptists are insulted. 

[SimonT]

ps  They are not part of a Baptist church, they just use the name.  An insult to all good Baptists everywhere.  

Im with you mate... dont hear much about them here in Australia, but from what ive heard, they dont represent God at all. Such a shame that crazies like this turn unsaved people off

[Ice]

They and their behavior are an affront all IMHO.

[Okie Enfield]

thanks for all the response Brothers. Just to update, the funeral will be held on May 5th here in T-Town. While there has been WBC chatter about attending we arent 100% sure that they will. I agree it seems stupid to picket a WW2 vet but nobody has accused Westboro of being very smart lately so who knows. Closer to the funeral we should get a better idea if they will or wont as they are good about going through the "proper" channels, getting the permits to protest and such. 

I didnt know that the PGR exsisted before this all came to light. It does make me feel a bit better knowing that they are there for these families. Of course, I feel that given the choice, the families would rather not turn the funeral of their loved one into a circus, but this gives the an option of dealing with the crazy without having to surrendur to the urge of ripping some friggin nut jobs throat out!