Classy.
http://www.hoinews.com/news/news_story.aspx?id=9690
Anti-gay protesters draw ire
Group says new law won't stop protests
Posted: Monday, May 29, 2006 at 9:03 PM
ARLINGTON, VA. (AP) -- A group of protesters outside Arlington National Cemetery isn't making many friends.
The members of the Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kansas, say soldier deaths are God's vengeance for what the group considers American support for gays.
A uniformed Marine lance corporal lunged toward one of the church protesters Monday. A police officer restrained the Marine and led him away before there was any physical contact. A woman shouted at the protesters to shut up and a man told them to read the Bible.
One person got close to a protester and yelled, "Thank God for America."
The anti-gay demonstrators waved signs with slogans including, "God is America's terror," "Thank God for dead soldiers," "You're going to hell" and "Bush killed them."
A counter-protest across the street in support of troops drew friendly honks and waves.
Anti-gay church says new law won't stop protests
Members of a small anti-gay church said a new law that Pres. George Bush signed this Memorial Day won't stop their protests at military funerals.
At a Memorial Day protest outside Arlington National Cemetery, Margie Phelps of the independent Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kansas, called the deaths of U.S. troops God's punishment for America's acceptance of homosexuality. She said, "America is doomed," and "President Bush doesn't have the power to stop the wrath of God or this message."
That enraged passers-by and troop supporters staging a counter-protest across the street.
The bill Bush signed is aimed at keeping demonstrators from disrupting military funerals.
The American Civil Liberties Union is already helping Westboro challenge state laws banning the church's anti-gay protests outside military funerals.
(Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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