Protesters picket funeral of Michigan soldier in Flushing

FLUSHING, Mich. (AP) — A half-dozen protesters who picketed the funeral of a Michigan soldier were met by hundreds of people carrying signs defending the military and honoring the soldier as a hero.

Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kan., has outraged mourning communities across the nation by showing up at soldiers’ funerals. On Saturday, six women picketed the funeral of Army Sgt. Joshua V. Youmans.

The women carried signs that read “God Hates You” and “Thank God for Dead Soldiers” outside St. Robert Catholic Church, The Flint Journal reported. Members of Westboro Baptist Church contend soldiers are being struck down by God for defending a nation that tolerates homosexuality.

In response, several states have passed or considered legislation restricting when and where pickets may demonstrate at funerals.

On Saturday, a number of groups — including members of local and state Veterans of Foreign Wars, the American Legion and Disabled American Veterans posts — showed up to counter the protesters.

Also present were members of the Patriot Guard Riders, a national organization that formed to counter the anti-gay protests. Some Patriot Guard members rode in on motorcycles, and about a dozen backed up to the protesters and revved their engines.

At one point, police had to restrain several people who tried to get too close to the protesters as they shouted at them. The protesters were eventually escorted to their vehicles by police.

“The chickens have left the road,” said retired Marine Larry Helson, 60, a Patriot Guard member from Holt. Helson said his group and other community groups were there to shield mourners from the protesters.

Community groups were enraged after protesters showed up last Monday at the funeral of Army Pfc. Allan A. Morr, 21, of Byron, died Feb. 22 near Hawijah, Iraq, so they enlisted others to drown out Saturday’s protest.

Read Another Article

Making Ugandans Aware of False Teachings
Mormon President rededicates Santiago, Chile temple

Related News Articles Topic(s): Hate Groups Subscribe to Religion News Blog updates Subscribe to Religion News Blog [What is this?] Get Religion News Blog's headline by Email [What is this?] Follow Religion News Blog at Twitter Find Related Information Use our custom search engines to find additional research resources on religions and cults: ApologeticsSearch.com: Search for apologetics articles, books, videos, and other research resources across 135 Christian apologetics websites and blogs. CounterCultSearch.com: Search for information about (religious) cults, cult-like organizations, and cults experts -- as well as paranormal-, New Age, and pseudoscientific claims -- across 260+ websites, blogs and forums dedicated to cult research, spiritual abuse, ex-cult counseling & support. Find Related Religion & Spirituality Books at Amazon.com Hate Groups Possibly related... or Most Popular Religion News Articles Kent Hovind: Evangelist arrested on federal charges Beast’s real mark devalued to ’616′ Muslim Woman Gives Sex Advice on Arab TV Michael Jackson Confirms Conversion to Islam Kent Hovind, ‘Dr. Dino,’ guilty on all counts The fall and rise of Carlton Pearson Search False prophet Harold Camping sets another date for rapture: May 21, 2011 Watch the film Theo van Gogh was murdered for Kent Hovind — Dr. Dino — sentenced to 10 years in prison

Search Religion News Blog