Community groups hope to shield soldier’s family from protest

Community groups hope to shield soldier’s family from protest

By Christopher Magan 
and Dave Larsen, Staff Writers
Updated 8:18 PM Sunday, November 28, 2010
FAIRBORN — Local gay rights advocates are planning to attend the funeral of Army Spc. Jesse Snow to support the family and counter a protest by members of a controversial Kansas church that opposes homosexuality.
“We are going to be out there to support the family, the military and Jesse as a hero,” said Christopher Perkins, president of the Brite Signal Alliance, a Sinclair Community College group that supports equality for gay and transgender students. “I live in Fairborn and for them to come to my community and disrespect (Snow) is uncalled for.”
Perkins created an online social networking group to counter the protest hours after it was reported that members of the Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kan., would be in the Miami Valley to picket Snow’s funeral. About 40 people had committed to attend by Sunday afternoon, and Perkins was awaiting the reply of a thousand others.
Snow’s father, John W. Snow Sr., said he appreciates what the gay rights group is doing.
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Community groups hope to shield soldier’s family from protest