Westboro Baptist to protest Marine's memorial

Westboro Baptist to protest Marine's memorial

Controversial church to be near Gaston service today.

By Cleve R. Wootson Jr.
cwootson@charlotteobserver.com
Posted: Monday, Jun. 20, 2011

Members of a controversial church plan to protest today's memorial service of a 21-year-old Marine from Gastonia who was killed while serving in Afghanistan.

But friends of Lance Cpl. Nicholas O'Brien say they are making plans to drown out Westboro Baptist Church's message.

Those close to O'Brien say the protest threatens to sully the memory of a young man who turned down a baseball scholarship to serve his country.

But a spokesman for the Topeka, Kan.-based church said it is spreading God's word using a powerful platform and its First Amendment rights.

Read more: Westboro Baptist to protest Marine memorial