Westboro hate group efforts backfired

Westboro hate group efforts backfired
by Chaplain Kathie
Wounded Times Blog
August 6, 2012

The more I think about this "church" so filled with hate, seeking to make as much publicity as they can by protesting at military funerals, the more I see they have actually accomplished getting people to show how much they do love the troops. Their hate backfired.

Westboro Baptist Church Counter-Protest Planned For Fallen Soldier's Funeral
(VIDEO)
The Huffington Post
By Mollie Reilly
Posted: 08/05/2012

When Westboro Baptist Church announced plans to stage a protest at a fallen soldier's funeral, residents of Palm Bay, Fla. decided to organize a "human shield" to block the notorious group's efforts.

Counter-protesters will gather Wednesday around the funeral of Army Specialist Justin Horsley, a 21-year-old who died while serving in Afghanistan last month when his unit was attacked by an improvised explosive device.

“Our job is to welcome him back home with dignity and with pride and this is our show of respect for a fallen comrade," Brigadier General Anthony Cotton told Central Florida News 13. Cotton was one of hundreds who lined the streets and waved flags when Horsley's remains were returned to Brevard County on Saturday. Many of those individuals are planning to join the "human shield" on Wednesday.

“We’re here to protect the family from seeing these idiots with their signs protesting these heroes coming home," another counter-protester, John Stark, told News 13. Stark is a member of the Patriot Guard, a group dedicated to combating Westboro's protests.
read more here

When we had troops in Afghanistan and Iraq, the interest faded about as fast as the media could pack up their gear. No one even knew what was going on unless they were family members of the men and women serving. Then a group of people filled with hate claiming to be "Christian" decided to stalk families after reading about a fallen serviceman/woman making their last journey home.

Yes, I do mean "stalk" because what they wanted to do had to involve finding out where the funeral was to be held and then going there. Before they did that they had to figure out which funeral would cause the most publicity for them and be worth getting their tiny group there. It is pretty sickening when you notice they have more signs than people.

Patriot Guard Riders started because of this group.

Several people have asked how the Patriot Guard Riders got started. Here’s what we’ve been able to piece together. If anyone can give us more details, it would be greatly appreciated.

It all started back in early August of 2005 with the American Legion Riders chapter 136 from Kansas. They were appalled to hear that a fallen hero’s memory was being tarnished by misguided religious zealots who were protesting at funerals. They decided to do something about it. At the ALR 136 August meeting, Director: Chuck " Pappy " Barshney appointed members, Terry “Darkhorse” Houck, Cregg “Bronco 6” Hansen, Steve “McDaddy” McDonald, and Bill ”Wild Bill” Logan to form a committee to strategize and form a battle plan to combat Fred Phelps and the Westboro Baptist Church.

When they heard that the WBC was going to protest at the Funeral of Sgt. John Doles in Chelsea, Oklahoma, they established a Mission Statement, which included getting the families permission and contacting Law Enforcement and other Motorcycle Groups in Oklahoma. They agreed that their ultimate goal was to get veterans and motorcycle organizations involved in every state so that each state could handle the situation internally and not rely on other states to do the job. They were very successful in mustering riders to honor Sgt. Doles and limiting the intrusion by the WBC.

After the Chelsea Mission the Kansas American Legion Riders wanted all Motorcycle Groups/ Organizations to be recognized. On the 18th of October 2005 the Patriot Guard name was established and was announced on the 27th of October 2005 to the 100 + motorcyclists present at the Tonganoxie Mission to Honor Spc Lucas Frantz.

Following the missions in South Haven, KS and a later ride in Edmond, OK, Jeff “Twister” Brown, from Broken Arrow, OK, decided to do more than just ride. He saw a need to get a strong nation-wide communications and recruiting program in place. He contacted the original AL riders in Kansas and told them of his plans. They openly shared their experiences, suggestions, and encouragement. Within a matter of days, Brown had formed the Patriot Guard Riders and began a nation-wide campaign to garner support.

Similarly, after a mission ride in Greeley, CO, Hugh Knaus and Jason “Waldo” Wallin answered the call of the newly formed Patriot Guard Riders, becoming the national webmaster and communications director, respectively. Within a matter of days, a mission statement was refined and a website was built, rebuilt, and launched. A call immediately went out to individual riders and groups across the nation to join and ride with the PGR. State Captains were recruited to work more closely with the members in their area.

The growth has been phenomenal. Within a week their membership included many riders from associations like the VFW, American Legion, Rolling Thunder, ABATE, Combat Vets Motorcycle Association, Intruder Alert, Leathernecks Motorcycle Club, and almost five hundred individual riders. To the credit of Hugh and “Waldo”, the PGR website had received almost 566,000 hits in the first two weeks! Patriots from all over America and several foreign countries responded. Emails were pouring in from people wanting to support and join the newly formed PGR.

So, that’s a pretty concise picture of where we came from and where we are today. A great deal of credit goes to that small group of Kansas American Legion Riders, but none of this could have ever been accomplished without the patriot member who takes time out of their life to honor a fallen soldier and their family.

I have ridden with them and stood with them but when I film them standing in honor of the fallen, I have a hard time focusing through tearful eyes. No one can see this group and not feel all the love they have for our troops.

This is what it looks like when they stand for a fallen serviceman or woman.

Disclaimer: There are ads on this video even though it is a funeral. YouTube said it "matched 3rd party" because of the bagpipe and bugler. Please excuse them because either someone cannot understand what happens at a military funeral or a program did it. I have a few videos I put ads on but most of them do not have any. 3rd party ads means someone else gets paid but I have no clue who would when it is a video like this.

This is from April when Patriot Guard Riders, the Nam Knights and other groups came together to escort the Traveling Wall to the reunion in Melbourne FL.

This video does have advertising that is attached to me, but it is such a small amount, so far I haven't made any money on this at all.

Other people hear that Westboro hate group is going to show up at military funeral and say "hell no" so they stand as protection for the families plus show how much they do care.

So as this tiny hateful group holds their deplorable signs after stalking a family, they have won more support for the troops and made the rest of this country take some time to honor the fallen. It is not that people didn't care about them. They just got busy with their own lives and were not reminded that as we go about our own day, thousands of miles away from their families and friends, men and women spend their days risking their lives for each other out of love.