Maybe this pisses me off a little extra because I know the parents of the soldier that the funeral is for. But I can't beleive there are assholes that would pull something this lame. I hope they piss off the biker gang and get a serious beatdown.
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(Rochester, N.Y.)-- Members of the Westboro Baptist Church, based in Topeka, KS, plan to picket outside the funeral of Army 1st Lt. James Lyons of Brighton. The Kansas-based church frequently travels the country to protest at the funerals of soldiers, claiming that war deaths are divine retribution for America's embrace of homosexuality.
Abigail Phelps, daughter of Westboro founder Rev. Fred Phelps, tells 13WHAM News that 10 to 15 church members will picket outside Lyons' funeral at Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Brighton at 12:15PM tomorrow.
Westboro's website has posted a statement announcing the church's intentions to protest at Lyons' service, "God Himself Has Now Become America's Terrorist, Killing and Maiming American Troops in Strange Lands for Fag Sins."
A spokesperson for the Lyons family says the soldier's parents have been "forewarned" about the protests. Members of the Brighton Fire Department plan to attend the funeral and form a line in their dress uniforms to shield mourners from the picketers.
A group of motorcyclists called Patriot Guard Riders often travels to the same funerals as the Westboro protestors to provide support to the soldier's family. A report on the Patriot Guard Riders website says the bikers will be attending 1st Lt. Lyons' service in Brighton.
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(Rochester, N.Y.)-- Members of the Westboro Baptist Church, based in Topeka, KS, plan to picket outside the funeral of Army 1st Lt. James Lyons of Brighton. The Kansas-based church frequently travels the country to protest at the funerals of soldiers, claiming that war deaths are divine retribution for America's embrace of homosexuality.
Abigail Phelps, daughter of Westboro founder Rev. Fred Phelps, tells 13WHAM News that 10 to 15 church members will picket outside Lyons' funeral at Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Brighton at 12:15PM tomorrow.
Westboro's website has posted a statement announcing the church's intentions to protest at Lyons' service, "God Himself Has Now Become America's Terrorist, Killing and Maiming American Troops in Strange Lands for Fag Sins."
A spokesperson for the Lyons family says the soldier's parents have been "forewarned" about the protests. Members of the Brighton Fire Department plan to attend the funeral and form a line in their dress uniforms to shield mourners from the picketers.
A group of motorcyclists called Patriot Guard Riders often travels to the same funerals as the Westboro protestors to provide support to the soldier's family. A report on the Patriot Guard Riders website says the bikers will be attending 1st Lt. Lyons' service in Brighton.