Westboro Baptist Church to picket the funerals of teens killed in car crash

You know the Westboro Baptist Church; you've heard of them in the news. They are led by a lunatic named Fred Phelps and they picket at the funerals of people known to be gay with signs that say, "God hates fags." In fact, their Web address is "godhatesfags.com." It's not bad enough that people have lost someone they love; then as they lay them to rest they get to contend with this particular brand of evil and insult. 

The members of the Westboro Baptist Church are pretty much the lowest form of life you can imagine. One of the things I find most disturbing about them when they publicize photos they've taken of little kids -- kids like 4 years old -- holding signs that say, "God hates fags." Chills you to the bone.

In this news story, the church is picketing the funerals of two teenagers killed in a car crash in Maryland with no element of homosexuality in the story. Hetero type of tragedy here. They've
expanded their horizons now. Evidently they believe the people of the state of Maryland are being punished because Maryland is coming down hard on this "church" and its activities. God Bless the State of Maryland.

I believe in God, I always have although my faith has been tested. I always come back to God, though, and trust me, the God I believe in and know loves me is greatly angered by the kind of person that would picket the funeral of anyone to cause their loved ones even greater sorrow.

God loves fags, Reverend. But he hates your fucking guts.

Church plans teen funeral protests

The family and friends of two teenagers who died in a car accident over the weekend are puzzled as to why a fundamentalist church group plans to demonstrate at the teens' funerals.

Tracey Burke, whose daughter Emily died in the crash near Finksburg late Saturday night, said she doesn't understand the logic of Topeka, Kan.-based Westboro Baptist Church unless its members, "are just people of hate." "It makes no sense," Burke said. "I can't believe they'd choose to [demonstrate at] the funeral of a child."

Julio Calderon, whose brother Rodolfo Calderon also died in the crash, said he was stunned to find out about the picketing. "I don't know why people want to interfere with our moment of privacy and grief," he said.

According to a release from the Westboro Baptist Church, tragedies are happening in Maryland because the state is persecuting the organization, and their demonstration is based on their belief that "God hates Maryland."

Shirley Phelps-Roper, the daughter of Westboro Baptist Church leader the Rev. Fred W. Phelps Sr., said the teens died because God put a curse on Maryland. "Maryland is a state of rebels with no cause," Shirley Phelps-Roper said Monday.

Maryland State Police said they are looking into Westboro Baptist's decision to attend the funeral and deciding what, if anything, they can do.