Motorcyclists Roll to Soldiers' Funerals

[skyrider*4*ever]

Motorcyclists Roll to Soldiers' Funerals
By RYAN LENZ

FORT CAMPBELL, Ky. (Feb. 21) - Wearing vests covered in military patches, a band of motorcyclists rolls around the country from one soldier's funeral to another, cheering respectfully to overshadow jeers from church protesters.

The rest of the story, in post 2, so ya don't have to scroll by a long post!

[skyrider*4*ever]

They call themselves the Patriot Guard Riders, and they are more than 5,000 strong, forming to counter anti-gay protests held by the Rev. Fred Phelps at military funerals.

Phelps believes American deaths in Iraq are divine punishment for a country that he says harbors homosexuals. His protesters carry signs thanking God for so-called IEDs -- explosives that are a major killer of soldiers in Iraq.

The bikers shield the families of dead soldiers from the protesters, and overshadow the jeers with patriotic chants and a sea of red, white and blue flags.

"The most important thing we can do is let families know that the nation cares," said Don Woodrick, the group's Kentucky captain. "When a total stranger gets on a motorcycle in the middle of winter and drives 300 miles to hold a flag, that makes a powerful statement."

At least 14 states are considering laws aimed at the funeral protesters, who at a recent memorial service at Fort Campbell wrapped themselves in upside-down American flags. They danced and sang impromptu songs peppered with vulgarities that condemned homosexuals and soldiers.

The Patriot Guard was also there, waving up a ruckus of support for the families across the street. Community members came in the freezing rain to chant "U-S-A, U-S-A" alongside them.

"This is just the right thing to do. This is something America didn't do in the '70s," said Kurt Mayer, the group's national spokesman. "Whether we agree with why we're over there, these soldiers are dying to protect our freedoms."

Shirley Phelps-Roper, a daughter of Fred Phelps and an attorney for the Topeka, Kan.-based church, said neither state laws nor the Patriot Guard can silence their message that God killed the soldiers because they fought for a country that embraces homosexuals.

"The scriptures are crystal clear that when God sets out to punish a nation, it is with the sword. An IED is just a broken-up sword," Phelps-Roper said. "Since that is his weapon of choice, our forum of choice has got to be a dead soldier's funeral."

The church, Westboro Baptist Church, is not affiliated with a larger denomination and is made up mostly of Fred Phelps' extended family members.

During the 1990s, church members were known mostly for picketing the funerals of AIDS victims, and they have long been tracked as a hate group by the Montgomery, Ala.-based Southern Poverty Law Center's Intelligence Project.

The project's deputy director, Heidi Beirich, said other groups have tried to counter Phelps' message, but none has been as organized as the Patriot Guard.

"I'm not sure anybody has gone to this length to stand in solidarity," she said. "It's nice that these veterans and their supporters are trying to do something. I can't imagine anything worse, your loved one is killed in Iraq and you've got to deal with Fred Phelps."

Kentucky, home to sprawling Fort Campbell along the Tennessee line, was among the first states to attempt to deal with Phelps legislatively. Its House and Senate have each passed bills that would limit people from protesting within 300 feet of a funeral or memorial service. The Senate version would also keep protesters from being within earshot of grieving friends and family members.

Richard Wilbur, a retired police detective, said his Indiana Patriot Guard group only comes to funerals if invited by family. He said he has no problem with protests against the war but sees no place for objectors at a family's final goodbye to a soldier.

"No one deserves this," he said.

[skyrider*4*ever]

wHOOPS, WRONG TAGS!~

[trident_t150]

Now that's the kind of ride I'd be proud to go on.

[bazango]

Oh, man. What a mess. Is this not wierd? The anti-gays are also now anti-war? The anti-gays have always supported "Red White and Blue." They have been mostly fundamentalist Christians, who mostly support the war.

We need to welcome our soldiers home with honor. No matter what we believe. I am a patriot. I think we need to be strong, and fight our wars before they threaten us at home.

I believe in the war on terror. I only wish we were fighting the war on terror instead of fighting Bush's little war with Iraq, that has turned a secure haven for fhead little sadaam into a terrorist training camp. We should have invaded Iran, or N Korea. Or better yet, spent some capital bringing the whole *wussy* world online to combat terrorism.

Ok, instead we swatted the hornet's nest. Now we need to deal with it. We are committed. So Why TF are we dribbling our good men into that S hole to be killed? We need to instate a draft (so we can send some senator's sons, instead of kids who's best option is enlisting) and boost troop numbers to a level that can fn get it done!

I remember Veitnam oh so well. We're doing it again! Half-hearted commitment that gets our kids into body bags by the hundreds! I am really pi**ed! It's a fn war! What sacrifices have we made? We send good young men into a meat grinder, when we have the power but not the will to jam that POS meat grinder!

*pant* *pant*

I am so glad that those bikers are sheilding the families from this crap. God. How could we do this AGAIN?

[b-bop]

That has been my fear from the git go. I knew that it wasn't going to be as smooth as planned.

It really steams me that Bush just flat out lied to get us involved in the conflict with Iraq.

He took advantage of the nation's emotional state after 9/11.

Protesting the war is not a problem for me, but people need to put the blame where it belongs. Not with the warriors but with the politicians.

[bazango]

Right. We patriots don't have to line up behind this usurper in order to support our country. Disagreeing with him does not make one any less a red-blooded American.

(Gee, I hope Cheney doesn't come rip my throat out for saying that)

[bazango]

And he tried to stop us from viewing the coffins coming home? How disrespectul was that? *hot*

[motophotos]

Sure glad I did my time during 'Nam. This whole situation REALLY sucks. At least in 'Nam we had the South Vietnamese on our side. What do we have in Iraq? EVERYBODY hates us over there.

What would you do if some World Power came into your city and blew everthing up? You would fight back, right? What in the hell did they expect? You kill someone's father, mother, brother and sister and babys, all in the name of "Capture Saddam?" B.S. This war REALLY will never be over now.

We should have sent our soldiers to OUR borders, and said, come and get us. The terrists would have lost that battle.

Dumb, Dumb, Dumb. They have been fighting in the Arab countries for years, hundreds of years, but our politicians think they can go capture one bad guy and it's going to be over?

What a laugh. We need to drill our own oil and forgetaboutit.

[mountain_motorsports]

Right on, besides Saddam was our buddy, 'cause he didn't like them nasty ole Irainians, that is 'till he picked on Kuwait.

The area needed a srongman to keep the radicals in line, now there is no real strength in the authority there and the vacuum is being filled with crap...

Viet Nam taught us (well at least some) that a gerrilla war cannot be won, only waged until someone quits....

I wonder how much better off we would be if the billions spent on this war were suddenly shifted some other cause to save lives, like health care?

Sure we were hit hard on 9-11 but ok we have gotten our pound of fleash (as in the deaths of tens of thousands of innocents).

Bush will dump this in the next quys lap. I just hope whom ever he is can help.

But I think it will take a lot more work to fix this than it took to break it...

[trident_t150]

The Patriots are being featured today, every half hour, on CNN News, in a very postive light. A widow of a soldier told her story of her husband's funeral, and she was so grateful that that Patriots showed up, that she joined the group, and is now an activist, lobbying congress to pass a law against demonstrating at a soldier's funeral. Six states are considering such.

[bluesybikerchick]

I am appalled that anyone would be protesting at any soldier's funeral. X-( That is in extremely BAD taste! Our soldiers should be respected whether or not one believes in the politics behind the deployments. There is a web site you should check out, Bikers For Our Troops. It is a new nonprofit. They are seeking donations to help the familes of soldiers, and the soldiers themselves, both abled and disabled. They have a pledge form on the following link: http://www.bikersforourtroops.org/ridewithpride.htm
You can pledge a penny a mile during your riding season, or more if you can. Check out the Support Groups link that shows you where the donations go. This is an EASY way that ALL bikers can help our troops. They need our support at all times.

[trident_t150]

Well, I'm happy to report that Minnesota is passing one of the most restrictive laws against these whackos, making them keep 1000 feet away from not only the funerals, but from the homes of the relatives as well. That's more than 3 football field lengths!

What to hear an amazing thing? The ACLU came out and said they would not protest it.

[bluesybikerchick]

To check out and/or join the Patriot Guard: http://test.patriotguard.org/Home/tabid/53/Default.aspx. I'm glad the ACLU finally got something right trident_t150. Its ALMOST riding season here!!!! 😄

[trident_t150]

Thanks for posting that link, bluesybikerchick. I hope the need for a ride in Minnesota will never be needed again, but if it is, I'll be on it. We lost three area soldiers about a year ago (National Guard), and fortunately there were no disruptions of the funerals.