For the life of me, I do not understand why Westboro fails to understand if not the tastelessness, then the ineffectiveness, of their methods.

Until they do, is it time for Knox County to adopt an ordinance like St. Louis did?

From yesterday's HuffPo:

A St. Louis suburb can enforce a funeral protest ordinance aimed at preventing picketing by an anti-gay Kansas church, a federal appeals court ruled Tuesday.

The 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruling reverses a previous ruling by a three-judge panel of the court. The panel ruling last year prohibited the St. Louis County town of Manchester, Mo., from enforcing the law it drafted in response to activities by members of Topeka, Kan.-based Westboro Baptist Church.

Many thanks to these peaceful counter-protesters. I hope all can keep their distance from this bereaved family.

Westboro Baptist Church is bringing their message of hate to Knoxville today, to be "preached in respectful, lawful proximity...

And if you failed to click on the link I offered immediately above, please do.

You'll notice in the picture appearing there that Westboro members are carrying professionally printed (as opposed to hand scrawled) signs reading "Thank God for dead soldiers."

(I mention that the signage is professionally printed because that appears indicative that the sign's verbiage is not the work of a single rogue protester, but of a group that is in agreement as to the message they want to convey.)

This is respectful?!

One of these days someone will teach these ignorant bigots a hard learned lesson. I wish I could be there to join the wall.

could someone here explain what the issue is?

you bigot idiots should leave our town and take your hate with you. Nobody in Knoxville asked for you so why the hell are you here? Take your hatred back to your hate harboring town and burn.

Isn't that part of their game ? Someone who keeps up with them a lot more than me was telling me that ..

Michael, have you yet clicked on that link I provided to yesterday's Huffington Post story?

The article there includes a picture of one of their protests at another military funeral (the deceased being a gay person), hence the protesters' signs reading "Thank God for dead soldiers."

It's just horrible stuff and must be wrenching for the families of the deceased.

KNS reports that although Westboro had previously announced this planned protest on their website, they did not arrive at this funeral.

However, "hundreds" of counter-protesters arrived, KNS says, "spurred by social media."

Still thankful you were on the job, Randy--and still thinking we need to adopt that local ordinance.

I drove by, per chance, about 11 a.m. and was moved to tears by the hundreds of Knoxvillians there to protect the family and friends of the deceased in their time of grief. No sign of the Westboro folks, but the very fact that on a moments notice that so many were there to shield the family and friends from them was touching beyond words. And the wide variety of people in that crowd -- military, hippies, just plain folks -- Knoxville is good people who know how to stand up for what is right.

I said: "The article there includes a picture of one of their protests at another military funeral (the deceased being a gay person), hence the protesters' signs reading "Thank God for dead soldiers.""

Randy said: "Any soldier's funeral is an opportunity for Westboro to celebrate."

Oh, have I misunderstood? For ages, now?

I had always thought Westboro protested exclusively at the funerals of gay folk (although I had wondered how they knew whether the deceased were gay or straight)???

Ah, Kenny explains to me that Westboro used to protest only at the funerals of gay folk, but that they've "branched out."

OK, here's what I was looking for. Now I understand what the "issue" was:

Members of the church frequently protest at funerals of soldiers with signs containing messages like "Thank God for dead soldiers" and "Thank God for 9/11," claiming the deaths are God's punishment for American immorality and tolerance of homosexuality and abortion.

That's right, Michael.

The link between between what their "issue" is and how they choose to advance their "issue" isn't one most of us just understand intuitively.

Someone has to fully explain it to us. Slowly. And maybe repeat it to us a time or two.

They made the mistake of picketing the Foo Fighters last year in Kansas City.

The Westburo bunch were at San Diego Comic Con a year or two ago.

The counter protests were quite funny...

(link...)

Was just a distraction so they could protest the Todd Snyder show tonight, do you? My wife wasn't wild about going to begin with and she'll be pissed at me if they yell something about us going to hell. She's worried that I'm not living right to begin with.

As Shan's niece I was so heartbroken at his unexpected passing and then to learn this hate group decided to protest. While my heart was broken I was never so proud of my city. I just stumbled across this site and wanted to thank anyone and everyone that took the time out of their day for a perfect stranger. Thank you all so much from the Lively family.