Pvt. Thomas Tucker's Funeral to be Protested by Fred Phelps' "Church"
[UPDATE: Click here to read]
Kidnapped, tortured and killed. A fallen hero and a fellow Oregonian. We wanted to bring this horrific event to your attention. Fred Phelps, leader of the cultish "Westboro Baptist Church" is coming to Oregon to protest at the memorial service of Pvt. Thomas Tucker who was recently killed in Iraq.
This message comes from a dear friend of Basic Rights Oregon, Becky Groves, President, PFLAG Central Oregon:
As some of you know from the news reports, the Westboro Baptist Church ran by Fred Phelps (www.godhatesfags.com) and his family is planning to demonstrate at the Memorial Service for my cousin, Pvt. Thomas Tucker who was kidnapped, tortured, and killed in Iraq last week. If you know anything about this church, they have been picketing gays' funerals and AIDS victims' funerals for many years. Now their target is military funerals. It saddens me that my family must endure their hateful protests at a time that is excruciatingly painful for Tommy's parents and his sister. Fortunately, the Patriot Guard (www.patriotguard.org) has been following the Phelps clan around to military funerals and blocking their view from the family. They will also be in attendance at Saturday's 1:00 PM Memorial Service at the Deschutes County Fairgrounds Expo Center. I am deeply grateful for what they have been doing.
Some have asked if there is anything that they can do to show their support. After talking with other PFLAGers and groups that have dealt with Phelps, most have agreed that a silent protest sends a powerful message. If you would be inclined to engage in a shouting match with the Phelps group, please do not come. (I know it will be hard!) We want to just form a human shield from the Phelps group and show support not engage in any kind of verbal confrontations with them. No matter our political views and differences, I think this is something that we can unite on. Thanks in advance to anybody who can come and lend their support.
I invite all of you to join in this silent display of respect.
We've all seen the disgusting things that this so-called "Westboro Baptist Church" does. From signs ranging to "Thank God for Dead Soldiers" to "God Hates America" to "Thank God for IED's". I cannot think of anything more abhorrent and disrespectful to our fallen soldiers than something like this.
I wish I could be there to stand between these kooks and his family!I live across the country. But I will pray for this boy and his family. The only reason that crazy church can do the stuff they are doing is because of Brave Soldiers like Thomas Tucker. God Bless him and may he rest in peace. He gave his all!
By Anonymous, at June 29, 2006 8:21 AM
I wish I could be there to honor Tommy too. My prayers go out to his Family.
I may not agree with this war but I suport the men and women who are doing their best to protect us. I can not suport a man as hateful as this Fred Phelps and his so called church. In fact he and his church discust me to the bone.I can not understand ANYONE beleiving that ANY God would be pleased with this sort of crazyness.
God bless the Tucker Family.
By Anonymous, at July 01, 2006 6:44 AM
God bless the Tuckers and their family. I am truly sorry for their loss. It is hard for most to understand how this Phelps could believe that God smiles on his choice to protest Tucker's funeral service. I pray for Phelps and his people because I believe that is what REAL christians do. NOT run around the US acting like barbarians and hurting people and their families. I wonder if it has something to do with money...
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