| Topic: |
Science > Abortion |
| User: |
"" |
| Date: |
06 Aug 2005 06:04:14 AM |
| Object: |
real nice,,,,..makes me so angry |
Subject: Makes me SO angry
This is a story from my local newspaper - I bet some of you have been
reading similar stories recently. Unless you are a monster yourself
this
should make you all angry, regardless of how you feel about the war and
regardless of your general feelings about homosexuality (who knew the
two
things even had anything to with with each other?!)
I'm posting the whole thing - so sue me!
____
Widow of soldier killed in Iraq asks mourners to ignore church's
message
By STEVEN MAYER, Californian staff writer
e-mail:
Posted: Thursday August 4th, 2005, 10:30 PM
Last Updated: Friday August 5th, 2005, 5:00 PM
Members of Bakersfield's gay community said they will not mount a
counter-protest on Saturday when members of a controversial Kansas
church
are expected to picket the funeral of a soldier killed in Iraq.
Army Pfc. Ramon Villatoro Jr., 19, of Bakersfield, died July 24 when a
roadside bomb detonated near his vehicle. Three other U.S. soldiers
also
died in the blast.
"We think the soldier should have a dignified funeral," local gay
activist
Whitney Douglas-Weddell said Thursday. "It's bad enough that he was
killed.
Now the family has to put up with this hate group showing up."
Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, which operates two anti-gay Web
sites,
claims America is being punished by God for its tolerance of
homosexuality,
resulting in the deaths of soldiers from roadside bombs.
Members of the church have been demonstrating at soldiers' funerals
across
the country. They have carried signs that read, "God Hates America,"
and
"Fags are worthy of death."
Bakersfield police said they will have a visible presence at the
funeral.
Amanda Villatoro, Villatoro's pregnant widow, has invited the public to
attend the 9 a.m. Mass at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church on East
California
Avenue. She asked mourners to pay no attention to the protesters, no
matter
how hateful their message.
In an interview broadcast Thursday afternoon on the "Ralph Bailey Show"
on
News/Talk 1560 KNZR, Westboro pastor Fred Phelps openly celebrated the
deaths of American soldiers serving in Iraq.
"You're a happy man today. Four more Americans died and you're a happy
man.
You're pleased about that," Bailey said to Phelps.
"Absolutely, and you ought to be," Phelps said. "Look, the veracity of
God's
involved here. He hasn't done near the damage to this nation that he
ought
to do and that he will do. This nation's got to repent."
But ministers and clergy from mainstream denominations condemned
Phelps'
message Thursday.
The Rev. Craig Harrison, pastor of St. Francis Church in Bakersfield, a
Catholic congregation, compared Phelps' selective use of Scripture to
Charles Manson's use of the Bible to support murder.
"What they are professing has nothing to do with Christ's faith,"
Harrison
said of the Kansas church.
Thomas Calderon, a Vietnam combat veteran and a member of Veterans of
Foreign Wars Post 97, said he's disgusted by Westboro's plans to
demonstrate
at the funeral.
"I think this gentleman, this soldier was doing what he was told.
That's
what soldiers do, right or wrong," Calderon said. "These bigots are
totally
irresponsible and ignorant of what this country stands for.
"It hurts me that a young mother has to be subjected to this at her own
husband's funeral," he said.
"If these people were in the military, they would be committing
treason.
These are statements against humanity."
Westboro Baptist Church teachings
The Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kan., makes its position clear
on its
Web site. The church preaches that God is intentionally killing
American
soldiers in Iraq because America is too tolerant of gays.
Here are some of the church's teachings in its own words:
.. "God has become America's terrorist."
.. "Thank God for the bombing of London's subway."
.. "Thank God for IEDs (improvised explosive devices, also known as
roadside
bombs)."
.. The Web site twists the name of Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, calling
it
"Our Lady of Sodom Church."
Gays are not the only Americans vilified by the Kansas church. Jews,
Catholics, Episcopalians, blacks and other groups also are targeted.
SOURCES: godhatesfags.com (the Web site for Westboro Baptist Church)
and the
Anti-Defamation League
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