Westboro Church Plans Protests at Tucson Funerals
ABC News reports:
When Christin Gilmer learned that members of the Westboro Baptist Church planned to protest the funeral of Christina-Taylor Green, the youngest victim in the Tucson, Ariz., massacre, she took action, enlisting a "divine guard" to buffer the picket signs.
"How dare you come with your hateful message when we're in mourning," Gilmer said. "Nobody comes into our beautiful town and tries to spew hate at the celebration and memorial of someone's life."
The Westboro Baptist Church, based in Topeka, Kan., is the offshoot group of fundamentalist pastor Fred Phelps. It frequently pickets soldiers' funerals, political rallies and gay rights gatherings. Church members have long said they're exercising their First Amendment rights.
"However many are dead, Westboro Baptist Church will picket their funerals," said Phelps in a video on the church's website. "We will remind the living that you can still repent and obey. This is ultimatum time with God."
