Motorcycle Group Outnumbers Church Protestors at Soldier's Funeral

WXYZ ^ | March 27, 2006 | Brandon Truttling

[mdittmar]

300 Michigan members of the Patriot Guard Riders headed to Grand Ledge, near Lansing Monday morning. The group of motorcycle riders showed its support at a soldier's funeral where a Kansas church group had come to protest.

Army Corporal Nyle Yates III died on March 16 while serving in Iraq. His funeral took place today.

The motorcycle riders outside the funeral far outnumbered a handful of protestors from the Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kansas. Members of the small church have protested soldiers’ funerals throughout the country.

The goal of the riders was to shield the Yates family mourners from protestors at Monday's services.

Protestor Ben Phelps held a sign that read, "Thank God for dead soldiers." He told 7 Action News, "This is God’s wrath. This was God’s doing." Phelps continued: "It’s a sin to mourn for these people. They’re fighting for an evil nation."

Dressed in black leather, with a Harley Davidson bandana on his head, Patriot Guard rider Dave Niethamer said, "I’m a veteran and I think that’s the wrong place to protest." "Go to Washington. Don’t come to somebody’s funeral," he said. Many of the other riders were also veterans.

American flags were everywhere during the funeral. The motorcycle riders waved them symbolically through the air, while one of the protestors stood atop a flag as he spoke to 7 Action News.

[mdittmar]

God bless you Army Corporal Nyle Yates III.

"In one of his last e-mails home, Nyle wrote, 'Hi Mom. What are you doing? I'm saving the world,"

Thank you Patriot Guard Riders

[don-o]

[SandRat]

This is SOOOOOOOooooooo GREAT!

[jazusamo]

Corporal Nyle Yates III, one of America's finest.

God bless him and his family.

And thank you Patriot Guard Riders.

[jocon307]

Yay motorcycle guys. May this solider RIP. And pretty good goof with the guys in the "he's" "Gay" shirts, deserves it.

[cripplecreek]

I suppose somebody should thank the kids who made the Phelps follower look even dumber than he already does.

[Calpernia]

God Bless America

Land that I love ......dedicated to our troops and military families who fight to protect freedom and liberty throughout the world.

War was declared on the United States of America
1,659 days, 14 hours, 2 minutes and 25 seconds ago.

Sunday, March 12, 2006

Thank you Patriot Guard Riders!

"This guy's family deserves a peaceful funeral. It's not right what they're doing," said Franklin, who fought in the Vietnam War. "The only reason they're able to walk around like that is because the veterans fought for their freedom."
John Franklin, Patriot Guard Rider


Hecklers harass families of US soldiers killed in Iraq

Five women sang and danced as they held up signs saying "thank God for dead soldiers" at the funeral of an army sergeant who was killed by an Iraqi bomb.

For them, it was the perfect way to spread God's word: America was being punished for tolerating homosexuality.

For the hundreds of flag waving bikers who came to this small town in Michigan Saturday to shield the soldier's family, it was disgusting.

"That could be me in that church," said Jackie Sandler whose son Keith is currently serving his second tour of duty in Iraq.

The fringe group of fire and brimstone Baptists from Kansas has been courting controversy for more than 15 years, traveling the country with their hateful signs and slogans.

The Westboro Baptist Church first gained national notoriety when they picked the funeral of Matthew Shepard, a Wyoming student who was murdered in 1998 for being gay.

They have since picketed the funerals of Frank Sinatra and Bill Clinton's mother, celebrated the terrorist attacks of September 11 as an act of God's wrath, and have even targeted Santa Claus and the Ku Klux Klan.

But it was the callousness and cruelty of harassing the grieving families of soldiers at dozens of funerals across the country that has sparked a grassroots movement of bikers determined to drown out the jeers and taunts.

In Flushing, Michigan they turned their leather-clad backs to the five women and held flags and tarps up so that mourners walking past wouldn't see the signs saying "God hates fags," "fag vets" and "America is doomed."

The Rest of the Sickening Story

[armymarinemom]

Bless the PGR for shielding families from this sick cult.

[Calpernia]

PGR

[Bahbah]

They are out there and may God bless them

[don-o]

Of course, it's photo shop - but any stick to beat on these subhumans works.

[mdittmar]

The Last Full Measure of Devotion
(click to listen,turn it up)

[LoudRepublicangirl]

The Patriot Guard Riders deserve much thanks and respect for what they are doing. I just wonder what kind of God these church members think there is that would approve of their behavior at these funerals. I don't know about God hating fags but I believe God is very displeased when individuals try to promote hate in His name.

[sionnsar]

ping

[StarCMC]

 

[StarCMC]

 

[philetus]

I look forward to the distruction of the Westburo Baptist Circus.

[Wings-n-Wind]

PGR ping

[pandoraou812]

PGR ping

[surelyclintonsbaddream]

Saturday was Amanda Pinson's funeral. Thankfully Missouri passed the law that one can not protest 1 hour before or after a funeral. We heard they were coming but didn't see any protesters.
We were across the road from the funeral home. The local Ace Hardware donated flags.
Two young girls came up and started talking to us, said they were driving by and felt that they had to stop and show their support.
I am telling you it was so touching to see the driveway lined with bikers each holding a big flag. Then they drove to the cemetery. We are estimating over 100 motorcycles.
How touching it was.
The radio station had people calling in telling about how Amanda had touched they lives. Then they played the song - I can not remember the name- that was the most beautiful rendition I have EVER heard. It sounds like angels singing. I was driving and crying.

Jesus died to make us holy, let us die to make men free. His true is marching on. Glory, Glory, Halla... etc... that song