Free Republic

BALTIMORE - A federal judge in Baltimore ordered Westboro Baptist Church members to post their church building and nearly $500,000 more in cash and property while appealing a judgment for protesting a Marine’s funeral. The Kansas church members had hoped to avoid posting a bond while delaying payments in the $5 million judgment a jury awarded Albert Snyder, the father of Marine Lance Cpl. Matthew Snyder who died in Iraq. Westboro church members preach that God kills American soldiers as punishment for the country’s tolerance of homosexuality. They protested Matthew Snyder’s Westminster funeral in March 2006 by waving signs...

Topeka — Agreements with Mexico and Canada are setting the stage for construction of a huge highway that will gobble up Kansans’ property and jeopardize U.S. security, representatives from a wide range of groups said Monday. “Through incrementalism, apathy and inattention, our national sovereignty is being sacrificed on a cross of greed, socialism and globalism,� said state Rep. Judy Morrison, R-Shawnee. Morrison has introduced House Concurrent Resolution 5033 urging Congress to withdraw from further participation in the North American Free Trade Agreement and Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America. At a hearing before the House Federal and State Affairs...

BALTIMORE, Maryland (AP) -- A grieving father won a nearly $11 million verdict Wednesday against a fundamentalist Kansas church that pickets military funerals in the belief that the war in Iraq is a punishment for the nation's tolerance of homosexuality.

Westboro Baptist Church Member Jailed In Nebraska Terri June 6th, 2007 In The News I’m a Kansas native and I join most of my fellow Kansans in being totally disgusted with the activities of the Westboro Baptist Church, who go out of their way to protest the funerals of our Fallen Troops, and gleefully sing praises about their deaths. So, when I saw the news about Shirley Phelps-Roper, daughter of Westboro Baptist Church founder Fred Phelps, I did a couple “happy dances” myself this morning. The members of this church, much like al-Qaeda and the jhidists in Iraq, have taken...

Spc. Eric Patchett, C Company, 2nd Platoon, 2nd Battalion, 137th Infantry, Kansas National Guard looks down at his new-found friend.BAGHDAD -- Information is a powerful tool—one simple email can spread to thousands and impact hundreds of thousands or more. Maj. Roger Aeschliman , 2nd Battalion, 137th Infantry, National Guard, Kansas, and chief, Joint Visitor’s Bureau, Multi National Forces-Iraq, found out the power of a simple email first-hand. As a result of his weekly e-mails, over $300,000 of medical, hygiene, school supplies and toys were donated to the town of Makasib, south of Baghdad, from his community in Topeka.“I started writing...

I wanted to let you know that I am a Christian, and I am a veteran. I served in the United States armed forces, proudly I might add, protecting the freedom of speech you are currently enjoying. I thought I would let you know that a lot of what you are saying is completely unchristian, and that you are certain to have to answer for your tactics on the day you stand in judgment. You have said that America is doomed... Well, guess what genius, YOU LIVE IN AMERICA TOO!!! So, when you are damning us all, you damn yourself...

TOPEKA, Kan. - Kansas Libertarians were stopped from holding a fundraiser at a nudist camp in southwest Shawnee County, when sheriff's deputies blocked people from entering. Shawnee County deputies said they were merely enforcing a court order when they stopped people from accessing Lake Edun on Friday. Last year, Shawnee County District Judge Terry Bullock issued a court order banning "commercial or recreational activities" on the property unless the owners get a permit for such events - something the county refuses to provide. But Rob Hodgkinson, chairman of the Libertarian Party of Kansas, said a political party fundraiser isn't a...

Dad sues Kansas church York County's Albert Snyder said Westboro Baptist defamed him and his deceased son. By MICHELE CANTY Daily Record/Sunday News At bottom: · MOTHER OPPOSES SUIT · TO DONATE Jun 6, 2006 — The father of a U.S. Marine killed in Iraq is suing the Kansas group that protested his son's funeral carrying signs that read "Semper Fi, Semper Fags" and "Thank God for Dead Soldiers." A defamation suit was filed Monday in U.S. District Court in Maryland on behalf of Albert Snyder, father of Lance Cpl. Matthew Snyder, who died March 3. The suit names Fred...

Investigators are trying to find out if anyone had a beef against a southwest Topeka church that was damaged in an arson fire early Sunday. The entry hall at Hillside Community Church was destroyed and the rest of the building sustained extensive damage in the blaze, which was reported around 6:30 a.m. Sunday. Church members say fire walls that separate the lobby from the sanctuary and other areas might have prevented the rest of the building from being destroyed. Local, state and federal investigators, using an accelerant-sniffing dog, determined later Sunday that the fire had been intentionally set. Church secretary...

The family of Lance Cpl. Matthew A. Snyder, who was killed last week in Iraq, desperately wanted to keep his death from being politicized. But a group of protesters had other plans. Waving placards declaring such messages as "Thank God for dead soldiers," seven members of the Westboro Baptist Church from Topeka, Kan., picketed Snyder's service yesterday as they have military funerals across the nation. Assembled on city property adjacent to the St. John Catholic Church in Westminster, the group held signs, some bearing anti-gay slurs, that declared that war casualties are divine retribution - that God is allowing men...

TOPEKA, Kan. -- A minister known for picketing the funerals of AIDS victims with signs reading "God hates fags" led an effort to repeal an anti-discrimination ordinance at the polls Tuesday, and one of his granddaughters tried to unseat an openly gay member of the City Council. The Rev. Fred Phelps Sr. sought to remove from the books a city ordinance that prohibits discrimination against gays in municipal hiring. The repeal measure would also bar Topeka from reinstating such protections for 10 years. Meanwhile, Phelps' granddaughter, Jael Phelps, was among three candidates challenging openly gay council member Tiffany Muller in...

Topeka voters on Tuesday rejected a controversial gay rights ballot question that would have barred the city from recognizing homosexuals as a protected class for at least 10 years. Nearly 53 percent of voters answered "no," while 47.25 percent said "yes" to the question. The announcement of the ballot question's defeat was greeted with cheers, applause, hugs and tears at a watch party in the Ramada Inn Downtown. "On behalf of Topekans for equality, justice," said lawyer Pedro Irigonegaray, leading a group of hundreds at City Councilwoman Tiffany Muller's watch party, as they shouted together, "Freedom!" The question in recent...

Monument may get new home Phelps' threat spurs mayor's plan to relocate Ten Commandments By Michelle Dynes rep2@wyomingnews.com Published in the Wyoming Tribune-Eagle CHEYENNE - A City Council resolution has been drafted to remove a Ten Commandments monument from Lion's Park. Mayor Jack Spiker presented the document at a news conference Friday. It will be offered to the City Council on Monday. Since this only will be the introduction of the measure, the council will not hold a discussion on it. It will be passed on to the Committee of the Whole for a recommendation. Spiker said the 10th U.S....

City Council prepares for Phelps By Eric R. Wright rep7@wyomingnews.com Published in the Wyoming Tribune-Eagle CHEYENNE - City officials said Friday they have talked about what to do if a controversial pastor wants to put up an anti-gay monument on public property here. But they don't have a definite plan of action yet. "I think there are as many options as there are ideas," Mayor Jack Spiker said. The Rev. Fred Phelps and his Topeka, Kan.-based Westboro Baptist Church made clear this week their intention to erect such monuments in Casper; Rupert, Idaho; and in cities nationwide where the Ten...

War with Iraq -- Going it alone Going it alonePresident Bush has determined to go it alone against Iraq. At this point, we can only hope and pray that he is doing the right thing. By The Capital-Journal editorial board President Bush has declared that diplomacy has come to an end, so war with Iraq is just days, maybe even hours, away. As he promised, Bush has decided that the United States will go it alone, without U.N. approval, which obviously was not going to happen. Only Great Britain and Spain support the U.S. mission.Anyone who has listened to...

Topeka police said they evacuated neighbors, then spent about six hours late Wednesday and early today removing hand grenades and a rocket launcher from two houses where they conducted drug raids in East Topeka. Police said no one was hurt and no arrests had made made linked to raids conducted at the houses, which were found unoccupied. The homes are situated across the street from each other at 810 and 815 S.E. Chandler. Chandler runs two blocks east of S.E. Branner Trafficway. Lt. John Sidwell said the grenades and rocket launcher were taken to a Forbes Field bunker that police...