This past Friday, a man named Dominic Sacco, who died at war in Iraq 6 days before his 33rd birthday, was scheduled to receive a burial/rememberance for those that loved and knew him while he was still alive. It was also for those who wanted to pay respect for another soldier tossed away in a controversial war like a small casuality.
What people who came to witness this spectacle were not expecting was a band of protesters, who held signs that read such things as, "God is Your Enemy", "God Hates Fag Enablers", "Priests Rape Boys", and so on, addressing America's homosexual population. This band of protesters gained the public eye by picketing the funeral of Matthew Shepard, who was a young homosexual male who was killed in a hate crime against his sexuality. This group of protesters is from the Westboro Baptist Church, headed by a man named Fred Phelps.
Fred claims that since his rightful picketing of Shepard's funeral, he has received various threats. The church was actually bombed about six years ago. Since then, Phelps has been organizing groups to protest the funerals of felled soldiers all around the country from Michigan, Alabama, Minnesota, Virginia and Colorado. Most of these intended attempts have ended up as no-shows.
Something very incredible happened at this demonstration, however... A mass of American people all gathered flags and blocked the protesters from view, sending through a clear message to those holding the signs. Literally hundreds of people massed together to make sure that the painful, unnecessary, and blatently ignorant messages of these protesters were hidden by a symbolically free and waving banner of our country's pride and independence.
I, personally, think it is sad that religion has become such an extremist backbone to incredibly hurtful and unproductive messages such as this. Since when has a simple question of the nature of our universe turned into a battle of moral rights in a maturing society? Personally, I avoid this all-together. Who's more un-Christian in this situation, the people fighting selflessly for a country they are devoted to, an innocent man who had done nothing "wrong" in his life except love another man and face the hurdles thrown at him, or a group of people out with the intention of ripping people's moral beliefs and integrity apart?
If you review the Seven Deadly Sins, it seems here that this act violates two: Anger and Pride. Based on descriptions given in the Bible, these religious protesters are in supreme violation. One may argue that a homosexual man is violating both Lust and Greed, but until someone proves the validity of a non-biological and choice based inheritance of sexuality, these are faulty claims. To see Americans stepping in front of the demonstration with such a simple, yet incredibly heart-felt and strong message was incredibly moving to me. I feel that it is a step in the right direction.
I would love to hear some personal response on this and get some opinions flowing here.
Felps seems to be this crazy guy from some crazy church that has no idea what's going on around him. He seems to think of homosexuals as these subhumans, people undeserving of even a proper burial - all of which pretty unjustified. I don't support the Iraq war, but that doesn't make our troops second-class citizens.
Most homosexuals you'd have no idea were gay anyway - why should what you do in your home life enter into your public life? Since when were you judged based on your home life?
None of it makes sense to me, and it seems to be a double standard - judging a heterosexual union based on home life gets a big 'No' in this country, yet for some reason anti-gays can dig into homosexual unions and call them evil - it's a double standard that has only been equated by the racists of the past.
It's good to see, though, that at least in this 'civil rights movement', there's support from almost everybody except the religious fundamentalists - who I find are more unreligious than even myself.
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If a society is willing to give freedom for temporary security, they deserve neither.
I agree with what you're saying here and appreciate the contribution. I suppose that anti-gays have their reasons, however bogus, and are somewhat justified in their own minds. Thankfully, society seems to be pushing towards a more unified and understanding state of mind, especially as of late with the release of such material as Brokeback Mountain. I believe that this movie opened a lot of eyes to the actual reality of a same-sex relationship and that no, not all homosexuals are Jack from Will & Grace.
As far as I'm concerned, this is an attack on privacy, and I'm pretty sure that there are plenty of rules in the Bible that we have outruled, even in the same SECTION that it scrutinizes homosexuality.
Quote on Homosexuality: Leviticus 20:13 clearly states "If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them."
Here are some other references from Leiviticus. I think that if we follow this rule, some of the following should be seriously considered:
Don't let cattle graze with other kinds of Cattle (Leviticus 19:19)
Don't have a variety of crops on the same field. (Leviticus 19:19)
Don't wear clothes made of more than one fabric (Leviticus 19:19)
Don't cut your hair nor shave. (Leviticus 19:27)
Any person who curseth his mother or father, must be killed. (Leviticus 20:9) Have you ever done that?
If a man cheats on his wife, or vise versa, both the man and the woman must die. (Leviticus 20:10). I wonder if Dr. Laura would like that one to be enforced?
If a man sleeps with his father's wife... both him and his father's wife is to be put to death. (Leviticus 20:11)
If a man sleeps with his wife and her mother they are all to be burnt to death. (Leviticus 20:14)
If a man or woman has sex with an animal, both human and animal must be killed. (Leviticus 20:15-16). I guess you should kill the animal since they were willing participants. Are they crazy?
If a man has sex with a woman on her period, they are both to be "cut off from their people" (Leviticus 20:18)
Psychics, wizards, and so on are to be stoned to death. (Leviticus 20:27)
If a priest's daughter is a whore, she is to be burnt at the stake. (Leviticus 21:9)
People who have flat noses, or is blind or lame, cannot go to an altar of God (Leviticus 21:17-18)
Anyone who curses or blasphemes God, should be stoned to death by the community. (Leviticus 24:14-16)
Jordan Stovall
IB Junior
www.progressiveu.org/blogs/chasing-bohemia
This Leviticus guy seems more like a religious fundamentalist gone bad than a god-lover. I wonder how that crazy bastard got in the bible?
*Calls christian friend*
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If a society is willing to give freedom for temporary security, they deserve neither.
Felps is a sick, sick creature. I've heard of the motorcycle gang who goes around the country to shield the families of fallen soilders from these sick people. I couldn't help but notice in the article, that he has protesters with signs that "priests rape boys' wait a second isn't he a priest? That says a lot doesnt' it!
I'm replying a couple months late, but I remember when this happened and I was disgusted. These people are crazy. Even if they weren't heartless, their logic would still be faulty.
Wasn't Fred Phelps the guy who protested Matthew Shepard's funeral?
He has a right to free speech. However my patience only goes so far. Doing it at the funeral of a soldier, someone who died to keep him free and to keep his right to protest like that intact makes me angry! It's not right and I'm happy about what the other American's did. And proud.
The best way to a man's heart is really through his stomach, that way you don't have to deal with that pesky rib cage!
~Anomous