posted on November 4, 2005 03:51:20 PM
By JAMES JORDAN
Traveler Managing Editor
While a small group waved signs and took joy in the death of a U. S. Soldier Wednesday in South Haven, an assortment of veterans and motorcycle groups made sure at least, that the family of the deceased would not be bothered.
The protestors, who numbered less than 10, held signs, tore American flags and made hateful remarks aimed at families of soldiers who have died in the line of duty.
There were over 125 motorcycles at the funeral Wednesday, representing veterans and cyclists from all over Kansas and Oklahoma. They surrounded the small group of protestors and whenever they would try to speak, dozens of motorcyclists revved their engines to drown them out.
The cyclists also provided a human shield between the protestors and the family of the dead soldier. By the time the funeral ended at South Haven High School, the small band of protestors had left, but the cyclists remained to honor a fellow soldier who had been killed in battle. They provided a color guard of several motorcycles, decked out with flags, from the school to the cemetery.
Kenton Van, a veteran and Methodist minister from Cheney, said he wanted to honor the soldiers who have died and to support the families left behind.
"They message those people have is a message of hate," he said. "They are hate mongers. They claim to be Christian, but they have nothing to do with the gospel of Jesus Christ."
He added that what the group has done to the American flag is "atrocious, despicable ... undescribable."
This was the third funeral that the group, called Patriot Riders, have attended. Van said the gathering at South Haven was the largest so far.
Steve McDonald of Mulvane said his club also wanted to support the family and to honor a fallen soldier.
John Simard of Wichita, said about 20 members of his club made the trip to South Haven.
Simard is an Air Force veteran and is offended when the American flag is desecrated by having it torn, soiled or stomped upon.
Another veteran, Terry Houck of Derby, came up with the idea of the cycle clubs attending soldier's funerals to stop the small group of protestors from causing additional pain and grief to families of fallen soldiers.
His wife, Carol, pointed out the protests of funerals on the television news.
"That just made my blood boil," Houck said.
He brought up the matter at the next American Legion meeting he attended. He and Craig Hanson were appointed co-chairmen. They have continued to organize and grow the group.
There are 15 motorcycle clubs involved, and they plan on going where the protestors go, making sure families are not hurt by them. This usually means surrounding them, providing a human shield, and drowning out the protestors' voices with their motorcycle engines.
"Anytime they go to a soldier's funeral to cause problems, we will be there," Houck said.
Houck said the group gets permission of families and local law enforcement officers before attending.
"We are not here to stop their free speech," Houck said. "We object to them disrupting military funerals and waving vicious signs. We want them to respect soldiers and their families."
Until that happens, the cyclists will also be exercising their freedoms.
posted on November 4, 2005 05:03:59 PM
That is a very odd news report because it was purposely biased and gave absolutely no information about the protestors, who they were, or what their message was. It was almost as if they just added the protestors to the story to be able to write a story. No respectable protestor should ever harrass a funeral or even worse, take joy in death. The article didn't mention if they were anti-war protestors, which I am pretty sure that wasn't the case because most anti-war protestors are peaceful and protest war because they want to end the unnecessary death. Also, the article made reference to the fact that the Methodist Minister said the protestors, "claim to be Christian, but they have nothing to do with the gospel of Jesus Christ."
This really makes no sense. Not your fault Bear, just very poorly written by James Jordan.
posted on November 4, 2005 05:19:11 PM
"absolutely no information about the protestors, who they were, or what their message was."
And who gives a good g*d d*mn what their "message was"?
You can hop up and down in your backyard with others of your ilk and discuss your "message" till you choke, but when you try to gain attention by intruding on other people it's another thing.
"Going into the funeral, mourners walked past protesters who carried signs and screamed that soldiers are being killed overseas because God is punishing America."
____________________
"Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we. They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we." -- George W. Bush
posted on November 4, 2005 06:03:19 PM
"Going into the funeral, mourners walked past protesters who carried signs and screamed that soldiers are being killed overseas because God is punishing America."
posted on November 4, 2005 06:12:06 PM
I am talking present day Colin, nothing about Nam. Anti-war protesters goals are to end the death, not to celebrate it as the neocons like to do.
posted on November 4, 2005 06:19:44 PM
Sounds to me like the protestors belong to a nutjob group such as Repent America. You'll remember that they and other like-minded folks claimed that Katrina was God's punishment on New Orleans because a mardi gras-like celebration held by homosexuals was going to take place there.
____________________
"Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we. They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we." -- George W. Bush
posted on November 4, 2005 08:07:42 PM
"You'll remember that they and other like-minded folks claimed that Katrina was God's punishment on New Orleans because a mardi gras-like celebration held by homosexuals was going to take place there."
posted on November 5, 2005 08:47:07 AM
Bear & Park- you two are so filled with hate, that you can't even see past the realities of this article. It was the ultra-right winged so-called "Christians" who were protesting, NOT anti-war protesters. This article was so misleading and incomplete, that Bear was stupid enough to post it.
posted on November 5, 2005 02:05:05 PMTalk about having your head up your butt.
Yep, the neocons are all heinie birds - a bird that flies in concentric circles long enough that eventually he flies up his own behind.
Absolute faith has been shown, consistently, to breed intolerance. And intolerance, history teaches us, again and again, begets violence.
---------------------------------- The duty of a patriot in this time and place is to ask questions, to demand answers, to understand where our nation is headed and why. If the answers you get do not suit you, or if they frighten you, or if they anger you, it is your duty as a patriot to dissent. Freedom does not begin with blind acceptance and with a flag. Freedom begins when you say 'No.'
