Take Me To Post Comment Form I find it hard to express my feelings after reading the article in which a Kansas based Walterboro, Maryland Baptist Church was ordered to pay the father of Marine CPl. Matthew Snyder, who was killed in Iraq; eleven million dollars. $2.9 million in compensatory damages and $8 million in punitive damages for their part in the protest at the Marines funeral. I applaude the judge and the jury for their ruling in the case. The main players in this incident were Fred Phleps; who I will not refer to as reverand, and his two daughters Phelps- Roper and rebekah Phelps-Davis. They were found liable for invasion of privacy and intent to inflict emotional distress. Members of the church walked out of the court room smiling, and vowing that the verdict would not deter them from protesting at military funerals.
Maybe not, but the Patriot Guard will. The seventy five members of the church promised to picket future funerals with place cards bearing such slogans as "Thank God for dead soldiers and "God hates fags."
One of Mr. Snyder's lawyers later called the verdict " Judgement Day for the Westboro Baptist Church." They are always talking about other people's judgment day, well, this is theirs, "he said.
The attorney had urged jurors to award damages that would send a message to the church: "Do not bring your circus of hate to Maryland again."
A number of states have passed laws regarding funeral protests, and congress has passed a law prohibiting such protests at federal cemeteries. Snyder's lawsuit is believed to be the first filed by the family of a fallen serviceman. The goal of this suit was not about money, it was to set a precedent so other people could do the same thing. If you want to protest, then protest. Just do not attempt it at a funeral especially a military funeral for our fallen heros.