FORD
08-05-2006, 03:01 AM
Published on Friday, August 04, 2006.
Last modified on 8/4/2006 at 12:34 am
Hate church to picket Baucus family funeral
By MARTIN J. KIDSTON
Independent Record
Less than a day after the Baucus family announced its funeral plans for Cpl. Phillip Baucus, who was killed in Iraq this week, the Westboro Baptist Church announced its own plans to picket Sunday's service.
The group listed the Sieben Ranch near Wolf Creek on its Web site Thursday, including the ranch's address and the time of 1:15 to 2 p.m.
The church, based in Topeka, Kan., has gained headlines for its religious-based rhetoric bashing gays and, more recently, fallen U.S. servicemen who the church believes are fighting on behalf of a "sinful nation."
While the comments posted on the church's Web site were unfit to print, the text condemned Sen. Max Baucus for a variety of issues and accused Cpl. Baucus of "disobeying" his creator by serving in the U.S. Marines.
"Sunday is about mourning Phillip and celebrating his life and his service to our country," Sen. Baucus said Thursday evening. "And that's what we are going to do."
The church was last in Helena in February 2005 to picket the Montana Supreme Court and its ruling that gay and lesbian partners of the Montana University System have the same right to health insurance benefits as everyone else.
The group's arrival that year prompted a flurry of town meetings. Lt. Gov. John Bohlinger attended one such meeting at Carroll College. The church then placed both the college and Bohlinger on its radar as future protest targets.
The Westboro Church, lead by Fred Phelps, has gained headlines for its "God Hates Fags" campaign, an approach that has come to include picketing military funerals.
Twenty-five states and the U.S. Congress have passed laws that prohibit picketing at funerals. Similar bills aimed at or inspired by the Westboro group have been proposed in 10 more states.
The Westboro group and the American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit in Missouri last month, claiming that state's anti-funeral-picketing law was unconstitutional.
Memorials in Phillip's name are suggested to the Lewis & Clark County Veterans Memorial Fund, C/O First Interstate Bank, 3401 N. Montana Ave.; Helena, MT 59602 or to an organization or charity of the donor's choice.
Copyright © The Billings Gazette, a division of Lee Enterprises.
Link (http://www.billingsgazette.net/articles/2006/08/04/news/state/40-funeral-picket.txt)
Last modified on 8/4/2006 at 12:34 am
Hate church to picket Baucus family funeral
By MARTIN J. KIDSTON
Independent Record
Less than a day after the Baucus family announced its funeral plans for Cpl. Phillip Baucus, who was killed in Iraq this week, the Westboro Baptist Church announced its own plans to picket Sunday's service.
The group listed the Sieben Ranch near Wolf Creek on its Web site Thursday, including the ranch's address and the time of 1:15 to 2 p.m.
The church, based in Topeka, Kan., has gained headlines for its religious-based rhetoric bashing gays and, more recently, fallen U.S. servicemen who the church believes are fighting on behalf of a "sinful nation."
While the comments posted on the church's Web site were unfit to print, the text condemned Sen. Max Baucus for a variety of issues and accused Cpl. Baucus of "disobeying" his creator by serving in the U.S. Marines.
"Sunday is about mourning Phillip and celebrating his life and his service to our country," Sen. Baucus said Thursday evening. "And that's what we are going to do."
The church was last in Helena in February 2005 to picket the Montana Supreme Court and its ruling that gay and lesbian partners of the Montana University System have the same right to health insurance benefits as everyone else.
The group's arrival that year prompted a flurry of town meetings. Lt. Gov. John Bohlinger attended one such meeting at Carroll College. The church then placed both the college and Bohlinger on its radar as future protest targets.
The Westboro Church, lead by Fred Phelps, has gained headlines for its "God Hates Fags" campaign, an approach that has come to include picketing military funerals.
Twenty-five states and the U.S. Congress have passed laws that prohibit picketing at funerals. Similar bills aimed at or inspired by the Westboro group have been proposed in 10 more states.
The Westboro group and the American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit in Missouri last month, claiming that state's anti-funeral-picketing law was unconstitutional.
Memorials in Phillip's name are suggested to the Lewis & Clark County Veterans Memorial Fund, C/O First Interstate Bank, 3401 N. Montana Ave.; Helena, MT 59602 or to an organization or charity of the donor's choice.
Copyright © The Billings Gazette, a division of Lee Enterprises.
Link (http://www.billingsgazette.net/articles/2006/08/04/news/state/40-funeral-picket.txt)