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Church group won't picket Amish funerals
A Kansas church group that planned to demonstrate at the funerals of five Amish girls killed in an attack on their one-room schoolhouse has dropped the picket plans, a reversal that came hours after Pennsylvania's governor offered the Amish police protection.
Members of the Westboro Baptist Church issued a statement saying a representative will appear on a nationally syndicated radio talk show hosted by Mike Gallagher instead of picketing the funerals.
Gallagher's website indicated the group was offered an hour of airtime in exchange for dropping the planned demonstration.
In preparation for the demonstration, Governor Ed Rendell said that he appealed to the Topeka, Kansas-based group to allow the Amish to conduct their funerals in privacy.
Members of the church group routinely picket military funerals, saying that American servicemen and women are dying overseas because God is displeased that the United States tolerates homosexuals.
In a statement on its website, the church blamed Rendell for the deaths of the Amish children because of comments he made about the Westboro group on national television several months ago.
"They're insane," Rendell responded when asked about the group's statement.
In June, Rendell signed legislation into Pennsylvania law designed to restrict Westboro Baptist Church's picketing by making it a crime to demonstrate within 150 metres of a funeral or memorial service in Pennsylvania.
State police will provide security at the funerals to keep reporters, the public and any potential demonstrators at a "respectful distance" from mourners, said Kate Philips, Rendell's press secretary.
The Federal Aviation Administration also will keep aircraft, such as media helicopters, at least four kilometres away, she said.
The state police may allow a single helicopter in the sky for pool television coverage, if the Amish approve, she said.
"We're trying to look at every possible precaution available with the ultimate goal of allowing these people to mourn as we would want to if this happened to our family," Philips said.
On Monday morning, Charles Carl Roberts IV entered the West Nickel Mines Amish School in Lancaster County and shot 10 girls, killing five.
Roberts killed himself as police stormed the building.
What a Bunch of scumsuckers. Can't Believe they would auctually try something like this.
A Kansas church group that planned to demonstrate at the funerals of five Amish girls killed in an attack on their one-room schoolhouse has dropped the picket plans, a reversal that came hours after Pennsylvania's governor offered the Amish police protection.
Members of the Westboro Baptist Church issued a statement saying a representative will appear on a nationally syndicated radio talk show hosted by Mike Gallagher instead of picketing the funerals.
Gallagher's website indicated the group was offered an hour of airtime in exchange for dropping the planned demonstration.
In preparation for the demonstration, Governor Ed Rendell said that he appealed to the Topeka, Kansas-based group to allow the Amish to conduct their funerals in privacy.
Members of the church group routinely picket military funerals, saying that American servicemen and women are dying overseas because God is displeased that the United States tolerates homosexuals.
In a statement on its website, the church blamed Rendell for the deaths of the Amish children because of comments he made about the Westboro group on national television several months ago.
"They're insane," Rendell responded when asked about the group's statement.
In June, Rendell signed legislation into Pennsylvania law designed to restrict Westboro Baptist Church's picketing by making it a crime to demonstrate within 150 metres of a funeral or memorial service in Pennsylvania.
State police will provide security at the funerals to keep reporters, the public and any potential demonstrators at a "respectful distance" from mourners, said Kate Philips, Rendell's press secretary.
The Federal Aviation Administration also will keep aircraft, such as media helicopters, at least four kilometres away, she said.
The state police may allow a single helicopter in the sky for pool television coverage, if the Amish approve, she said.
"We're trying to look at every possible precaution available with the ultimate goal of allowing these people to mourn as we would want to if this happened to our family," Philips said.
On Monday morning, Charles Carl Roberts IV entered the West Nickel Mines Amish School in Lancaster County and shot 10 girls, killing five.
Roberts killed himself as police stormed the building.
What a Bunch of scumsuckers. Can't Believe they would auctually try something like this.
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