Protesting at soldier funerals

Yesterday I had to go to a family friends' funeral, The funeral of a true American hero. He loved his country and died for his country for a war he didn't believed in. But he was still brave enough to serve 2 tours totaling 16 month till his death. When I when to his burial site saying the last good bye, a small group of protesters showed up and stand across street yelling "End the War", "Stop blood for oil". My friends family and my family allowed them to exploit their right to make them look like anti-Americans and protest till one of them yelled "baby killer got killed" and whole group protesters laughed. My dad and some other started to yell and curse at them and they also returned the words. Police were called and showed up. The protester was repeating over and over saying you cant do anything cause its our right to protest. The police told them they can be arrested for disturbing the peace and trespassing. Only 1 protester got arrested for calling an officer a "nazi fascist pig" and starting yelling "this is what a police state looks like". Afterward the rest of the protesters left without anymore trouble. The rest of the burial service went on without problem.

Before you read on you may not like what I say but I believe this is the truth.
I am active reader here and I am very opened minded about everything. I have went a few anti-war protests and a support the right to protest and petition. I don't support people that cause problems for people that don't deserve to have it. Example protesting at soldier funerals, You a causing a family and friends go though tougher time while grieving loved one that died. Protesting at any funeral is totally pointless, like anyone there can do anything to stop the war and they are sure are not supporting the war. Funeral protesters are hurting the cause of the anti-war movement, you making the movement look as bad as corrupted oil thirsty bush. If you want to have a "cause and effect" protest, then protest at a government building or preferably the white house.

To all the people that still believe protesting at people funerals is a civil right and/or morality right.
I have a question for you,
Do you want people to come to your funeral and protest and make your loved ones go through it?

Also I have one more question for everyone,
What happened to Support the Troops & not the war?
Yes I know about the prison torture and innocent killing.
But thats not excuse to shame everyone in the military due to some bad apples.

Finally, I have to say this and I don't care what people call me and no one is going to change my mind. Protesting at soldier funeral is morality, ethically wrong and anti-American. In a way it is celebrating a death of a soldier and turning it into mockery. I have zero respect for anyone that does and/or supports it. That is all.

Regardless of your personal views of the war, and whether or not the soldier was even a "baby killer" or not, deliberately disturbing the peace at a dead persons' funeral is a very low thing to do.
The people who do this have no consideration whatsoever for the grieving loved ones or their feelings. They do this to make themselves feel better, by making others around them feel bad, when they are already at their worst.

Hi Files,

I am really sorry that you and all the other mourners had to go through that at a loved one's funeral.

I support the troops not the war. There is no excuse for protesting at any one's funeral. It is immoral and hurtful.


Sorry for the pain this loss of life is causing


res

Freedom of Speech and the right to protest are constitutional...BUT, people need to be respectful of the dead and those that mourn the dead. I don't think this should be taken away as a right, but definitely should be shunned by all that care. Have some respect and give these people just one day for Gods sakes. Then have your protests. Just give them one day to bury their dead. This is what they should pass as law, when people use their constitutional right to protest at funerals...the family members and those attending the funeral should be able to attack them and beat their ass. This might not be the best idea but I bet the protest would stay to a minimum.

This is just awfull.

I am totally against the war, but like people say, I don't blame the soldiers.

They are doing a thankless job in an illegal and unnecessary war.

These "protesters" should be thankfull that they have the right to protest, and not use that right to upset the family and friends of someone who was just doing what he was paid to do.

Blame the politicians, not the grunts.

These people really need a lesson in respect, and some new slogans.

They've been shouting "baby-killer" at soldiers for over 40 years now - it's starting to wear a bit thin.

They should get to washington and make their voices heard by the REAL culprits - but they probably haven't got the guts for that.

This war has killed far too many people.

Any mother... no... any parent would worry themselves sick-to-death every night if they had a son or a daughter serving in an active area of operations.

For me, and as an anti-war campaigner, I find this form of protest pretty much down there near the bottom.

I'd find out what protest organisation they came from and, in turn, protest them. That would have more impact and effect more lives, more opinions, and create the change that is envisioned.

These low lifes deserve an old school whoopin. Ohh but you can't defend yourself or your family with a serious smack anymore can you? Good luck stopping me. The anti-war protesters are getting worse and worse. No respect for anybody! Oh but you damn sure better respect them right? They have rights but a mourning family at a private ceremony has none?

Spoiled lil bitches would never protest again...

I would of liked to been able to thank that soldier personally for his courage and bravery, so I'll do that anyway. To him and his family " I Thank You " We have the right to protest but at a funeral? Come on! Have some respect for this fallen soldier who had more guts and courage to do what he signed up to do. Files said the soldier wasn't for the war either but he did his duty. I really don't care who is for or against this war but to do a protest at a soldiers funeral is the lowest of all lows and I hope what goes around comes back around at these protesters.

Geez, Files, that's horrible. No class or compassion whatsoever. All they're doing is making their cause look bad.
I'm against the war as well, but come on, a funeral is not the place for protesting.
They're no better than Fred Phelps and his folks, protesting at soldier's funerals.
My sympathy for you and that poor family.
I'm glad you posted this, Files, so we can know it's not just Fred Phelps ilk who are doing things like this in such poor taste.

reply to post by Gatordone


I don't think I could control myself either if I was in that situation.
In my opinion, the people that protest at funerals obviously either don't care that they are protesting the wrong place or don't understand that a soldier in the US military cannot just go to his commanding officer and say "hey boss, I don't really wanna do this anymore because I think it's wrong"

Soldiers have some of the hardest jobs I could ever imagine and I have nothing but respect for then and what they are forced to endure in a time of war.

reply to post by Files


Excellent post. I agree with you. He was a hero, and you honor him here. Thank you.


[edit on 2-5-2008 by lombozo]

While I'm anti war and support peaceful protests... I would never condone a protest at someone's funeral..regardless of who he or she was....even if the protestors were silent.

One of the reason I don't participate in protests is because there is always one or two individuals that take things to the extreme, whether on purpose or if it's in their nature.. I don't know.. but usually protests start with good intentions, but it never really ends well.

sorry your friends and family had to endure that.... and sorry for your loss.

reply to post by Files


This is the one and only thing that I have had in my "dislikes" box on my profile page since not long after I started here on ATS.

Soldier funeral protesters are pure scumbags, the lowest of the low.

But now we must ask why they are there to start with. If they were truly against the war, wouldn't they stop to think that perhaps the people who just lost a loved on might also come out against the war? The truth is, that these people are there to keep people pissed off at anyone who is anti-war, ant to "keep the 'patriots' in line" so to speak.

EDIT to add: My condolences to you and your friends. I am truly sorry for your loss.



[edit on 5/2/0808 by jackinthebox]

I can respect everyones right to speech and protest.. With that said, I think that anyone (or group) that can't allow a family to properly have their day mourning with their loved one without the added grief of protest is inhuman. And no amount of debate or clarifying ones protesting position will justify giving that family that "one day" to mourn their loved ones loss....

There should be a law to prevent instances such as this.. and if someone were to draft such a bill... I'd sign it in a heartbeat...

Johnny

I'd like to know why you need a permit to protest anywhere else, but not at funerals.

Originally posted by jackinthebox
I'd like to know why you need a permit to protest anywhere else, but not at funerals.

I would think because its down right wrong and evil! And those in power just love it when we are at eachother throats!
I think you have it right Jack.. These Anti-War folks who go to these funerals are doing nothing more than keeping those War folks right on track.
You see it serves the greater evils to allow protests at funnerals.. Yet no protests around governmental buildings, or offices.
You cant be on the street to protest without a permit in most areas.
You have to be in groups of 10 or less in some places.

Its a sad place when things like this happen.. But those who make the rules, make sure this kind of stuff happens.
So they can control us, by making eachother hate eachother.

One group goes overboard, the other group goes overboard. And thats why I steer clear of protest groups.. Most sides end up getting out of hand.
And there is NO reason to protest at a funneral.
Thats some Fred Phelps BS!! Purely another way to control us.
Why else would it be allowed?

The more I use to think about the world being so F'ed up.. I was like why?
Why is it so crazy. It didnt make sense to me at one time.
But after taking a step back, it makes perfect sense.

Its just like them allowing Drugs into America, while the same time they have a War on drugs.. IF they didnt want it to happen IT wouldnt happen bottom line.

Thus someone up there in power wants to see more protests at funnerals.
As it keeps the sheep in line, and keeps the sheep fighting.

Sigh. This is always very disturbing when I read of these funeral protesters. If they had any moral or social inclinations they would know what they were doing is just evil.
A family should be able to bury their dead in peace.
Period.

I am genuinely sorry that you and your family had to go through that. In my mind there is no excuse for trying to take a dead mans dignity away from him, to me it is the lowest of the low things to do in order to get a point across.


No person should ever have to endure such cruel and thoughtless stupidity, especially during a time as difficult as having lost a loved one. Your friend did what was required of him and it is tragic that he had to die in such a manner.

To your friend May the gods treat him well.

reply to post by zysin5


To the OP firstly, I'm sorry hat had to be put up with there. Wish I'd been there to help.

I doubt it's to do with the evil government, and more to do with just how basically wrong this is. Heck,most people here would allow Bush to have a decent, uninterrupted funeral before getting back on his case. It's just so wrong, it's not understandable to a moral person. You let the dead rest.

I would like to thank everyone that replied, also I am surprised cause I was expecting a different response from everyone. I thought everyone here will be saying its a right and blah blah blah. Anyway I found a new respect for this site and everyone here.