hammerfan
10-04-2006, 09:57 AM
This is why I always hesitate to identify myself as a Christian - these people are freakin' looney tunes!!!! And I love Gov. Rendell's response!
Group Drops Plans To Picket Amish Funerals
POSTED: 12:57 pm EDT October 4, 2006
UPDATED: 1:36 pm EDT October 4, 2006
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A Kansas church group that had planned to disrupt the funerals of 5 Amish girls has changed its plans after cutting a deal with a talk-show host.
The Westboro Baptist Church routinely pickets military funerals, saying that American servicemen and women are dying overseas because God is displeased that the United States tolerates homosexuals.
It had threatened to show up in Bart, Pa., but dropped those plans today after radio talk-show host Mike Gallagher agreed to give the group one hour of air time on Thursday.
The group had feuded with Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell and blames Rendell for the rampage by gunman Charles Roberts in Bart, Pa.
Gov. Rendell said Wednesday had asked Amish elders if they wanted state police protection from the Kansas church group.
Rendell also asked the members of the Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kan., as well as members of the public and news media, to allow the Amish to conduct their funerals in privacy.
"I won't do anything that the Amish community doesn't want us to do," Rendell said. "If they want us to do something, we will make sure that (church members) can demonstrate, but they demonstrate far enough away that they don't interfere with the privacy of the funerals."
In a statement on its Web site, 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 near a funeral or memorial service in Pennsylvania.
Group Drops Plans To Picket Amish Funerals
POSTED: 12:57 pm EDT October 4, 2006
UPDATED: 1:36 pm EDT October 4, 2006
Email This Story | Print This Story
Sign Up for Breaking News Alerts
A Kansas church group that had planned to disrupt the funerals of 5 Amish girls has changed its plans after cutting a deal with a talk-show host.
The Westboro Baptist Church routinely pickets military funerals, saying that American servicemen and women are dying overseas because God is displeased that the United States tolerates homosexuals.
It had threatened to show up in Bart, Pa., but dropped those plans today after radio talk-show host Mike Gallagher agreed to give the group one hour of air time on Thursday.
The group had feuded with Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell and blames Rendell for the rampage by gunman Charles Roberts in Bart, Pa.
Gov. Rendell said Wednesday had asked Amish elders if they wanted state police protection from the Kansas church group.
Rendell also asked the members of the Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kan., as well as members of the public and news media, to allow the Amish to conduct their funerals in privacy.
"I won't do anything that the Amish community doesn't want us to do," Rendell said. "If they want us to do something, we will make sure that (church members) can demonstrate, but they demonstrate far enough away that they don't interfere with the privacy of the funerals."
In a statement on its Web site, 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 near a funeral or memorial service in Pennsylvania.