By

David L Miller /

CBS/ February 11, 2009, 5:00 PM

Group Plans To Picket Va. Tech Funerals

By CBSNews.com's David Miller.

The families of those killed in the Virginia Tech massacre may not be able to grieve in peace at the funerals of those they lost. An anti-gay religious group known for protesting at the funerals of American soldiers killed in Iraq is planning on appearing at services for those killed on Monday as well.

The Topeka, Kan.-based Westboro Baptist Church (WBC), which is not affiliated with any national Baptist organization, announced plans to protest at victims' funerals only hours after 32 people were killed in the worst mass shooting in U.S. history. They also may protest at other events on the Virginia Tech campus.

The organization, founded and led by Fred Phelps, believes the United States has condemned itself to destruction by accepting homosexuality and other "sins of the flesh." Phelps' daughter, Shirley Phelps-Roper, said the Virginia Tech teachers and students who died on Monday brought their fate upon themselves by not being true Christians.

"The evidence is they were not Christian. God does not do that to his servants," Phelps-Roper said. "You don't need to look any further for evidence those people are in hell."

Cho Seung-Hui, the Virginia Tech student responsible for the killings who took his own life after the shootings, was sent by God to punish those he killed, and America as a whole, for moral decline, said Phelps-Roper, while adding that she believes Cho is also in hell for violating God's commandment to not kill.

"He is in hell," Phelps-Roper said. "But he was also fulfilling the word of God."

Because of its virulent anti-gay message and condemnation of Catholics, Jews and other groups, the WBC has been classified as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center and is monitored by the Anti-Defamation League.

Curtis Dahn, the president of Virginia Tech's Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Alliance, said he reacted with immediate disgust upon hearing of the WBC's plans. "Thirty-three people are dead and they're using people's deaths and people's grief to further their own agenda and it's just disgusting," he said.

Dahn was friends with Ryan Clark, a resident assistant in Ambler Johnston Hall, who was among the first people killed on Monday. He said he is working with other university leaders and officials to form a response to the WBC. Ideally, he said, the funerals will be nothing more than a chance for family and friends to mourn in peace.

"Part of it is that I don't want the families to be affected by this at all," he said. "I don't even want the funerals' locations to be public knowledge. I don't want a protest, I don't want a counter-protest. I want people to be able to grieve and have what they want, not be made into public displays and mockeries."

Dahn and others may have the law on their side. In 2006, in response to protests at the funerals of dead U.S. soldiers, Virginia enacted a law that added funerals and memorial services to the state's disorderly conduct statute. Other states have adopted similar measures to allow police to keep WBC protesters out of earshot.
By David Miller
Copyright 2009 CBS. All rights reserved.
349 Comments Add a Comment
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jclem1245 says:
?The evidence is they were not Christian. God does not do that to his servants,? Shirley Phelps-Roper said. ?You don?t need to look any further for evidence those people are in hell.?
Oh really??? While Peter waited in prison, his fellow apostle James was 'put to death with the sword' Acts 12:2. I guess using Phelps' logic the apostle James must be in hell. They have strayed from the second most important commandment. Love your neighbor as yourself. Mark 12:31 Jesus Himself stated that. He also commanded us to love our enemies Matthew 5:43. It takes a true Christian to love those who hate us. It's not always easy, but that?s what we are commanded to do, period. Do the Phelps' want to take on Christ Himself? QUIT perverting the Christian faith.
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kleimacl1 says:
<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=njliq6i5cOo>
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diebuchen says:
Phelps &amp; Co. is being sued by the father of one of our fallen soldiers. By going to matthewsnyder.com, you can donate to the courageous man who is going against Phelps and his money.

This is a chance to do something concrete for human decency and compassion. You don't have to donate a lot, $1, $2, $5, whatever you can afford will be appreciated.

I am not in anyway connected with Mr. Snyder, and I am making this request without his knowledge. I hear a lot of outrage, and this is one way to put shoes on your anger, and let it walk all over Phelps.

I would suggest all readers go to LOVING GOD'S HATE to read an expose of Rev. Phelps by the Topeka Capitol-Journal.

Though this expose has been on the C-J website for years, Phelps has never sued for libel.
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gmond says:
It's a shame Cho wasn't in Topeka.
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bdrlnt4rl says:
this is just stupid. get a life and get a job.
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raretodd says:
It's amazing to see how people can steadfastly hold on to their faith in the face of such illogical tragedy. I keep reading things like, &quot;Oh, those aren't REAL christians. Real Christians love and care for others and would never hurt anyone!&quot;
Do these same christians read the bible (apparently written by christians) which says that you should be kind to your slaves as well as stone your children from being insubordinant?

Islam ain't an olive branch giver either (obviously). Any religion founded by a &quot;profit&quot; who married a 9-year-old can't be taken seriously.

Why don't you all start trying to make this world better instead of praying for paradise in the next?

No God can save you (or *** you either).
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sheckyodell says:
STOOPS!
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mikealford3 says:
Please do not confuse me with a Christian or any other religion. I am a believer is God and in heaven. I have experiences in my life that lead me to believe what I believe. People fight wars and kill because of religion. People want to know WHY god would allow this. Fact is there is no answer. God does not purposfully cause pain and suffering. Human beings create enough of that on our own. The only person to blame is the idiot that pulls the trigger and kills or somehow causes pain to people. Not God. Why is it hard for religious people to think perhaps all believers are correct. Perhaps the god known as Abraham to some is the same god that is Jehovia to others and Alla to others and Budda and whom ever else. Why is it so hard for people to allow others the right to believe as they wish?
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mikealford3 says:
jbinthe

I cannot argue with your statement. I agree with some of what you say. What makes this so special? Answer, the media. However the same can be said for many things. Since this happened on Wednesday, nearly 6,000 americans have died as a result of cancer. The media shows the sinsational stuff because it draws ratings and people for some reason love to see misery.

I think what this story is really about is a horrible hate filled group from Kansas that is willing to disrespect the dignity of a family grieving to press their adgenda. The WBC should be ashamed.
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v_max-2009 says:
This deranged group is devoid of any rational or logical thought, unable or unwilling to empathise the loss of a loved one by combat or other tragedy. What a hollow and meaningless
existence they lead. Be it Christian or Islamic,
fundamenatlism is the eternal enemy of mankind.
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