The Logan Banner about Fred Phelps' group

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Mon, 30 Jan 2006 00:20:03 -0500

from " The Logan Banner " about Fred Phelps' group

 

 

 

The Logan (W.V.) Banner

 

Funeral protests cause concern

 

The Logan (W.V.) Banner Photo

Signs praising West Virginia miners have been erected in Man.

 

By MICHAEL BROWNING, Managing Editor

 

 

Extra law enforcement has been called in for the protests that are

planned by a religious group for funerals of two miners who died in

the Alma No. 1 mine fire last week.

 

A statement issued by the West Virginia State Police says that

troopers will be on the scene at the funerals of Don I. Bragg at

Krantz-McNeely Funeral Home in Man and at Ellery " Elvis " Hatfield at

the Long Branch Baptist Church in Simon to protect protesters from

violence.

 

Several members of the group from a church called the Westboro Baptist

Church, based in Topeka, Kansas, could show up at the funeral services

of Bragg, 33, of Accoville, and Hatfield, 47, of Simon in Wyoming County.

 

" It is the duty of the West Virginia State Police and the Logan County

Sheriff's Department to protect all individuals' constitutional rights

to free speech, " the release said. " While we do not adopt the beliefs

or positions of this group, we are charged with protecting every

individual's rights to exercise First Amendment rights.

 

" In protecting the rights guaranteed by the Constitution, the West

Virginia State Police and the Logan County Sheriff's Department will

have strong presence at the services to ensure a peaceful protest, "

the release continued. " This law enforcement presence will protect the

rights of all individuals present. Any attempted disruption of the

exercise of constitutional rights by any individual will prompt action

by law enforcement to protect free speech rights.

 

" The West Virginia State Police and the Logan County Sheriff's

Department requests that those who attend the services respect law

enforcement and their efforts to protect every individual and their

rights guaranteed by law. "

 

The group began distributing a press release last Friday threatening

their return to West Virginia. The same group began last week's press

release by saying " God hates West Virginia. "

 

" Thank God for two more dead miners, " the current press release from

the Westboro Baptist Church said. " We wish it had been 200 rather than

two. WBC will picket their funerals. WBC will humbly pray for God to

visit more calamities upon West Virginia.

 

" Five hundred West Virginians made death threats against the peaceful

missionaries of Westboro Baptist Church. The Lord our God has promised

to protect us and to avenge all wrongs against us: `He suffered no man

to do them wrong; yea, He reproved kings for their sakes; Saying,

Touch not mine appointed, and do my prophets no harm (from Psalms

105:14).'

 

" It is blasphemous and vain for Gov. Manchin and Sen. Rockefeller to

boast that they will pass laws to keep anyone else from dying in the

mines, " the release continued. " We warned you when we picketed the

memorial service for the 12 at Wesleyan College in Buckhannon that God

knows where all the mines are and has abundant resources otherwise to

kill West Virginians.

 

" To Gov. Manchin and Sen. Rockefeller, we say: You can do nothing when

a sovereign God determines to visit a state or a nation and punish

them in His wrath for their sins.

 

" God himself has now become West Virginia's terrorist. "

 

The earlier release said, " God sent evil angels among them in West

Virginia -- land of Brokeback Mountaineers, " referring to the movie

" Brokeback Mountain, " a film about homosexual cowboys from the western

United States, an area much closer to Westboro Baptist Church than the

state of West Virginia.

 

The same group travels throughout the country protesting at funerals

for fallen soldiers returning from Iraq to be laid to rest. They also

paid a visit to the Sago memorial service held recently, causing a

massive showing of local, county and state police to protect the

families of the 12 miners who perished in that incident.

 

Logan County Sheriff Eddie Hunter was first informed of the

possibility of the group protesting in Logan County late Saturday

night. Even though members of the media around the country have almost

ignored this group, Logan County Sheriff Eddie Hunter said he would do

everything in his power to ensure the safety of the fallen miners'

families, their friends and colleagues in their time of grief and the

protesters.

 

" We'll sure start getting ready on our end in case they do show up, "

said Sheriff Hunter.

 

Reportedly, at least one group will be protesting the Westboro Baptist

Church picketers during their protest Sunday prior to the funeral of

Don I. Bragg at the Man Fieldhouse. The Westboro Baptist Church plans

to protest from 1-1:30 p.m. prior to the Bragg funeral at 2 p.m.

 

Signs have been erected along roadsides in Man saying " God Loves Our

W.V. Miners. "

 

—Staff writer Chris Stratton also contributed to this report.

 

—EDITOR'S NOTE: The Logan Banner conducted an interview with The

Westboro Baptist Church on Monday, but declined to run the

inflammatory remarks for fear of public backlash against protesters

and possible violent reactions to the interview.

Story created Friday, January 27, 2006.