Protesting at Military Funerals

Protesting at Military Funerals

intro to philosophy

When I think about current ethical issues, some of the issues that come to mind are protesters. Not just any protesters, but protesters that picket at military funerals. What I think about these protesters who are picketing at these military funerals with their Nazi signs, are that they have no morality or ethics what-so-ever to disrupt the mourning of the families and friends of these dead soldiers just to show how they feel about our military. The group I am mainly targeting for this ethical dilemma is the Westboro Baptist church or family from Topeka, Kansas. Many have heard of their discriminating ways by directing their hate towards our military and congress people. Some of the signs posted are “God Hates You”, “God Hates Queers”, “Burn in Hell”, and “ You Get What You Deserve”! There are many many more picket signs at the protests, and they made by a baptist family that are born and raised to hate others because in their eyes our military die because of the sin of homosexuality in our country.

Hannity & Colmes on Fox News does an interview with a member of the Westboro Baptist church and talks about her reasons for the protests at the funerals of our military. Shirley Phelps Roper states her views on the issue by saying, “I feel good about warning the Nation about the wrath of God that's pouring out on their heads because they will not obey” (fox News, YouTube.com, 2012). Shirley is saying that God is punishing our Nation of their sins by sending our children home from battle dead! I do not believe this in the least bit, but it is her and the members of her church's opinions. Shirley also states, “There are no innocent people, thank God for dead soldiers” (Fox News, YouTube.com, 2012). This woman who is a member of this baptist church is obviously for the picketing at the funerals of our dead military and shows absolutely no sign of remorse for the harsh signs that have been paraded at a military funeral site.

500 feet from the funeral site is as close as they are allowed to get thanks to a law that was passed to protect the people from the harassment of the Westboro Baptist Church. This bill restricts these types of protests at military funerals; which were still awaiting Obamas approval in 2012. In 2010 a Dead Marine's dad was ordered to pay the protesters' legal costs because he has sued them, because in 2006 they chose his dead son's funeral to picket. They were holding up signs that read “You're going to Hell”, “God Hates You”, and “Thank God for dead Soldiers.” This family was outraged and sued the church for 2.9 million in compensatory damages and 5 million dollars in punitive damages. This family that had to endure the harassment of their dead family member