Vets Want Apology For Anti-Gay Protest at Hero's Funeral [View All]

[struggle4progress]

Family and Mourners Greeted by Angy Chants

CHICAGO, IL - <snip>

Approximately 10 members from <Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka Kansas> disrupted the funeral of <Army Spc. Adam> Harting, a 21-year-old Portage Indiana native, killed in Iraq July 25 when an improvised explosive device detonated outside his vehicle. The group isn’t demonstrating against the war, but rather against homosexuality.

As angry chants greeted mourners and the family of Harding, the small church group carried signs that read, “Thank God for 9/11,” “God is U.S.A.’s Terrorist” and “American is Doomed.” <snip>

On Monday, a group of military veterans demanded an apology for last week’s protest in northwest Indiana. Veterans groups throughout Chicago and northwest Indiana say a military funeral is no place to deliver such a message.

Wayne Williamson, the commander of the Portage Veterans of Foreign Wars post, was angered by the protesters, telling the Northwest Indiana Times, “They are no different to me than the religious zealots that are bombing our troops in Iraq.” <snip>

http://www.chicagopride.com/news/article.cfm/articleid/3187600