It was a cold December morning when I drove to Good Shepherd Catholic Church for the funeral of Major Joseph Trane McCloud, who had been killed in Al Albar province. I knew he had left behind a lovely family, including three small children. I knew it was going to be a difficult funeral.
What I didn’t know was that there would be protesters. But standing across the street from the church were members of the Westboro Baptist Church. This self-appointed group has chosen to spread their message of hate at the funerals of American service men and women.
It was an outrageous intrusion on a family and a community’s heartbreak. Now we learn that they plan also to attend the funerals of the Virginia Tech victims.
As Joseph Welch once asked another hate monger, “Have you no shame?”
Wasn’t there legislation this past session to address this issue? What happened to it?
Delegate Carrico’s HB 372 (2006) punishes the disruption of a funeral or memorial service as disorderly conduct. I understand that the State Police are prepared to enforce this law in connection with the funerals of the Virginia Tech victims. Good.
Thank you for your prompt reply. I don’t want to imagine any more pain distress for the family members, but unfortunately, fanatics only see their own purposes with no empathy for others whatsoever.