Peace

I just read an article by Michelle Ruiz for AOL news about the protesters at a fallen marine's funeral that has stirred up media attention. Boy, it has me fuming. The article stated that Westboro baptist group based in Kansas travels around the country and protest at fallen military members' funerals. What are they protesting? The fact that the U.S military accepts homosexuals to be part of the military. Yep, it's one of those extreme anti-gay religious groups. Don't get me started on the equality that I believe homosexuals deserve. That's a whole other post if I decide to write about it. As you can tell, I have no problems with homosexuals, bisexual, asexuals, transgender or any other type of sexual orientation. It's their life and they're not harming anyone unlike rapists, and murderers. I have nothing against religion. As a matter of fact I used to be a practicing catholic; I stopped for personal reasons. I just hate it when people take religion and use it as their basis to discriminate against others because the bible "said so". It was also the bible that said love thy neighbor, but I guess they're just selective-reading.

It infuriates me that these people picket at funerals of military members who have served our country so we can have our rights (including the first amendment that they are using to defend themselves), and not have to worry about a mortar being dropped on our local hospital, church, school, or even homes. They fight so we don't have to face our fears of dying in combat, or watch a fallen comrade turn into "pink mist" just so we can continue on with our daily lives not realizing what these military members sacrifice for all the luxuries we have. I'm not just talking about the expensive, materialistic items; I'm also talking about the intangible items like our sanity. My husband is a Marine and I am very proud of him. To think of the possibility of the group picketing at my husband's funeral if God forbid he had passed away during his last deployment; I wouldn't know what to feel or think. It saddens me that other families have had to experience Westboro picketing at their son/daughter's funeral. For goodness sakes, have Westboro no shame? I wonder how the members of the group would like it if any of us decided to picket at their loved ones funeral as they mourn their loss.

Everybody should be able to be laid to rest without having somebody else cause a commotion at their funeral. I think that's common courtesy. I hope the day I am laid to rest, whether it's raining or sunny, I can leave this world in peace.

What do you think?