I was linked to this story from the “Support our Troops” Facebook page, and it really made me not only PO’d, but saddened as well.

More after the jump.


Marine’s dad ordered to pay protesters’ court fees

The Associated Press

Read more: http://www.kansascity.com/2010/03/29/1844265/marines-dad-ordered-to-pay-protesters.html#ixzz0jhzTreZu

The father of a Marine killed in Iraq and whose funeral was picketed by anti-gay protesters was ordered to pay the protesters’ appeal costs, his lawyers said Monday.

On Friday, Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit ordered Snyder to pay $16,510 to Fred Phelps. Phelps is the leader of the Westboro Baptist Church, which conducted protests at Marine Lance Cpl. Matthew Snyder’s funeral in 2006.

The two-page decision supplied by attorneys for Albert Snyder of York, Pa., offered no details on how the court came to its decision.

Attorneys also said Snyder is struggling to come up with fees associated with filing a brief with the U.S. Supreme Court.

The decision adds "insult to injury," said Sean Summers, one of Snyder’s lawyers.

The high court agreed to consider whether the protesters’ message is protected by the First Amendment or limited by the competing privacy and religious rights of the mourners.

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If you’re not aware about the Westboro Baptist Church, well, don’t be confused by the fact it sounds like a church. Churches usually promote peace, comfort, and learning of gospels and scripture, right? Well, the WBC is more of a hate group than anything.

Put yourself in this father’s shoes. I’d like to share these words that were also posted on the Support our Troops Facebook page, after many posted about the original story, wondering how they could help this father, because this describes the situation much better than I could put into words:

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image Imagine one day you find government vehicles waiting in your driveway, and you know why they are there. And this is the worst moment of your life. But, you know your son died doing what he wanted to do, and you are so very, very proud of him.

And as you get ready to lay him to rest, people from halfway across the country protest outside the cemetery, and you think, this is the very worst moment of my life. As if saying goodbye to a cherished son were not horrific enough for one lifetime, zealots with no sense of taste, decorum or class use your private moment of grieving to pass on their belief that your son died because “God Hates Faggots”.

But, you won’t give in without a fight, because your son didn’t either. So you file suit in court, and first you are awarded vast sums of money for the damage that these miscreants had done to you. But, on appeal, the next court sees the situation differently. See, to you it was never about politics, it was about seeing the blood of your blood go to his silent, eternal rest.

But, it’s not enough that you just lose the case, now you find out that you have to pay these same individuals $16,500 in lawyers’ fees. You see, the protestors themselves are lawyers, allegedly committed to seeing truth and justice prevail. But, to you this isn’t as much about the law as it is seeing that no other family has to go through the pain that you did.

Well, not on our damn watch. This man has suffered enough. So we want to make sure he doesn’t pay one red cent, even though someone will have to. So The American Legion is starting a fund to pay this off, and judging from our previous fund raising experiences here, I anticipate getting all the cash we need. I have already received promises of $200, and I haven’t even posted this yet.

(Courtesy: http://burnpit.legion.org/2010/03/put-yourself-in-his-dad%E2%80%99s-shoes/)

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If you’re as angered or heartbroken as I was when I read this story, and you would like to help financially, you can find out how to help by going to the original article I linked to above – all the information you need is there.

I will be supporting this man, because I agree, I want to make sure he doesn’t pay one red cent.