It didn't take long after the Federal court overturned a decision allowing the Kansas based Percha Westboro church group to return to its reprehensible behavior before a member of the local community in Omaha, NE, with a different view, decided to take action into his own hands and fired pepper spray at the group of demonstrators outside a funeral for a U.S. Marine in Omaha, Nebraska, Saturday.
Police said the incident occurred shortly before 10 a.m. as members of the Kansas church that protests at military funerals, stood nearly a block away from the First United Methodist Church where services for Staff Sgt. Michael Bock, 26, who died August 13th in Afghanistan's Helmand Province, were being held.
Feeling the need to provide a response to the groups hateful message and disrespect to the fallen soldier, Mr. George Vogel, 62, drove his Ford-150 pickup truck by the protesters, extended his arm and sprayed the protesters with a large can of pepper spray, police said."His vehicle was stopped a few minutes later."
Mr. Vogel, who lives just north of Omaha, was booked for 16 counts of misdemeanor assault and one count of felony assault on a police officer for the pepper-spray exposure, police said:
"Vogel also faces one count of child neglect because his child was in the truck, Pecha Westboro members, led by pastor Fred Phelps, believe God is punishing the United States for "the sin of homosexuality" through events including soldiers' deaths.
A 2005 protest by church members at the funeral of a Missouri soldier prompted state lawmakers to pass legislation criminalizing picketing "in front or about" a funeral location or procession. A federal judge earlier this month rejected Missouri's tight restrictions, saying they violated the free speech clause of the First Amendment and allows the church members to travel the country, shouting at grieving family members at funerals and displaying such signs as "Thank God for Dead Soldiers," "God blew Up the Troops" and "AIDS Cures Fags."
It's ironic that these church members are protesting against the very same people who are risking their lives on a daily basis so that they can have their "rights of free speech not questioned" and at same-time get upset when people like Mr. Vogel decides to express their personal views of the group's actions and blame police for not protecting them. I do not condone Mr. Vogel's actions against the group but at the same time I respect him for stepping forward on behalf of others and showing his ‘displeasure' of the groups actions.
Comments
People have been shot for less
Sounds like there is one church that needs to be burned down after all.
I think that church group should be ... I don't know...shot? They're protesting at a soldiers funeral and there are probably plenty of military people there...hopefully armed...maybe someone will take a potshot at them. I want to know how a group of hate-mongers can call themselves a 'church' anyway
Where can I send a donation for Mr Vogel's legal defense fund?
I'm with you!!!
I don't understand how hate and intolerance can be supported and promoted by a 'church'. This latest episode by Fred Phelps' followers is unbelievable-I hope Mr. Vogel does not fall at the hand of our country's legal system.
If what Fred Phelps preaches is truly what God believes in, then I don't want to believe in his God.
AMEN
I am disgusted that these... low-life scum claim to be Baptists. I've never seen anything like this before.
Don't judge the many for the *true* sins of the few.
Free the man...................................................
I can not wait until the Supreme Court hears Snyder vs. Phelps on Oct. 6th, I hope Mr. Snyder wipes the floor with them. Good luck Mr. Snyder and God Bless you. This is harassment not free speech, what these idiots are doing is fighting words.
I am sorry for the loss that the Family has had to go through. The Church is WRONG......... That is not the time to push your views on to someone........... The man that sprayed the Pastor should not be jailed for one minute......I do not understand why the so called Christians are doing this to the Family's of the Men and Women that choose to Proudly Serve the Country. Better yet I do not understand why the people that are in pain from the loss must go though this as well. STOP PLEASE.... LET THE SPRAYER GO FREE.....
I agree that the protesters are reprehensible. They've been doing it for many years; however, no one seemed to take notice or issue with it until they stopped protesting AIDS funerals and started protesting military funerals.
No excuse for this type of action, if its against gays as Allen in SD said or the military for being in a war, regardless what this church group is doing is just wrong. Mr Vogel should have been given an award instead of being charged with a crime.
A few live rounds to the firing party and fixed bayonettes would solve this problem
I'd love to be on the jury on that dudes trial ... if not guilty is good enough for Gov Blaggo ...
Seriously??? Vogel is an idiot. He missed every Westboro person and hit some innocent bystanders and a cop.
Its time that this countrys highest court stop allowing people and groups like this to hid hide behind the first ammendment.
They're not a church, they're an inbred cult that preaches hate. I'd say that makes their leader Satan, not God.
I am so sick of "churches" getting away with crap because they can hide behind religion. What ever happened to "Do on to others...", "Turn the other cheek" and all the other stuff? I dare them to go to Iraq and protest there.
You wonder why Americans are turning away from Religion? It's because organized religions think this type of behavior will bring them closer to God. If your God is as heartless as these church goers, I don't want any part of it.
I am a member of a Baptist church and the perverse actions of this church are way out of line. If one disagrees with the war, there are many other ways to show your disapproval without causing the families of our dear troops more headaches. This man should not have taken things into his own hands but criminal charges are not necessary here..........a little common sense will go a long way. May God bless America with a Holy Spirit filled revival and God bless our troops.
Jury trial..... The guy should ask for a Jury trial. Jury nullification is a potential outcome.
We have only ourselves to blame by electing liberals to positions of power, and they in turn appoint liberal judges with an socialist agenda and not the good common sense to make the right decisions. If I were ever seated onto a jury to try someone for fire bombing or shooting up this group, it would be a hung jury because I won't hand in a guilty verdict.
For those of you claiming homosexuality is a "lifestyle", that is a false and ignorant statement. Homosexuality is not a choice. Just like you don't choose the color of your skin, you cannot choose whom you are sexually attracted to. If you can, sorry, but you are not heterosexual, you are bi-sexual. Virtually all major psychological and medical experts agree that sexual orientation is NOT a choice. Most gay people will tell you its not a choice. Common sense will tell you its not a choice. While science is relatively new to studying homosexuality, studies tend to indicate that its biological.
http://www-news.uchicago.edu/releases/03/differential-brain-activation.pdf
http://www.newscientist.com/channel/sex/dn14146-gay-brains-structured-li...
Gay, Straight Men's Brain Responses Differ
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,155990,00.html
http://www.livescience.com/health/060224_gay_genes.html
http://www.springerlink.com/content/w27453600k586276/
http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2008/06/16/172/
There is overwhelming scientific evidence that homosexuality is not a choice. Sexual orientation is generally a biological trait that is determined pre-natally, although there is no one certain thing that explains all of the cases. "Nurture" may have some effect, but for the most part it is biological.
And it should also be noted that:
"It is worth noting that many medical and scientific organizations do believe it is impossible to change a person's sexual orientation and this is displayed in a statement by American Academy of Pediatrics, American Counseling Association, American Association of School Administrators, American Federation of Teachers, American Psychiatric Association, American Psychological Association, American School Health Association, Interfaith Alliance Foundation, National Association of School Psychologists, National Association of Social Workers, and National Education Association."
To those of you using the Bible as a weapon against homosexuality, you are wrong. Homosexuality is not a sin. The Bible is constantly being taken out of context to support anti-gay views. Scholars who have studied the Bible in context of the times and in relation to other passages have shown those passages (Leviticus, Corinthians, Romans, etc) have nothing to do with homosexuality. These passages often cherry-picked while ignoring the rest of the Bible. The sins theses passages are referring to are idolatry, Greek temple sex worship, prostitution, pederasty with teen boys, and rape, not homosexuality or two loving consenting adults.
http://www.soulfoodministry.org/docs/English/NotASin.htm
http://www.jesus21.com/content/sex/bible_homosexuality_print.html
http://www.christchapel.com/reclaiming.html
http://www.stjohnsmcc.org/new/BibleAbuse/BiblicalReferences.php
http://www.gaychristian101.com/
http://www.mccchurch.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Resources&Template=/CM/...
http://www.wouldjesusdiscriminate.org/biblical_evidence.html
http://www.soulforce.org/article/homosexuality-bible-gay-christian
http://www.goodhopemcc.org/spirituality/sexuality-and-bible/homosexualit...
Thats why Jesus never mentions it as well. There is nothing immoral, wrong, or sinful about being gay. Jesus, however, clearly states he HATES hypocrisy. If you preach goodness, then promote hate and twist the words of the Bible, you are a hypocrite, and will be judged and sent to hell. Homosexuals will not go to hell, hypocrites will.
The National Library of Medicine pubs confirm that sexual orientation is natural, biologically induced in the first trimester of pregnancy, morally neutral, immutable, neither contagious nor learned, bearing no relation to an individuals ability to form deep and lasting relationships, to parent children, to work or to contribute to society.
From the American Psychological Association: homosexuality is normal; homosexual relationships are normal.
The American Academy of Pediatrics, American Psychological Asociation and American Psychiatric Asociation have endorsed civil marriage for same-sex couples because marriage strengthens mental and physical health and longevity of couples, and provides greater legal and financial security for children, parents and seniors.
America's premier child/mental health associations endorse marriage equality.
This was taken from another poster that shows why we need to legalize gay marriage. If you don't feel for this person after reading it, you simply aren't human.
"I am not sure what our President thinks of this dicission but coming from a poor family and knowing what discrimination is all about I would assume he would not care if "Gays" have equal rights. The whole reason why they are asking for rights to be considered married is from the same reason why I would be for it. My own life partner commited suicide in our home with a gun to his heart. After a 28 year union I was deprived to even go his funeral. We had two plots next to each other. But because we did not have a marriage cirtificate "(Legal Document)" of our union his mother had him cremated and his ashes taken back to Missouri where we came from. That is only one example how painful it is. His suicide tramatized me so much and her disregard for my feelings only added to my heartach. That happened on March 21 of 2007 and I still cannot type this without crying for the trauma I have to endure each day. Oh did I mention I am in an electric wheelchair for life? Yes I am and it is very diffacult to find another mate when you are 58 and in a wheelchair. "
The American Psychological Association, the American Psychiatric Association, and the National Association of Social Workers state:
"There is no scientific basis for distinguishing between same-sex couples and heterosexual couples with respect to the legal rights, obligations, benefits, and burdens conferred by civil marriage."
http://www.courtinfo.ca.gov/courts/supreme/highprofile/documents/Amer_Ps...
Thus, mental health professionals and researchers have long recognized that being homosexual poses no inherent obstacle to leading a happy, healthy, and productive life, and that the vast majority of gay and lesbian people function well in the full array of social institutions and interpersonal relationships.
http://www.courtinfo.ca.gov/courts/supreme/highprofile/documents/Amer_Ps...
The research and clinical literature demonstrate that same-sex sexual and romantic attractions, feelings, and behaviors are normal and positive variations of human sexuality.
http://www.apa.org/pi/lgbt/resources/therapeutic-response.pdf
The longstanding consensus of the behavioral and social sciences and the health and mental health professions is that homosexuality per se is a normal and positive variation of human sexual orientation.
http://www.apa.org/about/governance/council/policy/sexual-orientation.aspx
Freedom of speech my ass, this is nothing but a bunch of lawyers using the guise of relgion to spew hate speech and get away with it. They should all be disbarred.
Thank you and may God Bless you Mr Vogel. I hope you have a jury trial and the good people of the jury do the right thing and send the right message.
Thanks Mr. Vogel and I hope your 'trial run will be more accurate next time they show up and you hit the protesters instead of their signs, but then again, they couldn't use the signs after your incident
My best friends daughter is in the army and god help the protesters if something was to happen to her and they showed up . Yes I would go to jail but some of them would go no further . This protesting is sick .
.I think that is a form of intimidation that mere display criminalized without afoul of the first ammendment. The protestors need to Learn RESPECT and RESPECT the Soldier's Family in their time of grief. I don't care if you have one view on something or not, but to DISRESPECT OUR SOLDIERS. WHO PUT THEIR LIVES ON THE LINE FOR US! YOU STILL NEED TO SUPPORT OUR TROOPS!! NO MATTER WHAT!!
I will be the first to tell you I know I couldn't do it. But I know serveral people who have served and you are serving now. My youngest brother Casey is serving currently in the United States Of America's Army. He has done a tour in Iraq and is about to go to Kuwait next year to help pull out of Iraq. And if for some reason God for Bid he died serving our country and protestors came to his funeral. I would be outrage! I think our American Soldier's should be protected under the Consitution. I think protestors should not be allow at any Funeral especially our AMERICAN SOLDIER'S FUNERAL! Mr Vogel, I say way to go!! I think someone should form a watch dog group and everywhere this church tries to go protest at STOP THEM!! I would like to know how the members of this church would feel if a group protested at one of their love one's funeral!! Thank GOD FOR OUR AMERICAN SOLDIERS!!! SUPPORT OUR TROOPS!! LET STAND UP AND UNITED FOR OUR AMERICAN TROOPS AND THIER FAMILIES!!
if me or anyone in my unit get killed overseas, you are all invited to put the hurt down on these protesters if they are at the funerals
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