Da Hawg Frog Blog

A strange phenomena has materialized in the American landscape since we went to war with Islamic extremist in the middle east and Afghanistan. As our casualties have risen a small group of perverse protesters have grasped the attention of many across the nation. These are the members of a small church in Topeka, Kansas. The adherents of Reverend Phelps have taken to demonstrating at the funerals of our fallen servicemen and women across the nation.

Originally these followers of Phelps hateful philosophy picketed at the funerals of gays. But this didn’t bring them the attention they craved so they began frequenting the funerals of soldiers, sailors and marines killed in Iraq and Afghanistan under the guise that the war and their deaths were the result of America’s tolerance of gays and their lifestyle. In the still homophobic atmosphere of this country today not much was said when they were spewing their hate at the funerals of gays, but in focusing their venom on our fallen military they finally got the exposure they desired.

Many of us in the biker community have risen to the challenge by joining organizations like the Patriot Guard Riders or the state organizations like the Florida Patriot Guard, The Old Guard Riders of Arizona, Inland Northwest Patriot Guard among others. We’ve dedicated ourselves to standing between the grieving families and the minions of Phelps’ bogus church.

To those of use who have faced down the members of the Westboro Baptist Church we recognize them for the evil that the represent. Unfortunately, this church made of up primarily family members nearly all of who are lawyers, have been able to avoid serious legal challenges until recently. As a result of their antics at these funerals the federal government and many states have instituted laws forbidding this kind of conduct at funerals.

Their fall began a few months ago when the father of a soldier they demonstrated against took them to court and won.

All of us who have witnessed these degenerates demonstrating rejoiced. But it was not enough. What about all the other families whose sons and daughters funerals these dirtbags had protested at? More needed to be done.

Well a federal judge determined that enough was enough. He decided in favor of putting a lien on the Phelpses property in Topeka, Kansas to pay the settlement Al Snyder and his family won earlier. The lawyers of Westboro were sure they could drag this through the courts for years and ultimately wear everyone down, but that strategy is not working.

A federal judge in Maryland on Thursday ordered liens on the Westboro Baptist Church building and the Phelps-Chartered Law office.

If the case presided over by U.S. District Court Judge Richard D. Bennett is upheld by an appeals court, the church, at 3701 S.W. 12th, and the office building, at 1414 S.W. Topeka Blvd., could be obtained by the court and sold, with the proceeds being applied toward $5 million in damages Bennett imposed on church members for picketing a military funeral.

A lien is a legal hold on property, making it collateral against money owed to a person or entity. It can keep the owner from selling the property or transferring title to the property.

The $5 million penalty is the result of a lawsuit filed against three of the church’s principals by Albert Snyder, the father of Marine Lance Cpl. Matthew A. Snyder, whose funeral was picketed by church members.

The senior Snyder contended the picketing caused emotional distress and invasion of privacy.

We applaud the judge’s decision and pray for the family of Matthew Snyder. We also hope to see the criminals of the Westboro Baptist church get what they deserve. There is a special place in hell reserved for Reverend Phelps and his followers. Lets wish them a speedy journey to that place.

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