Marine Funeral, Westboro Baptist Church Protest at St. Agnes Today
Funeral services begin at 9:45 a.m. at St. Agnes Church in Clark.
The Westboro Baptist Church protesters plan to be outside St. Agnes Church in Clark today, holding up signs at the funeral of Marine Cpl. Kevin Reinhard.
The signs declare his death in Afghanistan as a sign of God's judgment on America. The deaths of soldiers oversees, they believe, is because various states in the country have legalized homosexual marriage.
Clark Mayor Sal Bonaccorso said he spoke with Woodbridge Mayor John McCormac and both municipalities are coordinating their police efforts.
"We will have the police at St. Agnes. The protesters will be 500 feet away from the church. They won't even be visible," Bonaccorso said. "Three to five of them won't be a problem."
Also in attendance will be the Patriot Guard, a motorcycle club that attends funerals of soliders, firefighters and police, but only after being invited by family members.
The Patriot Guard began in 2005, to provide a response to the activities of the Westboro group. They block the group from having to be seen by mourners at funerals, and they rev their motorcycles to drown out the Westboro protests. The group also attended the June funeral of Army Sgt. James Harvey II, who was killed in action in the Ghazni province of Afghanistan.
A community group has also formed on Facebook to drown out the protestors.
"Let's band together as a community in support for Cpl. Kevin Reinhard & his family this coming Monday as protesters from Westboro Baptist Church plan to picket & protest this hero's funeral," reads Community Against Ignorance's Facebook page. "Let us come together and form a human chain to give Kevin & his family the peace and privacy they deserve in their time of grief."
Also, those who wish to honor Cpl. Reinhard are urged to "line both sides of Inman Avenue" after the funeral mass according to the Woodbridge township website. Cpl. Reinhard will be buried at St. Gertrude's Cemetery in Colonia.
Gov. Chris Christie has also announced that the American flag and the flag of New Jersey will be flown at half-staff at all State departments, offices, agencies, and instrumentalities during appropriate hours on Monday "in recognition and mourning of a brave and loyal American hero, United States Marine Corporal Kevin J. Reinhard."
April Garland
9:08 am on Monday, January 30, 2012
Another article about military funeral protest by Westboro Baptist
Church...it got me thinking. They gabble on about how it's their Constitutional right to speak their piece, and how all the laws against these protests won't stop them. Well, it's time we change our battle tactics!
You need a permit to protest, correct? Let's start with: funeral protest permit,
$20K, to include the cute little metal pen they make for WBC; all applicable
time & distance rules. Additional police protection, street cleanup & removal of
WBC flyers from posts will be extra, to be billed after the event when costs are
tallied. I'd also insist on cash or certified bank check for the initial fee. Of
course, this rate does not include the largest cities like NYC, Los
Angeles...feel free to raise that starting rate to $50K, as your costs will
certainly be higher.
Cities, towns, villages, unincorporated hamlets-band together & make this
happen. Of course, this law would apply to anyone who wants to protest a military or private funeral.
It's time the taxpayers stood up & said, we're not paying for this. If WBC wants
to bring the circus to town, the show should be free for the community~it's a
good way for Westboro Baptist Church to fulfill the requirements of their
'Charity' nonprofit status.
@Catziiis
ro dattilo
11:49 am on Monday, January 30, 2012
I agree... so right.. WE NEED TO SPEAK UP..
KWC
1:54 pm on Monday, January 30, 2012
Can't do it. Must be equal treatment for all. Many of you are forgetting that people like Corporal Reinhard fight and die to preserve the rights of minority groups we find distasteful. Shutting down people we don't like only devalues the great sacrifices our servicemen and servicewomen make.
ro dattilo
11:16 am on Monday, January 30, 2012
Thank you Jessica for being here this morning and it was o nice to meet you in person. God Bless all our armed forces today and everyday. Police all involved did a great job.
ro dattilo
11:51 am on Monday, January 30, 2012
Just one more comment.. I seen many anOle Vet park their cars and walk to the Church to honor this fallen Hero... I thanked each and everyone of them for serving.
Todd Schmiedle
2:23 pm on Monday, January 30, 2012
Was an honor to be a past of todays services and escort team...
theo Robinson
3:12 pm on Monday, January 30, 2012
It was an honor to stand outside the church and pay my respects to Marine Cpl Reinhard
Barbara Whittle Robinson
4:48 pm on Monday, January 30, 2012
I hope all who serve in the military know that there efforts are appreciated. If it weren't for them we would not have the freedoms in this country that we have. My prayers go out to the family and in the days ahead may they find peace. Thanks to the journalists who take the time to be there to cover such a sorrowful day. It really makes you proud to be an American to see so many out to support the family from all over.