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Westboro Baptist to Protest Midlands Soldiers' Funerals

The hate group, which has made a name for itself by celebrating the deaths of American soldiers, posted plans to protest the funeral services of 1st Lt. Ryan Rawl and Spc. John D. Meador II.

 

Westboro Baptist Church has announced plans to protest Saturday outside the funerals of two fallen Midlands soldiers.

The Topeka, Kansas-based hate group, known for celebrating the deaths of American soldiers, posted two press releases on its website detailing plans to "preach" at a "lawful proxmitiy" outside the funerals of 1st Lt. Ryan Rawl and Spc. John D. Meador II.

Rawl and Meador, along with Sgt. 1st Class Matthew Bradford “Brad” Thomas of Easley were killed last Wednesday when a suicide bomber attacked their patrol in Afghanistan. Five other South Carolina guardsmen were also injured in the blast.

At this time, the services are not listed on the group's picket schedule but the location and times were prominently featured in the releases. No plans have been posted by the church regarding Thomas' funeral service.

Rawl, a Richland County Sheriff's Deputy and school resource officer at Crayton Middle, leaves behind a wife, a daughter and a son. 

Meador, a former wrestling coach at Lexington, White Knoll and Irmo high schools, leaves behind a wife and three daughters. 

This won't be the first time the controversial church has threatened to protest a funeral for a South Carolina soldier.

In January, the group threatened to protest the funeral of Upstate soldier PFC. Justin M. Whitmire.

On the day of the funeral, hundreds of people from across the Upstate formed a human shield around Simpsonville First Baptist Church, where Whitmire's funeral service was held, but followers of Westboro Baptist Church were not to be found.

Read the full obituaries for Rawl and Meador.

See also: 

Related Topics: 1st Lt. Ryan Rawl, Westboro Baptist Church, Sgt. 1st Class Matthew Bradford “Brad” Thomas, and Spc. John D. Meador II

Ken

7:46 pm on Thursday, June 28, 2012

The people just need to band together and beat the living snot out of those hate-filled morons a few times, that will stop them

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Ed Goebel

10:09 pm on Thursday, June 28, 2012

I reallyiked the method a small town used to stop them. It was discovered whaat motel they were staying in - their license plates are allo Kansas - and several locals simply parked their vehicles in suh a way that the hate-mongers couldn't get out of their parking places. Stopped them cold.

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JMB

8:22 am on Friday, June 29, 2012

Ed, That sounds like a great idea. It's a shame that the families cannot morn their loved ones in peace. We are a close knit community and we should stick together when an outside hate group tries to come to our town and cause additional pain to these families. As long as it's done in a peaceful way as to not cause more chaos to a day meant to celebrate and honor the lives of these soldiers.

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Laura

10:23 am on Friday, June 29, 2012

They are just miserable people! They have nothing better to do with their lives than to spread their misery! To the Moron's: Get a life! To our residents: do anything to make them unwelcome in our community. We do not need people like that! No respect for the community, the greiving loved ones of our fallen heros and respect for other people's freedom of choice, religion, and the right to respect their dead without threat of interuption from someone who may feel different. I hope lawmakers will present a bill protecting buriel rights of all people. There are laws that protect interuption of school and church services. Now because of these loosers we need one in place to protect gravesite ceremonies! Let the goverment step in and put a end to this! The laws are made to protect the inocent!

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Craig Brooks

1:04 pm on Friday, June 29, 2012

It might not be their first time to do this but I hope we make it their last!

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Linda Windham

3:45 pm on Friday, June 29, 2012

For God's sake, is the government of the people for the people so stupid they cannot see the injustice of this horrible display of hate for our country and the men who gave their lives for OUR freedom. OUR president and/or congress should mandate that these acts against families who are mourning the loss of their loved one do not have to endure more trash from nuts like these idiots at Westmore Baptist Church in Lexington, SC. What a disgrace! I, as a American, am ashamed......

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Laura

3:46 pm on Friday, June 29, 2012

I hope someone who has ties to goverment will present a bill to protect all of us from this type of behavior during a gravesite ceremony. (Gov. Haley are you reading this? Would definitely be a plus on your behalf)

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