The Tulsa Forum by TulsaNow

The funeral is tonight in Owasso. Luckily, a group of bikers called the Patriot Guard is going to block the access of the protestors to the funeral procession.

What kind of person protests a funeral?

What time and where?  I'm not a member of the Patriot Guard, but I've been needing to get the Harley out.

The whacko kind RM.

Stupid bastards.

This from a friend's facebook page...

Date: Monday, June 28, 2010
Time: 5:30pm - 7:00pm
Location: 76th St North Behind QT

Description.UPDATE I spoke to the head of the Patriot Guard and the are meeting at 5:30 behind the QT at 76th St North. Please meet there instead of 86th and 128th E ave. Attention all bikers: As you guys maybe know 22 year old Spc. Andrew R. Looney was killed in action while serving this great counrty. On June 28th there is going to be a procession in Owasso on 129th E. Ave between 76th and 86th St north. Unfortunately Westboro Baptist Church will be there to protest his funeral. (Westboro Baptist Church is a clan of family members that protest the funerals of our fallen. They say things like thank god for dead soldiers and other stupid things) We need as many bikers as possible to meet at the QT at 76th St north. We want to ensure that the family is respected and so I need all bikers to meet here. We will do our own protest by drowning out thier voice with our engines. Please help with this. Please pass this event around. Lets get out and support this young man. Thank you.

Here's their version:

Fred Phelps is one massively foobared up individual.

This garbage must be stopped.

That makes me so angry.  >:(

Karma is a b*tch.  The Phelps family will reap what they sow...

They're a despicable group, but it's comforting to know that, even in this politically polarized time, we can all agree that what these guys do is completely out of bounds.

Apparently he is anti-gay, anti-jew, anti-catholic and... wait for it.... anti-swedish.

Those people make me absolutely nauseous....pathetic excuses for human beings. >:(

For me, this church ranks right up there with the Church of Scientology in the 'loony' factor.  Sometimes I wonder if Phelps isn't a former Xenuite taking massive quantities of psychedelic drugs.

That's your body thetans talking.

Who establishes what distance is respectful?  Perhaps the Owasso Police could suggest 5 miles as a respectful distance.

I might suggest somewhere outside the International Space Station, but that might be construed as being mean...

That'd be 215 miles (when overhead)...   Which happens to pretty much be the distance to Topeka, KS  (ie, they should just stay home)

Yeah, but there's still breathable air in Topeka KS...

The great thing about the first amendment is that it gives idiots the ability identify themselves. 

We see you, and through your words, we are repulsed.

My kids knew Andrew Looney.  My daughter was in his graduating class and my son remembers him from football.  My wife and daughter are planning to attend the memorial tonight.  My son (aka Seaman Recruit Wagner) and I will be outside.  I'm planning to photograph as much as possible.  The shots will be posted on my Picasa page later tonight.

I say we get some sheets, attach them to broomsticks, paint anti-westboro idea's/prosoldier idea's on them, and protest the westboro's. We can protest directly between them and the funeral.

Photo dump is at:

http://picasaweb.google.com/e.j.wagner.jr/MemorialToAnOwassoSoldier# (http://picasaweb.google.com/e.j.wagner.jr/MemorialToAnOwassoSoldier#)

Thanks for the pics Ed, it looks as though the Phelps people were just a bit out numbered, and thanks to those that cam out to honor Andrew Looney.

I counted more cops keeping an eye on the protesters than protesters.  I found it interesting that they only news they got was a mention on the 10o'clock lastnight, and it was more of a "and some protesters somewhere down the street a few blocks". 

Yeah, I thought it was good of the media (Ch 6 and Ch 2 both did this) to not even mention the protesters/church.  I mean after all, that's what they want, is the media attention.

What's up w/ the Japan Flag?
(http://lh5.ggpht.com/_oET109EvqjE/TClKCundEkI/AAAAAAAACNM/UM_MhKHgjPk/IMG_2937_tn.jpg)

Nissan billboard or somethin?

It's Sauron.  Took a wrong turn at Albuqurque on his way to Mordor.

Where's that Gandalf goes to the World Cup video....

Those Westboro fools are just real life trolls.  It actually made me mad that they got as much news coverage as they did  (I caught the 10'o clock on Channel 8 ).  I'm not one for media blackouts, but in the case of them, I would make an editorial decision to completely ignore them and pretend they didn't exist.  Media coverage is what they want.

That being said, epic win by the community for turning out the way they did.

That's the Owasso Ram symbol.

(http://lh3.ggpht.com/_oET109EvqjE/TClJ-sRLXxI/AAAAAAAACL8/UaANocqdH-8/IMG_2919_tn.jpg)

Seeingn how Owasso Cheerleaders are attracted to the traffic circle, maybe putting a circle up high is their way of helping cheerleaders make it to school.

Someone just pointed out to me that one of the Protesters have a sign that says "don't worship the dead".  Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but don't Christians worship (I know, Christians don't really consider it worship, but it really is) Jesus, who died?

Point of technicality- on the third day he rose again, so he was only dead for three days or 2 1/2 or something close to that.

I doubt logic really matters to them.

But he is in heaven now, and to get to heaven you are supposed to die.  Or did he ascend as a full, living being, and is still a living, breathing person?

Accoring to scripture, he ascended to Heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father, so my take would be he's alive. 

meh, one of those "never was really specified" things, so it is in the eye of the believer.  But I thought the point was funny.

Aren't church tax records public knowledge? I wonder how much the WBC is 'worth'.

Seeing as how that's really what they are after.... $ from assault litigation.

Quite funny irony, it wasn't lost on me.

I'm sure God hates us too, Custo he only likes the Westies.

What an awful thing for a church to do! I thought they were all about preaching love and brotherhood! Hopefully this will open a few parishioner's eyes and they'll find a REAL church soon.

The Patriot Guard is a wonderful group and they are so well organized. We're members, but don't join in anymore. They keep the nut jobs from Topeka away from many military funerals. How can anyone be so cruel to take their warped politics and mix it into a funeral where loved ones are grieving? It's groups like that who give churches a bad rep.

Your daughter must have been in my son's class.   He knew Andrew too going to back to their days at Mills Elementary, he said he lived a couple of blocks from us and had even been over at our house before.   Living across the street from Mills that is understandable as kids were always in and out of the house back in those days.   

I was stationed across the street from the 6th grade center.   

I counted 157 motorcycles that drove by.   

It was heart warming to see the Owasso Community come out to pay their respects to the Looney family and to keep the Westboro crazies at bay. 

My wife was at the First Bank of Owasso parking lot, she said the Owasso Fire Dept had a truck stationed to where the Westboro crazies could get any closer than Freckles.   Then a Big Yellow 4 wheel drive diesel pick up pulled up on the grass in front of the crazies, started reeving up it's engine real loud for about 10 minutes creating a lot of diesel smoke.   She said the police just stood there letting it happen and the crazies finally left.   

It's a church in name only. Fred Phelps took it over and turned it into a cult. All of the members are Phelps' family, aside from a couple of trusted non-family lieutenants.

It's all pretty disturbing and it's quite unfortunate the police haven't been able to gather enough evidence of Fred's..proclivities to put him in jail thanks to the cult wall of silence.

http://www.owassoreporter.com/articles/2010/06/29/news/doc4c2977123ff8d132928537.txt

here is a video of a portion of the service.

The 2nd young man to speak is his brother, he has a difficult time speaking.