Crossing the picket line

They've been known to be nuisances and cause annoying scenes at funerals for fallen soldiers, and some high profile funerals. But when the members of Westboro Baptist Church hit close to home, they're crossing the line.

According to the picket schedule on their website, WBC will be in full force protesting the Washington Convention Center on Wednesday, July 25, where the AIDS 2012 Conference is being held, but rumor has it the group plans to make an appearance in San Antonio for a memorial service celebrating the life of Jessica Ghawi (aka Jessica Redfield). She was the aspiring sports reporter who had her own sports blog. Ghawi was killed in Aurora, Colorado in the massacre at a midnight showing of The Dark Knight Rises.

Although Ghawi was not in the military, nor gay, WBC will protest any funeral they believe will give them media exposure. San Antonio is not a scheduled stop on their world hate tour, but there is a stop on July 28 in Arlington at Cowboy Stadium to protest Glenn Beck, who hosts a national syndicated radio show. With Arlington being less than 5 hours from San Antonio, it's likely they could make the short trek to the Alamo city and show their fangs.

I decided not to take any chances as I took to my Facebook and Twitter pages to announce a warning of what may come this weekend. Jessica was someone's daughter, someone's sister, someone's friend. Just like any fallen soldier, she too deserves to have a memorial service where her friends and family can gather and remember her. I will do whatever I can to make sure those assholes do not disrespect her loved ones.

According to the website for the Southern Poverty Law Center, WBC earned worldwide attention when they picketed the funeral of Matthew Shepard on October 16, 1998. Shepard, the victim of a hate crime, was beaten to death for being gay by two men in Laramie, Wyoming. WBC held signs that read, "God hates fags," and "AIDS kills fags dead."

The site splcenter.org also claims that WBC is funded through many lawsuits they have won because of protection from their first amendment rights. Well I'll tell you what, Shirley Phelps, the first amendment also allows me to call you a nasty-ass, saggy-tit, fugly looking bitch! Get some conditioner for that dry hair of yours, and some anti-wrinkle cream before you decide to come into my city and talk a bunch of shit. FUCK YOU WESTBORO! (photos were all taken from buzzfeed.com where they posted their top 30 favorite Westboro anti-protest signs)