They Didn't Show Up Last Time

Fred Phelps and his gang had planned a visit to Turlock last month for the same reasons, different soldier. Nobody showed.

Now it looks like they're trying again. (Turlock, CA is about 25 miles down Hwy 99 from Merced, where I live.)

I don't know whether to be more furious at the death of one more of our kids or these hate-mongers for making a mockery of his service and torturing his family and friends.

I copied this email as it was sent to our local PFLAG group by Equality California, a group who is working for the right of GLBT citizens in California. I printed it here as an example of what some of us are doing here.

I said this before but it may be worth repeating. I have a son in the National Guard and a son who is is gay. I love them equally and that makes these reprehensible actions personal.

THE WESTBOROUGH BAPTIST CHURCH SAYS THEY ARE COMING TO
TURLOCK THIS
SATURDAY, APRIL 1, AT 1:00 TO PROTEST TO FUNERAL OF
SARGENT DALE BREHM. LAST
TIME, THEY NEVER SHOWED UP SO YOU NEVER KNOW FOR SURE
IF THEY'LL BE THERE.
THESE OUTRAGEOUS HATERS ARE DOING THIS ACROSS THE
COUNTRY, HOLDING SIGNS AT
SOLDIERS FUNERALS THAT SAY "GOT HATES FAGS" "GOD HATES
AMERICA" "SOLDIERS ARE
FAGS" . IF YOU ARE ABLE AND WILLING, PLEASE JOIN THE
STANISLAUS EQUALITY
CALIFORNIA CHAPTER IN TURLOCK. THE LOCATION IS MONTE
VISTA CHAPEL, 1619 E.
MONTE VISTA AVENUE, TURLOCK, CA. WE WILL BE JOING UP
WITH THE PARTIOT GUARD
RIDERS AND FORMING A HUMAN BARRIER BETWEEN THE FUNERAL
AND PHELP'S GANG, SO
THAT THE FAMILY WILL NOT HAVE TO SEE THEM. PLEASE
BRING AN AMERICAN FLAG IF
YOU HAVE ONE. SINCE THIS IS ABOUT THE DEATH OF A
SOLDIER AND SUPPORTING THE
FAMILY, SHOWING THE COMMUNITY THAT THE WESTBOROUGH'S
HATRED HAS UNITED US.
REMEMBER THAT PHELPS WILL TRY TO INCITE CROWDS INTO
VIOLENCE. PLEASE DO NOT
ENGAGE IN ANY CONFRONTATIONAL BEHAVIOR WITH THEM OR
EVEN SPEAK TO THEM.
THEY MAKE THEIR MONEY BY SUING PEOPLE AT GATHERINGS
SUCH AS THIS. HOPE TO SEE
YOU THERE,
JEFFREY GIANELLI,
CO-CHAPTER LEADER EQUALITY CALIFORNIA STANISLAUS