Why America Just Doesn't "Get It"

Several members of Congress are proposing a federal solution to anti-gay protests at the funerals of military personnel.

Reps. Mark Kennedy, R-Minn., and Mark Rogers, R-Mich., are co-sponsors of a bill that would restrict funeral protests at national cemeteries. Kennedy said he would also push for an amendment that will restrict the Defense Department from spending money on permits authorizing demonstrations at military funerals held on Veterans Affairs or Defense Department property, the Associated Press reported.

Sen. Evan Bayh, D-Ind., said he plans to introduce similar legislation in the Senate.

“Our troops are among the most selfless and idealistic people I have met, and they should be buried with the dignity they have earned,” Bayh said in a statement.

The legislation is a response to protests by the Rev. Fred Phelps’ Westboro Baptist Church at military funerals. (source)

Will this be the end of protests at funerals by the members of the Westboro Baptist Church led by Fred Phelps? Who knows? That’s actually not the important question to ask. There is another question to ask that no one wants to ask. Here it is...

If the issue of this group protesting the funerals of soldiers is so damn repulsive to lawmakers to get them to author a bill to prevent such protests, where the hell were they when this group was protesting at the funerals of gay men, and the funeral of Matthew Shepard?

You see, this is why America is so fucked up today. People pick and choose who is worthy of equality. Hell, we even have people voting on who will get rights and who will not. People pick and choose who is better than the next person.

When Fred Phelps’ pathetic group was doing this to gay men, THE ONLY PEOPLE WHO GAVE A DAMN WERE THE RELATIVES AND FRIENDS OF THOSE GAY MEN. NOT ONE LEGISLATOR ROSE TO THE OCCASION OF CARING ENOUGH TO PASS A LAW TO PREVENT IT.

I support our troops and what they are going through. The Bush Administration has let them down, and for that, I feel bad. But I have no sympathy for what is happening at the funerals of military personnel killed in Iraq. You don’t pick and choose who deserves the wrath from a group of religious fanatics who care nothing for the grief the family and friends of a loved one is going through.

You don’t pick and choose that, any more than you should pick and choose who should receive rights and who should not receive rights at the ballot box.

If it is ok with America to allow this group to dish out this crap at the funerals of gay men, then it is good enough for this group to dish out this crap at the funerals of soldiers.

America, get a good taste of what it has been like for us. Are you getting it now?