FANATICAL CHURCH CONGREGATION DISRUPTS ELIZABETH EDWARDS FUNERAL, AS THEY HAVE MULTIPLE MILITARY FUNERALS..........

There was a time in not too distant American history when Topeka, Kansas, was thought of as the healthy, wholesome, heartland of America.  And more than in the idyllic, classic, book and movie, "The Wizard Of Oz".  In the 1930's Governor Alfred Landon, of Kansas was the leading Republican Governor in the United States.  To him fell the unenviable prize of the 1936 Republican Presidential nomination, as President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's first re-election opponent.  He honorably went down to an overwhelming defeat, winning only two states, Maine and Vermont.  Alf Landon's spirit of public service however remained true.  In the 1970's -1990's, his daughter Nancy Landon Kassebaum, exemplified that same Kansas bed sense of public service, in her years of service in the United States Senate.  As did her Senate colleague, Robert Dole, a World War II military hero, Congressman and U.S. Senator, Minority and Majority, as well as being the 1996 Republican Presidential nominee, who faced off against President Bill, in his re-election campaign.  But sadly, at present Topeka Kansas,  is being defined by a wacked out Christian congregation, the Westboro Baptist Church.  Eighty year old Rev. Fred Phelps and his congregation comprised mostly of his own family members, have been protesting America immorality over abortion and homosexuality, at the military funerals of our American troops for several.  Their disruptive and offensive presence, carrying placards like, "Thank God For Dead Soldiers", have been put before the faces of mourning familes, and has landed the situation before the United States Supreme, with a decision expected next year, as whether their controversial actions are protected constitutionally as freedom of speech.  Today Rev, Phelps and his Westboro Baptist Church congregation were in Raleigh, North Carolina, taking their diatribic protests to the Funeral for Elizabeth Edwards.  Why hers or any other American citizen's funerals should be desecrated by the presence of angry, agenda-ed, agitating, persons is beyond the pale.  If not an unconstitutional abuse of free speech, it is in certaimeant to be unitive, not divinly in extremely bad taste, and lacking compassion and charity, for bereaved families, by exploiting the sadness of their loved ones final rites of commendation, prayer, worship, and remembrance.  Christians are meant to be unitive, not divisive.  Sadly, the actions of this seriously misdirected congregation of Christians should be halted, in order to allow the dignity and solemn decorum befitting the funerals of the defenders of the USA and other public servants, not become a circus because of over zealous, insensitive, persons such as these..........Praying For A  Authentically Compassionate Christian Response To The Dead And Mourning,   Fr.  Troy