Westboro

I think the important thing to stress if students do it, or even if alum or anyone does it, IS BE PEACEFUL. Someone said their membership is like 80% lawyers and they are all after lawsuits, DO NOT PROVOKE THEM. Do not even say a word to them as they will instantly skew the words and say something about how we told them to F themselves or harrassed them.

The best thing to do would be to have some upstanding citizens block them silently and not to make eye contact or say a word to them. I’m thinking of a ton of offensive linemen who have come through who could stand over top of them and do this….maybe hbeach can help us here?

I think the students/alumni/fans handled Westboro pretty well after the Nebraska game—while I was walking out of the stadium I saw them encircle the group and chant, We don’t like you, and Jesus loves us to the Westboro people—nothing got physical.

What about trying to organize the Penn State ROTC to be the ones to conduct the peaceful protest. This would be a huge slap to Westboro—to have a military group associated with Penn State standing up to them—and would also help to ensure things stayed peaceful—as this group would most likely be the most restrained and least likely to allow there emotions to get the best of them.

I have also seen at some of the military funerals, different motor cycle groups have been the “shield” to keep the Westobor people away from the family. I know there is the big Harley shop as you come into SC—does anyone know if there is a group in SC that might be able to pull something together.

he’s on house arrest. Don’t see a judge overturning house arrest for a few hours for him to attend the funeral

He served in the Army toward the end of WWII. So, I’m sure the local American Legion, VFW or Rolling Thunder chapters would be all too happy to help out

known at the Patriot Guard who were volunteering escort services for military funerals, and to form barriers between the Westboro hate group and the family of the fallen. They often carried oversized American flags to provide a visual screen so the families wouldn’t see the protestors. Not sure what their status is as they fell out of the news when the casualty rates fell off after Iraq….will research it. Joe’s veteran status and public image would seem to rate such services, if the Paterno family wants them (something tells me they would publically embrace the Westboro right to be there). I recall there was a court case involving the accusation they had gone too far at one funeral and violated the rights of the Westboro “people”, but my foggy brain can’t recall the detail. Bottom line is they CAN be screened to a point, but not prevented.