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Tucson, Arizona (CNN) -- Tucson just isn't that kind of town, says Christin Gilmer.
Gilmer is referring to the actions of Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kansas, which has made its name protesting the funerals of people who died of AIDS, gay people, soldiers and even Coretta Scott King.
But when the church announced its intention to picket the funeral of a 9-year-old girl -- one of six people who died Saturday during the attempted assassination of U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords -- Gilmer and others put their feet down.
Tucson is a "caring, loving, peaceful community," according to Gilmer, who said two of the six people killed were friends.
"For something like this to happen in Tucson was a really big shock to us all," she said. "Our nightmare happened when we saw Westboro Baptist Church was going to picket the funerals."
They're planning an "angel action" -- with 8- by 10-foot "angel wings" worn by participants and used to shield mourners from pickets. The actions were created by Coloradan Romaine Patterson, who was shocked to find the Topeka church and its neon signs outside the 1999 funeral of Matthew Shepherd, a young gay man beaten and left on a fence to die in Laramie, Wyoming.
"We want to surround them, in a nonviolent way, to say that our community is united," Gilmer said. "We're a peaceful haven.
"You don't mess with Tucson," said Gilmer, 26, who described it as "a little dot of blue in a sea of red."
Snip...
Funeral pickets to be met by 'angels' - CNN.com
Angel wings? Come on! Enough is enough! It's time for our weeny legislators to enact some legislation that designates these idiots for what they are, terrorists! Then lock these despicable people away! Gitmo might be a good place! I'm sure the troops down there would love to have 'em.
Gilmer is referring to the actions of Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kansas, which has made its name protesting the funerals of people who died of AIDS, gay people, soldiers and even Coretta Scott King.
But when the church announced its intention to picket the funeral of a 9-year-old girl -- one of six people who died Saturday during the attempted assassination of U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords -- Gilmer and others put their feet down.
Tucson is a "caring, loving, peaceful community," according to Gilmer, who said two of the six people killed were friends.
"For something like this to happen in Tucson was a really big shock to us all," she said. "Our nightmare happened when we saw Westboro Baptist Church was going to picket the funerals."
They're planning an "angel action" -- with 8- by 10-foot "angel wings" worn by participants and used to shield mourners from pickets. The actions were created by Coloradan Romaine Patterson, who was shocked to find the Topeka church and its neon signs outside the 1999 funeral of Matthew Shepherd, a young gay man beaten and left on a fence to die in Laramie, Wyoming.
"We want to surround them, in a nonviolent way, to say that our community is united," Gilmer said. "We're a peaceful haven.
"You don't mess with Tucson," said Gilmer, 26, who described it as "a little dot of blue in a sea of red."
Snip...
Funeral pickets to be met by 'angels' - CNN.com
Angel wings? Come on! Enough is enough! It's time for our weeny legislators to enact some legislation that designates these idiots for what they are, terrorists! Then lock these despicable people away! Gitmo might be a good place! I'm sure the troops down there would love to have 'em.
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