This Country Is Going to Crap Quickly

Matthew Snyder, of Finksburg, Maryland, died from a non combat-related vehicle accident in Al Anbar province, Iraq. He was assigned to Combat Service Support Group-1

"He was a hero and he was the love of my life." - Albert Snyder, Matthew's Father (go read more here)

Make no mistake: Albert Snyder is also a hero. The header of today's piece is from CJ, an active duty American soldier, and his words echo my own feelings on the disgraceful ongoing dishonouring of Matthew Snyder and his family. CJ writes:

This Country Is Going to Crap Quickly

March 30, 2010 By CJ
Posted in Uncategorized

I can’t tell you how pissed I was to read this:

The father of a Marine killed in Iraq and whose funeral was picketed by anti-gay protesters was ordered to pay the protesters’ appeal costs, his lawyers said Monday.

On Friday, Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit ordered Snyder to pay $16,510 to Fred Phelps. Phelps is the leader of the Westboro Baptist Church, which conducted protests at Marine Lance Cpl. Matthew Snyder’s funeral in 2006.

Seriously?! What lawyer, judge, decent human being would EVER come to the conclusion that ANYONE owes Westboro Baptist Church anything, but especially the Gold Star Father of a fallen Marine? According to the article, no reasons were given behind the decision, but that father should not have to pay a dime if this country has any wits left about it. I’m literally sickened to death by this.

Marine's dad ordered to pay protesters' court fees

BALTIMORE – The father of a Marine killed in Iraq and whose funeral was picketed by anti-gay protesters was ordered to pay the protesters' appeal costs, his lawyers said Monday.

On Friday, Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit ordered Snyder to pay $16,510 to Fred Phelps. Phelps is the leader of the Westboro Baptist Church, which conducted protests at Marine Lance Cpl. Matthew Snyder's funeral in 2006.

The two-page decision supplied by attorneys for Albert Snyder of York, Pa., offered no details on how the court came to its decision.

Attorneys also said Snyder is struggling to come up with fees associated with filing a brief with the U.S. Supreme Court.

The decision adds "insult to injury," said Sean Summers, one of Snyder's lawyers.

The high court agreed to consider whether the protesters' message is protected by the First Amendment or limited by the competing privacy and religious rights of the mourners. (here)

I have written about the incredible Snyder family before on Tanker Bros - most recently in April 2008:

Saturday, April 05, 2008

File this under...

..."Warms the heart to see"!

Justice IS being served. Remember Lance Cpl Matthew Snyder and his father Albert? In March 2006, Albert buried his beloved son Matthew, a Marine who gave his all in service to America.

Then dad Albert sued Westboro Baptist Church. I first posted about the Snyder family back on November 1, 2007:

By Jon Hurdle

BALTIMORE, Oct 31 (Reuters) - A jury on Wednesday ordered an anti-gay Kansas church to pay $2.9 million in compensatory damages to relatives of a U.S. Marine after church members cheered his death at his funeral.

The jury in federal court determined that the Westboro Baptist Church based in Topeka, and three of its principals, had invaded the privacy of the dead man's family and inflicted emotional distress when they protested at his funeral last year....

You can go here to remind yourself. Well, it seems the wheels of justice are moving along.

Judge orders lien on Westboro church

“The property could not be sold, no further mortgage could be placed on the property, and it essentially would be frozen in time,” Bennett said. He ordered liens on the $443,000 church and a $233,000 office owned by Fred Phelps, the church’s founder.

He also ordered two of Phelps’ daughters to post cash bonds within 30 days. Shirley Phelps-Roper was ordered to post $125,000; Rebekah Phelps-Davis, $100,000 because the original judgment against her was less than her sister’s.

If the church is successful in its appeal, the money would be returned and the liens would be lifted.

The church’s finances have raised questions of how members can afford to travel the country to protest hundreds of funerals each year, but only have a few hundred dollars in their bank accounts....
You can read more on the latest developments on these ***** (fill in your own adjective!) here.

NEXT!

There are other columns over there, with all the background, and many links to learn more about this fallen hero and his family. You can find them all here.

This Gold Star Family has given more than enough in service to their country. It outrages me beyond measure that they STILL have to battle their country in order to be given some modicum of respect from the very justice system, values, that their precious Matthew gave his life defending.

This is wrong, wrong, wrong!

[Bratnote: Major tech issues here. My apologies!]