SwiftVets.com

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Subject: [CVMA_FM] Funeral of Marine Sgt Graham


The funeral of Sgt. Graham was so unbelievable that I don't even know where to start.

There were approx. 175 to 250 people at the church and everyone had an

American FLag. For those that did not bring their own, the VFW had small flags for everyone. Of those there.

I would estimate there were 50 to 60 motorcycles. Of those, there were

15 Full Members and 5 aux/support members of the Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association. Several members of the Leathernecks M/C and the American Veterans M/C were present.

As I said before, the WBC ran into a brick wall. The Broken Arrow Police

Dept set up an area for the WBC on the sidewalk. The PD taped off a square that was 10X10 for them. All the signs were there but you could not hear anything they were saying. One of our members(Goose) ,with police permission, parked his bike across the street from the idiots. Everytime they opened their mouths Goose would rack his pipes and everyone at the church would start clapping and singing along with the church choir who were singing religious and patriotic songs. That was very effective in shuting the idiots up. I will try to download the pictures I took. The pictures tell their own story.

I spoke to a police Major. He told me that 90% of his department were

either vets on still with the Guard/Reserves, so there was no symathies for the WBC. The Police Dept did an outstanding job. The WBC had to leave before the funeral started and when the time came the police wasted no time in escorting them out of the area.

After the funeral we joined with the family and friends and went to the cemetery. It was unbelievelable how many thanks, horn honks and thumbs up signs we received from the vehicles that pulled to the side of the road to let the funeral pass.

Eagle brought a crew up from La to help shut this a$$hole and the WBC down.

Eagle, many, many thanks to you and your whole crew. We owe you!!

I am so proud to be a member of the CVMA. Today we showed the city of Broken Arrow how Veterans and Brothers come together in a crisis.

I was very proud of the CVMA today.

Respectively
Oscar
CVMA #133
Okla State Rep



Dear Mayor Fuller,
>>
>> I am writing to you to ask that you PLEASE do not let that idiot nutcase
>> Fred Phelps disrupt the funeral of your local fallen hero, Sgt.
>> Christopher Taylor. While he has every right to voice his moral
>> convictions, there is a time and place for it... And it certainly is not
>> when a family is saying goodbye to a loved one.
>>
>> I ask that you PLEASE HAVE THIS MORON ARRESTED if he makes any attempt to
>> protest at this funeral, CHARGE HIM WITH ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING THAT YOU
>> POSSIBLY CAN!
>>
>> I sincerely hope that you will do what's right out of simple respect for
>> the family of Sergeant Taylor and for all of our fallen veterans.
>>
>> Respectfully yours,
>>
>> Rob Schultz
>> Covington, KY
Subject: RE: Contact Form Submission from Opelika.org
>>
>> Dear Mr. Schultz -- My name is Jan Gunter and I am the Community
>> Relations Specialist for the City of Opelika. I am the "webmaster" who
>> receives all e-mails and distributes them to the appropriate people. I
>> am sending your e-mail directly to Mayor Fuller. However, I DID want to
>> let you know that our Mayor has already put a plan into place for Mr.
>> Phelps. He will be given a permit to hold a "rally" in our courthouse
>> square to his heart's content. Courthouse Square is several MILES from
>> where the funeral for Christopher Taylor will be held. That is the only
>> permit the City of Opelika will issue to Mr. Phelps - and should he try
>> to disrupt the funeral our chief of police and his officers will take
>> care of the gentleman!
>>
>> Thanks for writing us - and thanks so much for your support of our HERO
>> Sgt. Taylor and his family! It means a great deal to us to have outside
>> support!
>>
>> Jan Gunter
>> Community Relations

'Like best friends'
Opelika soldier's wife recalls meeting her husband

Ed Enoch
Staff Writer
Friday, July 29, 2005

This was Sgt. Chris Taylor’s second tour in Iraq. He was thinking of reenlisting; he could use the money; his 10-month-old daughter Aaliyah has eye problems and there was always rent to pay.
Janina Taylor, Chris’ wife, said she tried to dissuade him from reenlisting - she didn’t want to lose him.
“Generally, with him having to leave so much I got used to it, but not really,” Taylor said.
Taylor said Chris’ first absence for boot camp was probably the hardest. But he came back. This time, though, Chris will not return.
Chris, 22, was killed in Balad, Iraq, July 24 after being hit by mortar rounds while exiting a bunker. Chris was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 41st Field Artillery, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, which is attached to the 42nd Infantry Division, as a cannon crewmember, according to a news release from Ft. Stewart.
Chris entered the Army Sept. 17, 2001, according to the news release from Ft. Stewart. One month after he married Taylor.
Before that they were high school sweethearts, Taylor said.
She said she met her husband in seventh grade in gym class.
Taylor said the two began hanging out together and talking on the phone daily.
“We’ve been like best friends ever since,” Taylor said.
Taylor said Chris and she were part of a close group of friends who spent a lot of time together and were accepting of others.
Teachers and friends remember a smart, quiet student with a nice smile who wanted to be friends with everybody, according to a news release from Opelika City Schools. Chris graduated from Opelika High School in 2001 with an advanced diploma.
“We were the kind of people who didn’t leave anybody out,” Taylor said.
Now, Taylor plans for her husband’s funeral and tries to explain is death to her 3-year-old son, Xavier.
Xavier doesn’t quite understand, according to Taylor. Xavier still wants to know where his father is.
“He asks ‘Where’s Daddy? Is Daddy still in Iraq?’” Taylor said.
Taylor expects Xavier will begin to understand at his father’s funeral.
What could more difficult to understand and explain is the announcement of a Kansas church leader to protest Taylor’s funeral.
Taylor said she felt to protest was very inappropriate.
“I just don’t see any reason for it,” Taylor said.
Rev. Fred Phelps claims Taylor and other soldiers were killed with improvised explosive device (IED) as part of God’s retaliation against the U.S. for allowing “gays” bomb his church, Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kan.
In previous interviews with the Opelika-Auburn News, local religious leaders described Phelp’s planned protest as a misuse of Christian teaching and an attempt to create a spectacle.
In a previous interview with the Opelika-Auburn News, Opelika Mayor Gary Fuller acknowledged Phelp’s right to protest, but said he would not let Phelp’s disrupted the funeral.
Local attorney Liz McAdory said she would help the family get an injunction if needed.
“I’m sort of disgusted that he thinks he can come to the funeral to protest,” McAdory said.


This story can be found at: http://www.timesdispatch.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=OAN/MGArticle/OAN_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1031784151026


Funeral protest time announced
by group
Date of funeral for soldier still to be set; citizens discuss organizing tribute
Mitch Sneed
Staff Writer
Tuesday, August 2, 2005


The time, day and date of the funeral of fallen Opelika soldier Sgt. Christopher J. Taylor hasn’t been made public, but already the Kansas minister bound to picket and protest is alerting media of his intent to be here for the funeral.

The Rev. Fred Phelps, the controversial man who has led disruptive anti-gay protests at funerals all over the country, claims Taylor and other soldiers were killed with improvised explosive devices as part of retaliation by God against the United States for allowing "gays" to bomb his church, Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kan.

Taylor, 22, died after being hit by mortar rounds while exiting a bunker in Balad, Iraq, July 24, according to the U.S. Department of Defense.

Phelps sent media releases out Monday confirming that he and his group will be here in force Saturday at 2 p.m., even though no funeral information has been confirmed by the Taylor family.

Janina Taylor, Chris’ wife, said she felt to protest was very inappropriate.

"I just don’t see any reason for it," she said. "Especially when a family is grieving. It just doesn’t seem right. I don’t understand."

In previous interviews with the Opelika-Auburn News, local religious leaders described Phelps’ planned protest as a misuse of Christian teaching and an attempt to create a spectacle. Opelika Mayor Gary Fuller acknowledged Phelps’ right to protest, but said he would not let Phelps disrupt the funeral.

Deanna Kelly, whose husband recently returned from a tour of duty in Iraq, said she hopes that the public will turn out to pay their respects in a positive way, not to come out to confront Phelps. She has been working to contact local groups to organize a tribute.

"It could be as simple as people lining the road and hold flags as the procession passes," Kelly said. "I think that would be the ultimate show of respect, especially when this man is trying to turn this into something very ugly.

"I’ve talked to a lot of people and they are all angry about it, but to just turn out to honor Sergeant Taylor would be a great way to show how we feel and the kind of people that we are."

http://www.timesdispatch.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=Common%2FMGArticle%2FPrintVersion&c=MGArticle&cid=1031784195168&image=oan80x60.gif&oasDN=oanow.com

[Rdtf]

This stuff gets me so angry and fired up - it's like trying to understand the thought process of someone that is mentally ill. You just can't relate. Doesn't this creep or any of his followers owe traffic tickets, taxes or child support? Maybe they should have to learn the hard way that it's not such a good idea to be so public.

[LewWaters]

Phelps may have somehow got himself the title of "Reverend," but there isn't an ounce of humanity or christianity in his sorry %^&*$# &&^%#* Soul.

If Hell really does exist, I'm sure there is an especially hot corner waiting for him.
_________________
Clark County Conservative

[GM Strong]

Screw these people. We have a right get in the face af jerks like Phelps and tell the to "*&*&^ off". They are annoying useless dummsheets. I figure I have a right to Kick his Arse as far as I can. Given a chance, I'll see how far it is.
_________________
8th Army Korea 68-69

[DLI78]

GmStrong:

[blue9t3]

If he pulls this shirt, his church might be the least of his problems!
_________________
MOPAR-BUYER

[Armybrat/Armymom]

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