To the students of the University of Missouri,
Congratulations to those who utilized and supported a nonconfrontational method to block out a Westboro Baptist Church protest.
As a member of the Patriot Guard Riders, dedicated to honoring the service of U.S. military service personnel with our respect and gratitude for the freedoms we Americans all too often take for granted, I applaud you. No matter what the cause, a nonviolent show of support has been proven to be more effective than actions which can lead to personal harm and/or property damage.
HEADS UP! We have had to turn away motorcyclists who arrived at the location for a (killed in action) funeral armed and looking for a physical showdown with the folks from Westboro. Our goal at the funeral and interment is to PROTECT, with a barricade of American patriots and U.S. flags, the grieving family and friends of the deceased in what should be a solemn and private moment from hearing the hateful shouts and seeing the obscene posters claiming to speak for a critical, hateful, condemning God. If the mourners become distracted by a ruckus, we have failed! You did not fail; the pictures in the media convey your mission. Otherwise, I would not have paused to read the story that went national.
— _Jean Herndon, Atlanta,
770-346-9994_