Well meaning group crossed line at Memorial Day parade

Thursday, June 1, 2006

The Patriot Guard Riders provide a welcome shield for families grieving at the funerals of fallen soldiers, but they crossed a line at Monday's Memorial Day parade in Galesburg.

The national group formed in August 2005 to honor veterans and shield those in mourning from protesters. The protesters, in particular, are from the Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kan., and they carry signs celebrating soldiers' deaths because they claim the military is run by homosexuals.

No doubt, many of the grieving families of fallen soldiers appreciated not having to see these signs or hear the messages declared by this group. In Galesburg, the group protested at the funeral of Sgt. 1st Class Kyle Wehrly, who was killed in Iraq in November 2005, but students from Knox College and others blocked the group from the family.

The Patriot Guard Riders travel to funerals, ask permission from the families of fallen soldiers, and then shield the family from protesters by using American flags. The group rode along in the procession Tuesday night that brought home the body of Pfc. Caleb Lufkin, who died in surgery from injuries sustained while serving in Iraq. The riders have permission from Lufkin's family to attend the funeral Friday morning. Members from the Westboro Baptist Church are expected to be here as well. The group has received a permit from Galesburg Police to picket Friday morning.

While we appreciate and respect the mission of the Patriot Guard Riders and welcome them to Galesburg, we don't like what happened on Memorial Day.

Before the Galesburg parade began, Chris Brocksmith, Illinois State Ride captain, told members of the Knox County Peace and Justice Coalition to remove a sign with their parade entry that listed the 2,464 Americans killed in Iraq because he said some people could be offended by it.

Peace and Justice Coalition member Don Blaheta said the group modified the sign, adding the words "we remember" and "never forget," but refused to take it down. Blaheta said several riders returned and made them take the sign down. Brocksmith acknowledged the first exchange, but said no riders returned to speak to the Peace and Justice Coalition members.

During an interview, Brocksmith explained he was trying to protect the peace group from harm, but said he will not do so in the future.

That's good. The Patriot Guard Riders have no business telling another group what sign is permissible in the Memorial Day parade.

There is a difference between shielding a grieving family from the Westboro Baptist group and shielding parade goers from a Peace and Justice Coalition sign. The biggest difference is that the families asked to be shielded, while the parade goers did not. In effect, the riders decided what was offensive and imposed their own sensibilities on the rest of us.

And while some people might agree with their view of what is offensive, it is not the riders' place to decide. Further, the Peace and Justice Coalition has every right to display the signs they feel are appropriate.

People honor the war dead in different ways. Carrying a sign listing the number of fallen soldiers in the Iraq War evidently is how the Peace Coalition members wanted to pay their respects. They had a right to do that.

And they have that right because of the freedoms our servicemen and women have fought and sometimes died to protect. Honoring them should not infringe on the freedoms they fought for. - Tom Martin, editor