WASHINGTON, DC— U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) released the following statement after the Westboro Baptist Church threatened to protest the funeral of seven children killed in a Perry County fire this week:
“Westboro Baptist Church’s repeated exploitation of personal tragedy is disgusting. They have protested funerals of troops killed serving their country. Now it is targeting the funeral of children. The protesters should stay in Kansas and pray for the Clouse family. The U.S. Supreme Court may say that they can continue to preach hate, but that doesn’t mean we should tolerate their actions in Pennsylvania. If this protest goes forward, I hope that the people of Perry County and the Midstate will come out to support the family.”
Last year, Senator Casey signed on to an amicus brief filed to support the Supreme Court case to protect the right of families to not have military funeral services disrupted by protests. The Snyder v. Phelps case was filed by the father of Marine Lance Cpl. Matthew Snyder after his funeral was protested in 2006. Albert Snyder is a resident of York, Pa.
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