The Moore legislative delegation today condemned the actions of the Westboro Baptist Church, an extremist group from Kansas that routinely pickets the funerals of American soldiers.The group is in Oklahoma this week to protest at Moore High School and the Oklahoma House of Representatives.
“These people aren’t a church; they’re really more of a cult,” said state Rep. Randy Terrill, R-Moore. “This is a small group that gets together and does things to incite violence. And they do it not only to cause a scene, but to provoke a response and then sue in order to fund their radical activities.”
State Rep. Paul Wesselhoft, R-Moore, authored a state law that prevents groups such as the Westboro church from protesting within 500 feet of a funeral.
“The Moore delegation has been active in the effort to target these fringe groups and their ridiculous activities,” Wesselhoft said. “I am proud that we have implemented reasonable time, place and manner restrictions around military funerals so grieving families can bury their loved ones in peace.”
State Sen. Anthony Sykes, R-Moore, has authored legislation this year that would extend the restrictions on funeral protest groups to ban their activities within 1,500 feet of a funeral.
“The Westboro group certainly has a right to say whatever vile, repulsive things they want to say, but that does not mean they have a right to be heard or that people should pay attention to them,” Terrill said. “What makes today’s events so reprehensible is that Westboro is now picketing a high school. Apparently, targeting dead heroes in uniform isn’t enough for these whackos. Now they are going after innocent, defenseless children.”
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