On June 13, funeral services were held in Nashville, Tennessee for U.S. Marine Sgt. Kevin Balduf who was killed in action on May 12 while serving in Afghanistan.
The friends and family of Sgt. Balduf were faced not only with the task of mourning someone they cared for, but with the unwelcome attention of the controversial Westboro Baptist Church, who announced their plans to protest at his funeral services.
Westboro Baptist is a church headed by Fred Phelps, which is primarily comprised of a rather large family clan and is situated in the Topeka, Kansas area. ABC News described that “Westboro preaches that because our country tolerates homosexuality, abortion, and divorce: all Americans are going to Hell.” Having protested at more than 200 funerals of U.S. soldiers killed in Iraq or Afghanistan across the nation, as well as the funerals of celebrities, or of any persons who have captured media attention, any grieving family can be accosted by such protests when they go to bury their beloved dead (regardless of the deceased’s religion, race, or sexual orientation).
The news of Westboro Baptist’s planned protest of Sgt. Balduf’s funeral soon lit up the internet and social media sites, and supporters and volunteers sprung into action. According to a local news report about two thousand people showed up to support Sgt Balduf’s family, and to act as a visible and audible screen against the Westboro Baptist members. But what you won’t find in any other news report of that day, is the fact that among the vast crowd of anti-protesters, were two Heathens associated with the local White Oak Kindred.
If you’re a pagan circle stationed abroad, I’d consider it a treat to be able to send you a care package with some Heathen items in it for your members. Please just contact me at wyrddesigns at gmail dot com. 
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