As most of y'all already know, I have experienced the long, never ending goodbye of burying a son that was killed in Iraq.
Fortunately, while burying Jay, we were spared the pain that Fred Phelps and his band of American hero haters from the Westboro Baptist Church wreaked upon the Snyder family during their "longest day".
Our BIGGEST problem was the f#%@*^* media and their lust for getting the "scoop"! Relentless, ruthless and conniving is an understatement! It came to the point that the US Marines assigned to Jay until he was laid to rest stepped in to lend a hand! And boy, did they lend a hand! I won't say too much, as I am pretty sure that they were not acting under official orders!! I will say, we were never bothered by the media again!
I have reflected upon this many times over the last 4 years 6 months, two things stand out like a sore thumb to me and really bother me.
1. Everyone has to think about the family at this time in their lives......The USA and everyone living in it is burying a service member and some use it as a political tool. The family is burying a family memeber!! Don't make this day any worse than it already is!
2. Why do we as a nation (collectively) have the need to feed on this type of media? Think about it, they wouldn't report it if there were no demand for it!
I truly hope the Snyder family gets the Supreme Court to review and overturn the reversal.
I also hope God has no mercy when it comes to Fred and his flunkies meeting the criteria to get through the gates.
*Edit to ad pics*
