Word today that a Baltimore jury awarded 10.9 million dollars to the parents of the late Matthew Snyder, an Iraqi War soldier whose funeral was protested by none other then Fred Phelps and members of his family, all of whom lead the Westboro Baptist "church". The jury held Phelps & family liable of defamation, invasion of privacy and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

In fact, the “church” regularly protests the funerals of fallen soldiers claiming that the mounting death toll in Iraq is God’s way of making the USA pay for liberal policies that embrace homosexuality.

I first heard of Phelps and his crew when they protested another Matthew’s funeral many years ago. Matthew Sheppard’s funeral services were polluted by Phelps and his family as they hoisted signs of hate while Sheppard’s family mourned the devastating loss and violent end to their son’s life.