Does God Hate America?

The death of a soldier is an occassion for grieving. But for Kansas minister Fred Phelps and his followers, it's an occassion to chastise the United States for tolerating homosexuality. Phelps believes that U.S. soldiers are dying as God's punishment for our sins. As the News Journal reports, the people of Seaford do not agree:

"Get out of our county," Amanda Elzey, 18, of Salisbury, Md., shouted. Elzey's pink T-shirt read: "God Hates No One."

More than 1,000 mourners gathered to honor Cpl. Cory Palmer, and to protect the family from the out of town protesters:

Outside the church, Carol Guilbert, a senior citizen from Bridgeville, stood quietly with her husband to support Palmer's family, with whom she attends church. She opposes U.S. involvement in Iraq.
"This has nothing to do with your feelings about the war," said Guilbert, whose husband is a World War II veteran. "We're very supportive of the family."