KKK prevents Westboro Baptists during demonstration at Arlington on Memorial Day

Two notorious hate organizations got in the way of Memorial Day at Arlington National Cemetery on Monday, states CNN. Hours before President Obama was set to speak before the Tomb of the Unknowns, participants in the Westboro Baptist Church and Ku Klux Klan locked horns. Astonishingly, no violence or arrests occurred.

How the KKK feels about the anti-gay protests from Westboro

The angry demonstrations against homosexuality and the United States Military from the Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kan., have gotten a lot of attention. Under the direction of Pastor Phelps and his daughter Abigail, church members parade outside military funerals, sporting anti-gay signs that condemn the souls of dead soldiers to hell.

There is one group of 10 individuals that were at Arlington that didn't like these sentiments though. The 10 people supposedly represented the Knights of the Southern Cross, also known as the Ku Klux Klan. In an area near where the Westboro Baptists were assembled, KKK members dispersed American flags, waved a banner that read "POW-MIA" and did their best to drown out the vitriol of the Westboro Baptists.

Imperial Wizard Dennis LaBonte was at the demonstration. He said the Phelps message of anti-troops was being protested there.

“It’s the soldier that fought and died and gave them that right to free speech,” said LaBonte.

Not scripture based

Abigail Phelps told CNN the Westboro Baptists acknowledge no moral authority in the KKK, as in her church’s view, the Bible makes no references to white power or white supremacy. LaBonte and other suggest the Ku Klux Klan is only there to look after the white race. It is not about being racist or hateful. The Westboro Baptists still believe that homosexuality and the United States military complex are evils.

Not really free freedom

As long as the Westboro Baptists stay a certain distance from military funerals, they’re allowed to protest under the First Amendment protection, according to a United States Supreme Court ruling. Much the same is true of the Ku Klux Klan and their white power demonstrations. So long as violence or direct violations of the law aren’t involved, such organizations can protest as often as they like.

Articles cited

Arlington National Cemetery

arlingtoncemetery.mil/

CNN

cnn.com/2011/US/05/30/arlington.cemetery.protesters/index.html

New York Daily News

nydn.us/mK3Aku