I'm sure most of you know about the Westboro Baptist "Church" coming to Jacksonville last Saturday...shocker, they never showed! Well that's because they didn't apply in time for the permits needed (for professional protesters, they're sure stupid! Oh wait, I forgot, they're inbreeds...oops!). Well, good news to those who were going to go out there, they're COMING BACK!!

01/26/2008 11 AM to 12 PM @ Lejeune Blvd and Hargett Street (right outside of Camp Johnson)

From their website www.godhatesamerica.com "This nation is full of angry rebels against the Lord God of Hosts. These marines are a microcosm of those rebels. You kill, rape, commit adultery, serve every filthy lust, worship a rag-tag, bloody, fag-flag, and in the same breath demand God bless you. How arrogant are you! You are worse than Sodom and Gomorrah! You had them for an example, who were destroyed in flaming fire and "suffer[ed] the vengeance of eternal fire", and yet you continue in your stiffnecked persecution of God's Prophets, the humble servants of God at Westboro Baptist Church. God has given you the dead marine girl, and that rapist/murderer, and that other freak who is soliticing sex with a 16-year-old minor! There is nothing you freaks will not do! There is no moral compass, moral decency; it's all out the window, and because you have violently persecuted us, God is blowing you up with I.E.D.s. Praise God, for his mercies endureth forever. Amen."

My friends and I will be there with out own signs supporting our husbands and friends and HEROES! Anyone planning on going and wants to go as a group (let's show we're unified on this) PM me and we'll get this thing organized!! We're not going to argue or yell at them, they LIKE that-we're going to silently show our support with our own signs and try and block as many of the WBC losers as we possibly can. Hope to see you all there!

Those SOB's :reallymad. I was planning on going down there, but dh really doesn't want me to. He knows how my temper is, and that I would more than likely get in a confrontation with these sick bastards.

Yeah, it's going to be a HUGE lesson in self control for everyone. I have quite the temper as well, but after researching these idiots (they're all over youtube especially), I've seen how much they LOVE being told they're crazy and idiotic and wrong. We have as much of a chance of convincing them our guys are heroes and they do of convincing us that they're not......ZERO!!! And after hearing their version of the Marine Corp Hymn (disgusting) and seeing how upset it made my husband, who's been to Iraq twice and had alot of friends not come home with him, I have to go try and hide at least one of their signs from another Marine driving onto base or around town (they're going to be right outside the main entrance to Camp Johnson). Let me know if you change your mind, but I COMPLETELY understand...its going to be so hard not to punch all of them!!!

You're right. I think reverse psychology would be great. I think that if everyone ignores them, then they will feel like they are wasting their time..KWIM?

I cannot stand those people! I was hoping they wouldn't actually come here but I guess they can't resist. I will be staying as far away from that area as possible, per Col Hodges' request:

Notice to All Hands

A civil demonstration is scheduled to take place Saturday at around noon on
public property near Camp Lejeune addressing the highly-publicized Marine
murder investigation underway by Onslow County Sheriff's Department. For
your own safety, if you happen to come in contact with this gathering, leave
the area immediately. Do not attempt to engage in any verbal taunting or
physical altercation with this group. We believe they want to generate
additional publicity by provoking such a confrontation. Do not help them in
this effort by engaging in any provocative activity. The Marine Corps has always respected and fought for the inherent right of all American citizens
to peacefully demonstrate. In keeping with our Core Values, I urge all
Marines and Sailors to stay away from this demonstration and allow it to
take place in a manner that is both peaceful and civil.

Col A.E. Hodges
Base Commanding Officer

I cannot stand those people! I was hoping they wouldn't actually come here but I guess they can't resist. I will be staying as far away from that area as possible, per Col Hodges' request:

Notice to All Hands

A civil demonstration is scheduled to take place Saturday at around noon on
public property near Camp Lejeune addressing the highly-publicized Marine
murder investigation underway by Onslow County Sheriff's Department. For
your own safety, if you happen to come in contact with this gathering, leave
the area immediately. Do not attempt to engage in any verbal taunting or
physical altercation with this group. We believe they want to generate
additional publicity by provoking such a confrontation. Do not help them in
this effort by engaging in any provocative activity. The Marine Corps has always respected and fought for the inherent right of all American citizens
to peacefully demonstrate. In keeping with our Core Values, I urge all
Marines and Sailors to stay away from this demonstration and allow it to
take place in a manner that is both peaceful and civil.

Col A.E. Hodges
Base Commanding Officer


Was this in The Globe? Col. Hodges is awesome. I have met her a few times and she is a great lady. I will heed her advice and steer clear of these sickos.

did you girls see this?


Eagles and Friends.

This has been a tumultuous week. Scores of organizations and thousands of individuals are consumed with rage because a group like the WBC would be allowed to taunt our soldiers - in their own yard! According to the JPD dozens of permits were requested and denied.

The WBC has reapplied for January 26.

After considerable deliberation, including discussions with other organizations, I have come to the decision that NC Gathering of Eagles will not counter protest the WBC.

Wait! Dont shoot your computers just yet! We will be in Jacksonville. But ....

The WBC is heavily lawyered. They delight in provoking anger, hoping for an excuse for litigation. If one person assaulted them, they would sue everyone within a 500 mile radius. The JPD knows this. The Camp Lejueune base authorities know this. Both agencies have issued statements that basically say, "Dont make the media circus worse. Stay away."

We will not give WBC that which they crave - attention and publicity. Instead we will build up that which they seek to tear down. If we confronted them directly in the manner in which we go after moonbats, the only thing we would accomplish is soothing our own anger and, of course, possibly creating a regrettable situation.

As I've been told by a couple of people already, I know I'm gonna catch flak for this decision. It dont matter, I believe the following plan is our best course of action.

I have applied for a permit to assemble at the intersection of N. Marine Blvd and Western Blvd in Jacksonville. This location was recommended by a Marine wife who lives there ( and is a new member of NC GOE ). According to the officer I've been speaking with at JPD, this intersection is the busiest in the state with over 60,000 cars a day passing through. He said we couldn't have picked a better spot.

Our permit has been approved and we will gather at 11:00am, and spend the next four hours demonstrating what real Troop Support looks like.

This is only the second time that NC GOE has staged a purely patriotic event without confronting adversaries. ( The first was our "Raise Your Voice!" rally and concert on the UNC-Chapel Hill campus in April last year ). While the WBC stands alone and isolated, we will again raise our voices to salute the men and women of our military, celebrate America and pledge our allegiance to flag and republic.

So don your warm duds, grab your flags and let's give those Marines some well deserved praise.

Updates to follow.

You may now shoot your computer.

Ross 'Bubba' McDowell
NC State Coordinator (for now)
Gathering of Eagles