Ryan Newell, Disabled Afghan War Veteran, Accused Of Stalking Westboro Baptist Church Members

The Wichita Eagle:

WICHITA, Kan. In a case that has captured national attention, a double-amputee war veteran already accused of misdemeanors against a controversial Topeka church now faces a felony charge.

Read the whole story: The Wichita Eagle

Comments

[unimatrix0]

09:43 AM on 12/17/2010

I don't think Ryan Newell did anything wrong. He is either doing exactly what the WBC is doing, and showing up at a place where he is not wanted, and allowed to do so under free speech. Or he proves what I really believe, that the WBC with their hate protests at funerals, is not covered undered free speech, since it is like yelling "fire" when there is not one. Knowingly inciting people with likelyhood of causing physical harm is not free speech. The WBC has had to ask for protection at some of their demonstrations, and now they have provoked a veteran with a fire arm to start following them, and they claim they are fearful. Well, it seems to me they are inciting people. Funerals are extra special, since people are grieving, and their emotions are fragile. Taunting people in this mind set is cruel, and only make inciting them easier. The WBC are bullies who cry when they get a taste of their own medicine.

[ThirdSection]

11:39 PM on 12/10/2010

Let's see, the members of the Westboro Church are US citizens who publicly celebrate whenever a member of the US Military is killed in action. This looks to me a lot like providing comfort to the enemy, and with that in mind, I refer you to article three of the Constitution.

[TeraWatt60]

03:03 PM on 12/25/2010

agreed but the Conservative Evangelicals and Fundamentalists ,while not agreeing with them on tactics perhaps,  agree with them  and their vile "message"... or discount their terrorism, like anti-choice thugs, because they cloak it in X-tian religiosity instead of Muslim

[bvongrabe]

06:41 AM on 12/10/2010

Let's see now: the Taliban hates soldiers and celebrates every time one dies. The Westboro Baptist Church hates soldiers and celebrates every time one dies. They are stalking every veteran funeral. Conclusion: the Westboro Baptist Church is the Taliban Wing of the Church. And NOW they are complainging aveteran stalks them? What planet are we on? If this is Friday it must be Mars.

[CharlieTuba]

04:54 PM on 12/08/2010

So the Phelps crowd is upset that Ryan Newell is stalking them. Haven't they been stalking at military funerals? I do not approve of carrying around firearms, but I don't believe that Ryan Newell had threatened anyone. If Ryan Newell is accused of stalking then Phelps and his "church" (I use the word "church" loosely) should also be charge with stalking. What's good for the goose is good for the gander.

[Brandon M Trube]

04:56 PM on 12/07/2010

Ryan has been RELEASED! He has been admitted to the VA for treatment. The mission continues as we have a long road ahead of us. His defense is still being put together, and he still need support financially and morally.

We do not have any more details than that at the moment. We will let you know more as soon as we know. Keep an eye on http://www.ryannewell.info for more!

- The Ryan Newell Support Team

[ThirdSection]

11:46 PM on 12/10/2010

Thanks for the link! I stumbled the site and donated $10.

[ThirdSection]

02:00 AM on 12/11/2010

Thanks for the info!

[thebigbike]

05:12 PM on 12/06/2010

Well, aside from the utterly obscene and totally despicable filth the westbro baptists spew, one wonders why Ryan Newell didn't get the psychiatric care he deserves from a budgetarily starved VA (and a VA where at least some segments are empathetically and morally starved as they invent wasy to deny care and disablity status to men and women who sacrificed so much). Oh gsh, through the 2001 to 2009 budgets, a Repugnikkklan administration figured VA was an area where they could enact their "deficit reduction " programs.

[bvongrabe]

06:45 AM on 12/10/2010

The answer is simple: the Republicans, who voted in favor of both wars, deny veterans the healthcare they need. Do I need to say more ? And YOU voted for a Republican ?

[LynnW49]

03:33 PM on 12/06/2010

The possession of weapons issue, if true, is troubling, but more because of the damage that the ravages of war have inflicted on this man. Thank goodness no violence was done.

But I do not understand why what the Westboro Baptist Church is doing at the funerals of soldiers is not also considered stalking.

Stalking is "the crime of harassing somebody with persistent, inappropriate, and unwanted attention". The repetitive and obssessive intrusions of the Phelps people at funerals fits the very definition.

The Westboro Baptist Church's web domain name is not wetborobaptistchurch dot org or dot com, it is godhatesf--- dot com. It is very clear where they are coming from. Mr. Newell had guns in his possession (potentially scary), but the WBC is using weapons that are just as dangerous. Any church that chooses a hateful domain name to represent it is clearly not about changing hearts and minds by peaceful means. It is most certainly not about Christ.

[Ioan Lightoller]

12:42 PM on 12/06/2010

I was wondering when something of this sort was going to happen. With the amount of hate and hurt which Westboro Bapist Church has spread over the years, I am surprised that this did not happen sooner. I cannot feel sorry for them, not after hearing and seeing the hatred and bigotry which they spread at every opportunity.

[Bobbi2664]

07:14 AM on 12/06/2010

Theres a old saying that comes to mind. What Goes Around,Comes Around" .In other words "karma".Now do i want to see any of the people that are so far down the evolutionary chain be harmed no but i would'nt lose any sleep if it happened.It could'nt happen to a more deserving bunch thats just my feelings.

[Ed C Atlanta]

06:00 AM on 12/06/2010

Now these people are crying that they are the victims and their rights are being invaded? Please.

[Sans Octavian]

04:48 AM on 12/06/2010

Instead of bringing felony charges against him, give the man a medal.

[Frenbar]

12:14 AM on 12/06/2010

You can't sing the praises of religion, and be against what these crazies are doing.

If you encourage people to believe that Spiderman is real and that they should worship him, you can't turn around and complain when they say Spiderman is telling them to do crazy things. Worship spiderman and other dietes should be discouraged and ridiculed as to stigmatize those who engage in such behavior, not encouraged because people practiced the same rituals in the dark ages.

[Libertarian09]

01:33 AM on 12/06/2010

No don't complain, point out to them where in the "Spiderman Followers Handbook" they have misinterpreted what Spiderman has been whispering in their ear. The problems arise from religion when people allow someone else (preacher, mullah or monk) to decide for them what the teachings mean. I mean really, how can one read the Bible for themselves and come away from it supporting the military while ignoring the poor?

[Frenbar]

02:07 AM on 12/06/2010

The point is, once you give credence to the "divine inspiration" of the "Spiderman Followers Handbook", all conversation becomes moot. Logic is now out the window. You have people basing the very core of their being, their system of beliefs, on magical thinking. People can quibble about the interpretations of the magical writings in the magical book. Whether or not you correctly divine the intent of the writers of the magical book is ultimately irrelevant.

[RationalityPlease]

11:54 PM on 12/05/2010

While I don't condone violence, having had the distinct displeasure of having the Phelps clan invade my grief for lost loved ones on more than one occasion, I can understand how someone might well lose it in response.

Phelps has sent several of his clan to law school precisely to go after people that they goad into reacting to them. Newell will need all the help he can get.

Don't know anything about this organization, other than that I probably wouldn't visit their site under normal circumstances, but they are collecting donations for Newell:

http://www.usawtfm.com/2010/12/ryan-newell-bail-fund.html

The Phelps are equal opportunity haters who particularly love to exercise their "free speech" hate at the most vulnerable and painful times in their victims' lives. Their only potentially good effect is that their appearances have a bizarre tendency to unite extremely diverse people who have been victimized by them. At a counter-demonstration, all sorts of people who don't usually tolerate one another well may find themselves bonding with one another.

[faustbos]

11:48 AM on 12/06/2010

Oh good heavens, how peculiar that the Phelps brand of religion may in fact unite people :-)

There is one other aspect to this though, which i haven't seen addressed yet. A few have posted something to affect,..... It was fine when they were just protesting gays, but when they protest military funerals, this they will not tolerate.

I want that thought to sink in a bit, and hopefully some people may begin to understand what it is like to be on the receiving end of gay-hating.

It sickens me that the Phelps problem has reached the levels it has.

Very good observation RationalityPlease, the people who do cross over the legal line against the Phelps will undoubtedly be prosecuted, and though I may not agree with the Phelps, I do believe in the rule of law. But let there be no mistake, the Phelps may conduct themselves within the letter of the law, but they are far from decent people. And it may turn out the Ryan's predicament has extenuating circumstances that may lead to leniency. There may be no need to throw the book at him as a matter of principle. Quit the contrary, the compassion in our system may lead to quite an alternative resolution.

[Ioan Lightoller]

03:14 PM on 12/06/2010

I noticed this became a major issue only when veterans and their families are attacked and hassled by those like the WBC crowd. Before that it was apparently fine and dandy. Maybe some of this will open their eyes to what GLBT people have to live with on a daily basis.

[RationalityPlease]

04:15 PM on 12/06/2010

Even if he doesn't have the criminal charges book thrown at him, the Phelps clan will likely try to sue him. They thrive on causing as much pain as possible. My first encounter with them was almost 20-odd years ago at the funeral of a dear gay friend (I'm a lesbian). Their capacity for hate seems boundless.

[joedaplumper]

11:38 PM on 12/05/2010

For this patriot, the WBC is just as bad as the Taliban. Who can blame??

[petzl]

10:49 PM on 12/05/2010

Sure this concept has been alluded to multiple times but:
this certainly is one of those "No Jury Would Convict Me" moments.