You all have probably heard of Fred Phelps and his gang of religious nuts who go around protesting at funerals of fallen soldiers? They are trying to get their message out to the masses, which is that America is too tolerant of gays and because of that it is good that soldiers are dying, because that’s what a gay-loving nation deserves, or something like that. Basically, a fringe group of real bonafide assholes. Well, today in suburban Lansing, they got more than they bargained for.

Apparently, a group of bikers who call themselves “Patriot Guard Riders” showed up at the funeral with their leather and American flags and giant hogs and outnumbered the protesters about 200 to 5. Yes, 5. They really don’t deserve all this attention but when your message is as sick as theirs is, it’s hard to just ignore them. Anyway, the patriots blocked the religious nuts, shielding the family and other attendees from their signs and shouts, and they left before the funeral service began. These are some bad-ass good Americans! We should all be proud.

I am, of course, always on the side of free speech, and it doesn’t appear that the protesters were prevented from doing what they intended. But a funeral service is, or should be, a private matter, don’t you think? Personally, I don’t know how these protesters are not getting their asses kicked every time, but they appear to be pretty feeble old people, most of them. So what, I say, a kick in the stomach and off you go! Reminds me of The Blues Brothers: “I hate Illinois Nazis!”

By the way, in the Tribune story, Westboro spokeswoman Shirley Phelps-Roper told reporters, “This nation is being punished by a raging mad God.” No, Shirley, this nation is being punished by bad leadership. But that’s a whole different story.