Kevin Dayhoff The Tentacle: SCOTUS Westboro Decision - A Victory for Free Speech?

March 4, 2011

A Victory for Free Speech?

Kevin E. Dayhoff  http://www.thetentacle.com/ShowArticle.cfm?mydocid=4265

By a vote of 8-1, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a long awaited decision Wednesday over the collision of free speech, common sense and decency and our right to privacy in the case of Albert Snyder v. Fred W. Phelps, Sr., and the Westboro Baptist Church.

The Supreme Court ruled against the father of Westminster native Lance Cpl. Matthew Snyder, whose March 10, 2006, funeral was picketed by members of the Kansas-based church. Corporal Snyder was 20 years-old when he died March 3, 2006, in Al Anbar Province, Iraq.

The irony abounds that the Westboro band of graceless sociopaths have chosen over the years to disparage and heap emotional abuse on families at the funerals of the very men and women in uniform, who have died defending the right of these creeps to exercise their right to free speech.

The controversy that initiated the test of the limits of free speech began shortly after Snyder’s death. In a paroxysmal milieu, the Snyder family is an otherwise unlikely fulcrum for all this drama... http://www.thetentacle.com/ShowArticle.cfm?mydocid=4265

http://www.thetentacle.com/ShowArticle.cfm?mydocid=4265  http://tinyurl.com/4obs953

http://kevindayhoffwestgov-net.blogspot.com/2011/03/kevin-dayhoff-tentacle-scotus-westboro.html

Labels: Dayhoff Media The Tentacle, Dayhoff Writing Essays, Free Speech, Free Speech Protesters, Iraq War CCo Cpl Snyder Kia 2mar06, US Constitution 01 Amendment, Westboro Baptist Church

http://tinyurl.com/4obs953
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Kevin Dayhoff Soundtrack: http://www.kevindayhoff.net/ Kevin Dayhoff Art: http://www.kevindayhoffart.com/

My http://www.explorecarroll.com/ columns appear in the copy of the Baltimore Sunday Sun that is distributed in Carroll County: https://subscribe.baltsun.com/Circulation/

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Kevin Dayhoff Soundtrack: http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/ = http://www.kevindayhoff.net/ Kevin Dayhoff Art: http://kevindayhoffart.blogspot.com/ or http://kevindayhoffart.com/ = http://www.kevindayhoff.com/ Kevin Dayhoff Westminster: http://kevindayhoffwestgov-net.blogspot.com/ or http://www.westgov.net/ = www.kevindayhoff.org Twitter: https://twitter.com/kevindayhoff Twitpic: http://twitpic.com/photos/kevindayhoff Kevin Dayhoff's The New Bedford Herald: http://kbetrue.livejournal.com/ = www.newbedfordherald.net Explore Carroll: www.explorecarroll.com The Tentacle: www.thetentacle.com

Explore Carroll: Supreme Court rules in favor of Westboro in protest at funeral of Westminster marine

Explore Carroll: Supreme Court rules in favor of Westboro in protest at funeral of Westminster marine

The U.S. Supreme Court issued a ruling Wednesday against the father of Westminster native Lance Cpl. Matthew Snyder, whose 2006 funeral was picketed by members of the Kansas-based Westboro Baptist Church with signs proclaiming “God Hates You” and other such slogans... http://www.explorecarroll.com/news/5210/supreme-court-favor-westboro-protest-funeral-westminster-marine/


Jon Aerts, of Capital News Service, contributed to this story.  This story has been updated. Kevin E. Dayhoff and Steve Schuster contributed to this story.

Supreme Court March 2, 2011 decision Snyder v. Phelps et al

Argued October 6, 2010 – Decided March 2, 2011

http://www.scribd.com/doc/49903129/Supreme-Court-March-2-2011-decision-Snyder-v-Phelps-et-al

The Supreme Court decision introduced the matter as follows:

For the past 20 years, the congregation of the Westboro Baptist Church has picketed military funerals to communicate its belief that God hates the United States for its tolerance of homosexuality, particularly in America’s military.  The church’s picketing has also condemned the Catholic Church for scandals involving its clergy.  Fred Phelps, who founded the church, and six Westboro Baptist parishioners (all relatives of Phelps) traveled to Maryland to picket the funeral of Marine Lance Corporal Matthew Snyder, who was killed in Iraq in the line of duty.  The picketing took place on public land approximately 1,000 feet from the church where the funeral was held, in accordance with guidance from local law enforcement officers.  The picketers peacefully displayed their signs—stating, e.g., “Thank God for Dead Soldiers,” “Fags Doom Nations,” “America is Doomed,” “Priests Rape Boys,” and “You’re  Going to Hell”—for about 30 minutes before the funeral began.  Matthew Snyder’s father (Snyder), petitioner here, saw the tops of the picketers’ signs when driving to the funeral, but did not learn what was written on the signs until watching a news broadcast later that night… http://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/10pdf/09-751.pdf

For more on this story go to: Supreme Court rules in favor of Westboro in protest at funeral of Westminster marine Court says protest at Snyder's funeral was protected free speech Posted 3/02/11 by Carroll Eagle, Eldersburg Eagle, Westminster Eagle  http://www.explorecarroll.com/news/5210/supreme-court-favor-westboro-protest-funeral-westminster-marine/

Related: http://www.scribd.com/doc/49902725/The-Supreme-Court-transcript-of-the-Oct-6-2010-oral-arguments-Snyder-v-Phelps

Free speech, Westboro Baptist Church, Marine Lance Corporal Matthew Snyder, Explore Carroll, Westminster, Maryland, Carroll County, Dayhoff, Supreme Court

20110302 SCOTUS Snyder v Phelps 09-751

Supreme Court March 2, 2011 decision Snyder v. Phelps et al

The transcript of the October 6, 2010 oral arguments before the Supreme Court of the United States in the case of Albert Snyder v. Pred W. Phelps, Sr., et. al., here: http://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/09-751.pdf  Or you may listen to the oral arguments here: http://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_audio_detail.aspx?argument=09-751

http://www.scribd.com/doc/49902725/The-Supreme-Court-transcript-of-the-Oct-6-2010-oral-arguments-Snyder-v-Phelps

The Supreme Court transcript of the Oct. 6, 2010 oral arguments Snyder v. Phelps

Snyder v. Phelps Supreme Court syllabusRelated: http://www.explorecarroll.com/search/more.php?f=news&y=0&p=1&s=Westboro&t=


Matthew Snyder, of Finksburg, Maryland, died from a non combat-related vehicle accident in Al Anbar province, Iraq. He was assigned to Combat Service Support Group-1, 1st Marine Logistics Group, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Twentynine Palms, California. Died on March 3, 2006. Matthew was 20 years old.


Matthew graduated from Westminster High School in 2003.
After graduation, he enlisted in the Marines on October 14, 2003, and was stationed at Camp Lejeune, N.C. In August of 2004, Matthew was assigned to Combat Logistics Batallion-7, Twentynine Palms, Calif. as a generator mechanic. [http://matthewsnyder.org/]

Related: http://www.explorecarroll.com/search/more.php?f=news&y=0&p=1&s=Westboro&t=

Supreme Court rules in favor of Westboro in protest at funeral of Westminster marine

Published March 2, 2011 by Carroll Eagle, Eldersburg Eagle, Westminster Eagle

... by members of the Kansas-based Westboro Baptist Church with signs proclaiming “ ... slogans.The court ruled that the Westboro protest, though hurtful, is protected by ... redress over the presence of seven WestboroBaptist Church demonstrators wielding signs outside ... ...

Letters: Remembering Matthew Snyder as a person, not a lawsuit

Published November 7, 2010 by Carroll Eagle, Westminster Eagle, Eldersburg Eagle

... a son of Carroll," Oct. 10.) For many reasons, I have refrained from speaking publicly about the lawsuit involving the Westboro Baptist Church -- of which I am not a part. However, I do want to express my appreciation for the editorial pointing out ... ...

Supreme Court grapples with privacy debate over protest at Matthew Snyder's funeral

Published October 6, 2010 by Carroll Eagle, Eldersburg Eagle, Westminster Eagle

... redress over the presence of seven Westboro Baptist Church demonstrators wielding "God ... private funeral deserved protection from Westboro's message. Margie Phelps, the ... spoke before the cameras, callingWestboro's picketing "utterly intolerable in ... ...

Case of Westminster marine's funeral protest goes to Supreme Court on Oct. 6

Published October 3, 2010 by Carroll Eagle, Eldersburg Eagle, Westminster Eagle

... Seven members of the Kansas-based Westboro Baptist Church also came to ... in legal fees incurred by theWestboro Church. The order drew national ... .”Founded in 1955, the Westboro Baptist Church is led by ... the eve of the Snyder-Westboro case at the Supreme Court, ... ...

EDITORIAL: Amidst the legal controversy, let's not forget Matthew Snyder as a son of Carroll

Published October 2, 2010 by Carroll Eagle, Eldersburg Eagle, Westminster Eagle

The case involving the protest by Westboro Baptist Church members at the March 2006 ... even before the protracted court case regarding Westboro began, The Eagle wrote in an ... group was from the Kansas-basedWestboro Baptist Church, which routinely pickets the ... ...

Strangers, celebrities offer to pay Marine family's court-ordered expenses

Published April 4, 2010 by Carroll Eagle, Westminster Eagle

... funeral was picketed by members of the Westboro Baptist Church. Lance Corp. Snyder was killed ... in Al Qaim, Iraq. Members of the Westboro church, based in Topeka, Kan., protested ... ... "It is obvious that (Westboro followers) were disturbing the peace by ... ...

Strangers, celebrities help pay expenses for family of fallen Marine

Published March 31, 2010 by Carroll Eagle, Eldersburg Eagle, Westminster Eagle

... funeral was picketed by members of the Westboro Baptist Church.Lance Corp. Snyder was killed ... in Al Qaim, Iraq. Members of the Westboro church, based in Topeka, Kansas, protested at ... free, she said.Phelps and the Westboro Church have picketed a number of ... ...

Snyder funeral protest case will go to Supreme Court

Published March 14, 2010 by Westminster Eagle, Carroll Eagle

... Snyder sued Fred Phelps, founder of the Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kan., who ... Snyder funeral is not the only time Westboro has interacted with Carroll County. In ... accident in Finksburg. At the time,Westboro Baptist Church claimed that tragedy had ... ...

O'Reilly steps forward to pay fallen Marine family's court-ordered ...

Apr 01, 2010

Protesters led by Fred Phelps, of the Topeka, Kansas Westboro Baptist Church protested at Lance Cpl. Snyder's funeral at his funeral service which was held in his home parish of St. John Catholic Church in Westminster on March 10, 2006. ...

http://kevindayhoffwestgov-net.blogspot.com/

http://kevindayhoffwestgov-net.blogspot.com/2011/03/explore-carroll-supreme-court-rules-in.html

LABELS: IRAQ WAR CCO CPL SNYDER KIA 2MAR06, SUPREME COURT OF THE US, WESTBORO BAPTIST CHURCH


Kevin Dayhoff Art: http://www.kevindayhoff.com/ (http://kevindayhoffart.blogspot.com/) http://www.kevindayhoffart.com/ New Bedford Herald: http://kbetrue.livejournal.com/

Explore Carroll: Supreme Court rules in favor of Westboro in protest at funeral of Westminster marine

The U.S. Supreme Court issued a ruling Wednesday against the father of Westminster native Lance Cpl. Matthew Snyder, whose 2006 funeral was picketed by members of the Kansas-based Westboro Baptist Church with signs proclaiming “God Hates You” and other such slogans... http://www.explorecarroll.com/news/5210/supreme-court-favor-westboro-protest-funeral-westminster-marine/

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Westminster Maryland Online http://www.westminstermarylandonline.net/ http://kevindayhoffwestgov-net.blogspot.com/

Kevin Dayhoff Soundtrack: http://www.kevindayhoff.net/ Kevin Dayhoff Art: http://www.kevindayhoffart.com/

My http://www.explorecarroll.com/ columns appear in the copy of the Baltimore Sunday Sun that is distributed in Carroll County: https://subscribe.baltsun.com/Circulation/

Conservatives: Beware Of The Military Funeral Case

CONSERVATIVES: BEWARE OF THE MILITARY FUNERAL CASE

By Mark J., Fitzgibbons The American Thinker

http://www.americanthinker.com/2010/06/conservatives_beware_of_the_mi.html

The obnoxious family that calls itself the Westboro Baptist Church is an example of how it is sometimes difficult to take the long view of freedom. Patriotic, constitutional conservatives, however, should be cautioned about the WBC military funeral case now in the news. It has potential for mischief against conservative activists.

WBC has made a name for itself protesting at military funerals and is in the middle of a Supreme Court battle with the father of a slain Marine over whether WBC's public relations ploys crossed the line and constituted a legal wrong. The Fourth Circuit reversed a U.S. District Court judgment awarding the father, Albert Snyder, millions of dollars in tort damages. The Supreme Court then agreed to hear Mr. Snyder's case.

WBC has managed to offend nearly everyone. They abuse biblical verses identifying conduct God hates to state that God hates individuals. WBC has a website (godhatesfags.com), relentlessly bashes the Catholic Church, and, in highly visible protests, its pitifully few members carry signs near military funerals with messages such as "Thank God for dead soldiers," "God Hates the USA," "Pope in hell," and others designed to provoke attention and rage.

Mr. Snyder did not see the signs at his son's funeral until later that day, when footage was shown on television. Mr. Snyder then followed up by reviewing WBC's offensive internet rants naming his son. Understandably outraged, he filed suit against WBC alleging various torts.

Continue reading at The American Thinker

http://www.americanthinker.com/2010/06/conservatives_beware_of_the_mi.html

_________

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Kevin Dayhoff Soundtrack: http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/ = http://www.kevindayhoff.net/ Kevin Dayhoff Art: http://kevindayhoffart.blogspot.com/ or http://kevindayhoffart.com/ = http://www.kevindayhoff.com/ Kevin Dayhoff Westminster: http://kevindayhoffwestgov-net.blogspot.com/ or http://www.westgov.net/ = www.kevindayhoff.org Twitter: https://twitter.com/kevindayhoff Twitpic: http://twitpic.com/photos/kevindayhoff Kevin Dayhoff's The New Bedford Herald: http://kbetrue.livejournal.com/ = www.newbedfordherald.net Explore Carroll: www.explorecarroll.com The Tentacle: www.thetentacle.com

O'Reilly steps forward to pay fallen Marine family’s court-ordered expenses

Cable news host steps forward to pay fallen Marine family’s court-ordered expenses

The O'Reilly Factor host Bill O’Reilly stepped forward and said, “That is an outrage… I will pay Mr. Snyder’s obligation.”

March 31 2010

By Kevin Dayhoff By Kevin Dayhoff http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/2010/03/oreilly-steps-forward-to-pay-fallen.html

Fox News cable news host Bill O'Reilly has said that he will pay the $16,500 legal bill for the father of fallen U.S. Marine Lance Corporal Matthew A. Snyder, of Westminster who was killed instantly March 3, 2006 while on assignment in Al Qaim, Iraq.

Protesters led by Fred Phelps, of the Topeka, Kansas Westboro Baptist Church protested at Lance Cpl. Snyder’s funeral at his funeral service which was held in his home parish of St. John Catholic Church in Westminster on March 10, 2006.

According to news reports, Phelps and the church have picketed a number of military funerals around the country claiming that the deaths of U.S. military personnel in Afghanistan and Iraq are punishment for the nation’s tolerance of homosexuality.

In response to the protests, Lance Cpl. Snyder’s father, Albert Snyder, of York, Pa., sued Phelps, his daughters Shirley Phelps-Roper and Rebecca Phelps-Davis, and the church and won an $11 million damage award for emotional distress and invasion of privacy in October 2007.

The judge subsequently reduced the amount to $5 million. However, the verdict was thrown out on appeal in the Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit in Maryland, which last Friday ordered Snyder to pay the costs of Phelps’ appeal.

Meanwhile the Fourth Circuit’s decision has been appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court which agreed earlier in the month to consider whether or not the protesters’ messages, which include phrases such as ‘Thank God for dead soldiers,’ are protected by the “time, place and manner” precedent under the First Amendment which addresses the competing privacy and religious rights of the mourners.

Sean Summers and Craig Trebilcock, the York, Pennsylvania attorneys representing Snyder are doing the work for free; however the filing requirements for an appeal the U.S. Supreme Court can be expensive. A situation only exacerbated the decision last Friday that Snyder pay the court expenses involved in the Fourth Circuit’s decision, which has subsequently made national news.

Various legal experts have said in news reports that the Fourth Circuit had the discretion to hold off on making a ruling until the Supreme Court made its decision.

Meanwhile, a web site, MatthewSnyder.org, has been created by the law firm of Barley Snyder, LLC, who is representing the Snyder family for folks who would like to donate money for the Snyder family's continuing legal expenses.

In a phone interview this afternoon with this reporter, a representative of the firm said that all the money collected will go towards the expenses that will be incurred for preparing the case for the U.S. Supreme Court, “which can be pretty hefty…

“Not the attorney fees, because we are representing the family for free,” she added.

O’Reilly steps forward.

Yesterday on “The O'Reilly Factor,” O’Reilly stepped forward and said, “That is an outrage… I will pay Mr. Snyder’s obligation. I am not going to let this injustice stand…

“It is obvious that they were disturbing the peace by disrupting the funeral. They should have been arrested, but our system is so screwed up that loons are allowed to run wild. Snyder is fighting the good fight, and he is taking his case to the Supreme Court as he should. We are behind him 100 percent,” opined O’Reilly on the broadcast.

The U.S. Supreme Court will hear Snyder’s appeal during its October term and with a verdict will be announced in the middle of next year.

As for media reports that O’Reilly has volunteered to pay the appellate expenses ordered by the Fourth Circuit, the representative from Barley Snyder, LLC said that the phone has ringing off the hook as a result of those reports…

She added that she had also heard that (O’Reilly has said he will contribute) but cannot confirm at this point that he has indeed written a check, “Although I am sure he is good to his word.”

####

20100331 sdosmked Cable news host to pay to Snyder family court exps

Labels: Free Speech, Free Speech protesters, Iraq War, Iraq War Carroll Co Reaction, Iraq War CCo Cpl Snyder KIA 2Mar06, Journalists O'Reilly-Bill, Supreme Court of the US

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Kevin Dayhoff Soundtrack: http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/ = http://www.kevindayhoff.net/ Kevin Dayhoff Art: http://kevindayhoffart.blogspot.com/ or http://kevindayhoffart.com/ = http://www.kevindayhoff.com/ Kevin Dayhoff Westminster: http://kevindayhoffwestgov-net.blogspot.com/ or http://www.westgov.net/ = www.kevindayhoff.org Twitter: https://twitter.com/kevindayhoff Twitpic: http://twitpic.com/photos/kevindayhoff Kevin Dayhoff's The New Bedford Herald: http://kbetrue.livejournal.com/ = www.newbedfordherald.net Explore Carroll: www.explorecarroll.com The Tentacle: www.thetentacle.com

20071031 baltimoresun.com: Father of slain Marine wins case against funeral protesters

baltimoresun.com: Father of slain Marine wins case against funeral protesters

For additional information on Lance Cpl. Matthew A. Snyder, a 2003 Westminster High School graduate who was killed in Iraq on March 3, 2006 – please click here: Iraq War Reaction in Carroll Co. - Cpl. Matthew A. Snyder Killed in Iraq March 2 2006

The funeral service, which is the focus of the trial, took place in Westminster – and in spite of the fact that I cherish free speech and the right to protest; the actions of the members of the Westboro Baptist Church was reprehensible…

Father of slain Marine wins case against funeral protesters

Pa. man awarded $2.9 million in compensatory damages

By Matthew Dolan, Sun reporter, 3:56 PM EDT, October 31, 2007

Albert Snyder of York, Pa., the father of a Westminster Marine who was killed in Iraq, today won his case in a Baltimore federal court against members of Topeka, Kan.-based Westboro Baptist Church who protested at his son's funeral last year.

The jury of five women and four men awarded Snyder $2.9 million in compensatory damages. The amount of punitive damages to be awarded has not yet been decided. The jury deliberated for about two hours yesterday and much of today.

Snyder was the first in the nation to attempt to hold members of Westboro Baptist Church legally liable for their shock protests at military funerals after the church protested the military's inclusion of gays at the funeral of Lance Cpl. Matthew A. Snyder, a 2003 Westminster High School graduate who died March 3, 2006, in a vehicle accident in Anbar province.

In June 2006, Snyder sued the tight-knit fundamentalist Christian church and three of its members individually. The father argued that Westboro's demonstrations exacerbated his pain and suffering in March 2006 while he mourned the death of his only son.

[…]

Read the rest of the article here: Father of slain Marine wins case against funeral protesters

Related: Jury sees video of funeral protest

Church members protest outside federal court in Baltimore Video

Anti-gay church members protest Photo

Iraq War Reaction in Carroll Co. - Cpl. Matthew A. Snyder Killed in Iraq March 2 2006

20060315 Westminster Eagle Coverage of the death of Cpl Snyder in Iraq

Iraq War Reaction in Carroll Co. - Cpl. Matthew A. Snyder Killed in Iraq March 2 2006

03/15/06 - Extended family bids farewell Matthew Snyder, the Westminster Marine who died March 3 in a Humvee accident in Iraq. Leo Patalinghug, one of three clergy who conducted the funeral Mass, recalled several years ago visiting the S...

03/07/06 - Finksburg resident killed in Iraq Matthew A. Snyder, 20, was deployed in February to serve in Operation Iraqi Freedom, assigned to Combat Service Support Group-1, 1st Marine Logistics Group, I Marine Expeditionary Force.

03/15/06 - Obituaries Matthew Snyder, 20, of Westminster

Lance Corporal Matthew A. Snyder, USMC, of Westminster was killed instantly March 3, while on assignment in Al Qaim, Iraq.

A Mass of Christian burial was he...

03/15/06 - In face of tragedy, outpouring of support showed community's be Matthew Snyder brought home the tragedy of war last week, as the local resident and Westminster High graduate returned for the last time to his family and friends.

Besides, there's plenty of me...

04/05/06 - Letters 2006-04-05 00:00:00 Opinion Letters Community support, comfort was greatly appreciated

The family of Lance Cpl.

Matthew Snyder

03/29/06 - After Westminster incident, House passes bill to ban funeral pr 2006-03-29 00:00:00 Local News After Westminster incident, House passes bill to ban funeral pr By GEORGE R. ALTMAN
Capital News Service

Inspired by the recent protest at the funeral of a sol...

20060315 Westminster Eagle Coverage of the death of Cpl Snyder in Iraq

20060315 Westminster Eagle Coverage of the death of Cpl Snyder in Iraq

Westminster Eagle Coverage of the death of Cpl Snyder in Iraq

Iraq War Reaction in Carroll Co. - Cpl. Matthew A. Snyder Killed in Iraq March 2 2006

03/15/06 - Extended family bids farewell Matthew Snyder, the Westminster Marine who died March 3 in a Humvee accident in Iraq. Leo Patalinghug, one of three clergy who conducted the funeral Mass, recalled several years ago visiting the S...

03/07/06 - Finksburg resident killed in Iraq Matthew A. Snyder, 20, was deployed in February to serve in Operation Iraqi Freedom, assigned to Combat Service Support Group-1, 1st Marine Logistics Group, I Marine Expeditionary Force.

03/15/06 - Obituaries Matthew Snyder, 20, of Westminster

Lance Corporal Matthew A. Snyder, USMC, of Westminster was killed instantly March 3, while on assignment in Al Qaim, Iraq.

A Mass of Christian burial was he...

03/15/06 - In face of tragedy, outpouring of support showed community's be Matthew Snyder brought home the tragedy of war last week, as the local resident and Westminster High graduate returned for the last time to his family and friends.

Besides, there's plenty of me...

04/05/06 - Letters 2006-04-05 00:00:00 Opinion Letters Community support, comfort was greatly appreciated

The family of Lance Cpl.

Matthew Snyder

03/29/06 - After Westminster incident, House passes bill to ban funeral pr 2006-03-29 00:00:00 Local News After Westminster incident, House passes bill to ban funeral pr By GEORGE R. ALTMAN
Capital News Service

Inspired by the recent protest at the funeral of a sol...

20060315 Lance Cpl. Matthew Snyder, 20, of Westminster

Lance Cpl. Matthew Snyder, 20, of Westminster

Westminster Eagle Obituaries 03/15/06

Lance Corporal Matthew A. Snyder, USMC, of Westminster was killed instantly March 3, while on assignment in Al Qaim, Iraq.

Stationed out of Twenty-Nine Palms, Calif., he was on a convoy mission for which he volunteered when the Humvee he was traveling in overturned.

Lance Cpl. Snyder was born July 18, 1985, and lived in Carroll County until he followed his heart and chose to enlist in the U.S. Marine Corps upon graduating in 2003 from Westminster High School.

After completing training at Parris Island and Camp LeJeune, he was stationed at Twenty-Nine Palms until his deployment to Iraq in February 2006.

He was a young man who truly loved and embraced life, and lived his 20 years to the fullest.

He attended Sandymount Elementary School and loved sports. He played soccer and baseball for many years through various recreational programs. He also loved everything outdoors, including fishing and being at the beach.

He loved hiking and activity, and spent many days at Cascade Lake and the Westminster Skate Park.

Snyder was a devoted brother and cousin who enjoyed family parties, playing football games and swimming in the pool. He was a wonderful role model to his younger cousins.

He was proud to be a Marine and filled the position with dignity. Just before his deployment, he said he volunteered for convoy escort security because in his words, "there was a position that needs to be filled and I'm a Marine."

He was the beloved son of Julia A. Snyder (nee Francis) of Westminster and Albert L. Snyder of York, Pa., and the beloved brother of Sarah Anne and Tracie Lynne.

He was the cherished grandson of maternal grandparents John and Cay Francis and paternal grandparents Albert and Rosemary Snyder; great-grandson of maternal grandmother Helyn Pessaro; dear nephew of Cathy and Grant Menefee, Jane and Tommy Perkins, Andy and Mary Anne Francis, Bonnie Snyder and Debbie and Mark Krause; loving cousin of Emilie, Luke and John Menefee, Tommy, Heather, Billy and Catie Perkins, Drew and Kayla Francis, Sam and Jess Krause; and many close friends.

He was preceded in death by a cousin, Lauren Francis.

A Mass of Christian burial was held in his home parish of St. John Catholic Church in Westminster on March 10, and burial took place at Garrison Forest Cemetery. Arrangements were by Pritts Funeral Home, Westminster.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions may be made to the Disabled American Veterans Memorial Program, P.O. Box 14301, Cincinnati, OH 45250-0301 (www.dav.org).