Texas A&M Students Form Human Wall To Block Westboro Baptist Protestors

**Colonels_Wear_Blue** · Jul 25, 12, 02:23 PM

Hard not to like this...

Hundreds of Texas A&M students gathered this week to form a human wall around the funeral service of a soldier to protect his family from Westboro Baptist Church protesters, KBTX.com reports.

Texas A&M alum Lt. Col. Roy Tisdale died on June 28 during a safety briefing at Fort Bragg, N.C. Tisdale was killed by another soldier who then fatally shot himself.

Tisdale had served in both Iraq and Afghanistan.

In the days after the soldier's death, word spread that Westboro Baptist Church members were planning to protest Tisdale's funeral.

Described as a "homophobic and anti-Semitic hate group" by the Anti-Defamation League, Westboro Baptist Church regularly stages protests around the country. According to KBTX.com, the group, which is based in Kansas, frequently targets military funerals because of "a belief that God punishes soldiers because of America's tolerance of gays."

When Ryan Slezia, a former Texas A&M student, heard of the group's plans, he hatched a plot to foil their efforts.

"In response to their signs of hate, we will wear maroon. In response to their mob anger, we will form a line, arm in arm. This is a silent vigil. A manifestation of our solidarity," he wrote on Facebook, inviting others to join him in a peaceful protest.

On Thursday, as Tisdale's funeral was held at the Central Baptist Church in College Station, Tex., hundreds of students and alumni responded to Slezia's invation, linking arms to create a human barricade surrounding the church's entrance.

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**Colonels_Wear_Blue** · Jul 25, 12, 02:24 PM

**sportsfan41** · Jul 25, 12, 03:35 PM

Good for them, shirts are solid as well.

**Colonels_Wear_Blue** · Jul 25, 12, 03:49 PM

...just realized I forgot the link in my first post.

Texas A&M Students Form Human Wall To Block Westboro Baptist Church Protestors From Soldier Roy Tisdale's Funeral (PHOTOS)

**HammerTime** · Jul 30, 12, 01:38 PM

Very cool!!!

**PurplePride92** · Jul 30, 12, 03:43 PM

I've seen this get more and more attention on Facebook. We need this to happen everytime they try to protest a funeral.

**sweet16** · Jul 30, 12, 03:59 PM

Originally Posted by PurplePride92

I've seen this get more and more attention on Facebook. We need this to happen everytime they try to protest a funeral.

Agree.

Can't understand why someone would protest at any funeral. I don't care if their beliefs are no where near mine I would never do this to disrespect someone's funeral.