(From The Clarion Ledger, Jackson, MS)
Staff Sgt. Jason Rogers came home Thursday, his body borne upon a sea of waving American flags and hands held tightly in salute for the Brandon Marine killed in Afghanistan earlier this month.
From Airport Road and along U.S. 80, hundreds of onlookers gathered to pay their respects, as local law enforcement officials and members of the Patriot Guard escorted the convoy to Ott & Lee Funeral Home in Brandon.
Rogers, 28, was killed April 7 while conducting combat operations in the Helmand province of Afghanistan. His body was flown into the Mississippi Air National Guard Base in Flowood about 2 p.m. Thursday.
Rogers' funeral is planned for 3 p.m. Saturday at Pinelake Baptist Church off Mississippi 25. Visitation is 6-9 p.m. today.
Since Operation Enduring Freedom began almost a decade ago in Afghanistan, 4,421 Americans have died. Of those, Rogers is the 15th Mississippian to die in that conflict.
In response to Mississippi's most recent war casualty, residents came out in droves Thursday to offer their appreciation for Rogers' sacrifice.
Firefighters with Pearl and Brandon were stationed along the highway, displaying large American flags from their ladders, as business owners and members of the communities joined in to show their support for the war hero.
Families were grouped together along the roadside, while some children played on grassy hills.
Danielle Criddle, a former classmate of Rogers, stood across the highway from the funeral home where Rogers was being taken. "He was an awesome guy, friendly and spoke to everyone," said Hattiesburg resident Criddle, who stood next to her young daughter Kailyn, and her mother, Kami Levern of Brandon.
Just up the road from Criddle stood Houston Ward, a retired Marine, who proudly held a large American flag toward the highway. "I didn't know him personally," said Ward, a Brandon resident. "His sacrifice was great, and we have to honor him and his family for that sacrifice."
Military mother Pat Pace sat along U.S. 80 with a friend, waiting for Rogers' procession to pass by. "After 9-11, my son joined the military and went to Afghanistan and Iraq," Pace said, adding that her son graduated with Rogers from Brandon High School in 2000. Pace said she wanted to show her support for the Rogers family, drawing from her own experiences when her son was badly wounded in Afghanistan.
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Now... for the totally disgusting side of this story... The scum from Westboro Baptist Church, of Topeka, Kansas, plan to picket the church tomorrow where Sgt. Rogers funeral is to be held.
This is all the publicity this group of hate-mongers will get from me... I am certain that they will learn something some day about the power of God's Love... who deserves it, who earns it... and who doesn't...
This pretty well sums up my opinion about it all...
I wish peace and comfort for the family of Sgt. Rogers in the difficult days that lay ahead for them...
God Bless...
~shoes~
i read about this story the other day, and it alternately broke my heart and infuriated me. it's one of the central frustrations of our otherwise-glorious first amendment: i really, really wish there was some way we could shut those hateful people up, but we can't. sigh.
ReplyDeleteholding the rogers family in my thoughts...
Thanks for the post. Educational and heartbreaking. Some people are just too unbelievable for words.
ReplyDeleteSeeing flag-draped coffins breaks my heart and the WBC infuriates me like nothing else. The whole thing is terribly sad and unfair.
ReplyDeleteThat kind of hateful behavior, and in the name of religion, is astonishing. I hope some day they are jolted into the realization of how awful they've been and spend the rest of their lives weeping bitter tears of remorse. But I'm not holding my breath.
ReplyDeletehi there, heartbreaking post, God bless.
ReplyDeleteWhat is even sadder is that people can't even respect another's belief system...whatever happen to common personal decency among this nations people? I don't get it, never will...
That's very upsetting. As if the occasion wasn't sad enough.
ReplyDeleteOur boys come home to a place called Wootton Bassett. The whole town turns out each time there's a procession and there's never a problem. The boys are shown the dignity, thanks and respect they deserve.
Bless them all xx
There is no God/god that I would believe in that would allow his/her name to be called upon by any member of The Westboro Baptist Church. If any group of people can be called anti-Christ, it's them.
ReplyDeleteMay Staff Sgt. Jason Rogers have the peace that he deserves.
Shoes, I agree 100%. Soldiers deserve to be honored, and those hateful people of the Westboro Baptist Church are dispicable. Thanks for showing all the good in spite of the evil from WBC followers.
ReplyDeleteThis group makes my blood, literally, BOIL!! As a Christian, I'm so very, very offended that THIS bunch of dirtbags claims to represent me and my religion. I imagine Jesus WEEPING in response. I want to join that awesome group that counter-protests them. Where do I sign up?
ReplyDeletethis is one of those rare times when I look the other way. I'm going to focus on the good. wonderful to see a town unite in honor of Staff Sgt. Jason Rogers.
ReplyDeleteI'm incensed! Trolls is right. Jeeze! I'll never understand that. Ever. One of my friends sons died in Iraq. I feel mother to all soldiers and my heart breaks at every fall.
ReplyDeleteNever seen bigger hypocrites than religious zealots.
ReplyDeleteNo way....I can't believe that...what sickos
ReplyDelete@ Magnolia... I know, I uphold the decision that the Supreme Court made. They are right. I just can't understand... DON'T understand why/how someone can be so hateful towards another family at such a horrible time as this. *sighs*
ReplyDelete@ Christine... thank you. It's people like that group that often stand in judgement of others. That's a kick in the butt... no?
@ Jessica, yes it is. That is a level of heart break that a family just should not have to endure.
@ Bella... you are SO right. My post today echoes the same sentiment as to what you said. For everything in common that our people in our country have, we split over the most minute detail! I just don't get it...
@ Leah... hey you... I didn't know that the young men of your country return to one location. I do believe that there is one mortuary base that all branches of the military use here in the US... Thank you for your comment...
@ Blissful... in my spiritual way of thinking, their meanest, anger, hatefulness, is ALL returned to them!! Thank you for your comment!
@ Nitebyrd... based on what I have read, there is no connection whatsoever with any Baptist church in this country. I wish the Baptist organizations would rise up and demand that they stop calling themselves this name.
@ Chloe... is only the good... those people from that 'church' will discover the Hell that they deserve.
@ Anything Fits!!! Hey YOU!! I know, I totally agree!! I wish the old man that runs this thing would die... I would make the drive to his funeral... and protest it with signs and all... and return the 'support'... ;o)
@ Green Monkey... I can normally look the other way... unfortunately, with this group, I just can't. I am also convinced that they will suffer for what they have done and will do in the time to come... Did you make it to Nola???
@ Wine and Words... based on your comment, you see this far better than most of us would ever be able to... Thank you for your comment...
@ Bathwater... you are EXACTLY right!!!
@ Hey there, Darn Girl.. I know, dreadfully ill, they are!! I've missed you!! How are you?!?!?!
~shoes~