"I think being a woman is like being Irish." — Iris Murdoch

It was good to see this news:

A jury on Wednesday ordered an anti-gay Kansas church to pay $10.9 million in damages to relatives of a U.S. Marine who died in Iraq after church members cheered his death at his funeral.

Church members said Marine Lance Cpl. Matthew Snyder's death was God's punishment of America for tolerating homosexuality, and they attended his 2006 funeral in Maryland with signs saying "You're going to hell" and "God hates you."

The federal jury determined the Westboro Baptist Church, based in Topeka... invaded the privacy of the dead man's family and inflicted emotional distress.

Albert Snyder, the Marine's father, testified that his son was not gay, but the church targeted the military as a symbol of America's tolerance of gays. Matthew Snyder died in combat in Iraq in March 2006.

If you read the article, you'll see that the "church" is going to appeal the decision. You also get the distinct impression that that they are unteachable and will not change. As someone once remarked to Moses, "I have seen this people and behold, it is a stiffnecked people." [Ex. 32:9]  If you insert your favorite expletive in place of "behold", it makes it work better.

With all the talk of supporting the troops and even (god forbid!) supporting the war, and with Bush's insinuations about those who "aid the enemy," why is it that these people haven't come under heavier criticism?