Patriot Riders on Guard

By NOREEN HYSLOP

Managing Editor

They are young and not so young.

They are short haired and long haired, clean-shaven and bearded. They are men, and they are women. They roll into towns aboard their Harleys and their Hondas, clad in denim, black leather and bandanas. Most significantly, however, they are patriots; and they are proud. They are the Patriot Guard Riders.

The group of men and women are proud, most of all, of those who have served in every branch of the military. They respect the service of all veterans, and in doing so, believe as those veterans depart from us deserve to depart in dignity, without the threat of protesters who may disregard the sanctity of the service.

Some 35 members strong, the Southeast Missouri Chapter has, for the past six years, been quietly keeping guard over the sanctity of final services conducted for those who proudly served in the name of the United States of America.

Not all members of the Patriot Guard Riders are veterans. The Southeast Chapter Road Captain, "Boo" Parker explains, "Probably half of our members are not veterans. You don't have to have served in the military to become a Patriot member. You only have to be a patriot."

Patriotism rides high in the Southeast Missouri unit, as in all Patriot Guard groups. A slogan on one rider's black leather reads, "Standing for Those Who Stood for Us." The slogan well defines the group's purpose.

In a recent tribute to the organization, Congresswoman JoAnn Emerson stated, "With honor and with dignity, the Patriot Guard Riders are a source of constant support to our service members, past, present and future. They are also a source of inspiration to young Americans considering a future in the service of our nation."

Parker further spells out the mission of the group. "Our main goal is to attend the funeral services of fallen American heroes as invited guests of the family," he explains. "With each mission we undertake, we show our sincere respect for our veterans, their families, and their communities."

Secondly, the group shields the mourning family of a veteran and their friends from interruptions created by any protester or group of protesters.

The Patriot Guard was formed when a group of protesters from a Kansas-based group referring to themselves as "Westboro Church" began to protest the funeral services of American veterans by calling out anti-military chants, waving anti-military signs. The group claims military deaths are "God's way of punishing America for sin." Through consistent messages nationwide, their messages make claims that include, "Thank God for IEDs," "God Himself has now become America's Terrorist, killing and maiming American troops in strange lands for (expletive) sins." The church calls their work "Religious opinion and Bible commentary on current events."

When Westboro Church (WBC) members began showing up at military funerals in 2005, it didn't take long for veterans and volunteers to react. The Patriot Guard Riders was established first in Kansas and soon showed up at services that had been threatened with the presence of the WBC. Motorcycle riders physically shielded the mourners from the presence of any WBC protesters. When the chants of the WBC members rose, so did the idle of the motorcycle's engines. It didn't take long for the Riders to establish themselves as a peaceful but powerful presence with which to be reckoned.

There is strength in numbers, and it wasn't long after the Kansas Patriots formed before more and more Patriots Riders began to form their own chapters, among them the Southeast Missouri Chapter.

"We don't ask families of veterans if they want us to be present at a service," Parker explains. "But if a family wants us, we'll be there."

The Southeast group has led funeral processions for countless veterans in the area over the past six years, but their most visible presence, perhaps, has been at memorial services held annually at Bloomfield's Missouri Veterans Cemetery. As guests enter the grounds and approach the interment shelter at the cemetery, they are greeted with a line of mirrored chrome and proud patriots holding flags that honor every branch of the military and Prisoners of War. They are a proud lot, but much more proud of the contribution of the nation's military than they are their own volunteerism.

While the Riders' presence is commonly witnessed at area funeral services, the unit takes part in a number of other activities.

"We also escort the veterans who take part in the Honor Tour," Parker explains, "and we annually sponsor the Wreaths Across America Program."

Wreaths Across America, headed up locally by Patriot Guard Rider Teresa Wright, works toward obtaining enough live wreaths to be placed upon every veteran's final resting place at the Bloomfield Veterans Cemetery. Their success in recent years with the project has allowed for hundreds of excess wreaths to be laid upon the graves of area veterans buried in city cemeteries as well.

The mission of Westboro Church members was recently challenged in the Supreme Court, with the decision in May 2011 coming down in favor of the church. The decision was based on the belief that the group was protected by the First Amendment Freedom of Speech clause. While the Riders strongly opposed the decision, they vowed to continue their own mission in the legal, strong, but peaceful, manner in which they have consistently made their presence known.

Patriot Guard Riders ask for nothing in return for their commitment to their cause - except for respect.

"Our veterans have earned our respect through their sacrifice," Parker says. "It's our job to see that the same respect with which they served is present as they are laid to rest."