By Knight Ridder Newspapers

WICHITA, Kan. – One side rides motorcycles to fight what they believe is an abuse of free speech. The other side uses words and posters that, for some, seem to stretch the boundaries of First Amendment freedoms, but to them are their God-given right.

Terry “Darkhorse” Houck’s voice breaks with emotion when he talks about the time he spent as a Vietnam combat soldier. Same goes for Carvel “Wild Bill” Logan.

It’s been decades since the two served in the U.S. military. But there’s pride in their voices when they talk about being veterans.

In August, Houck, Logan and Cregg “Bronco” Hansen became outraged when they heard that Fred Phelps and members of his Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kan., were planning to picket and protest U.S. soldiers’ funerals.

So they formed the Patriot Guard, a grassroots organization that’s quickly gaining momentum.

Composed of veterans’ motorcycles groups, motorcycle enthusiasts, Christian motorcycle groups and people who simply consider themselves patriots, the group provides a human barrier at funerals to protect mourners from hearing and seeing the protesters.

If requested, they’ll even rev their motorcycles’ engines to drown out chants.

“It is a low, vulgar thing what these folks are doing,” Logan said. “They may or may not be protected by the First Amendment, but to me it borders on treason.”

Shirley Phelps-Roper, attorney for Westboro Baptist Church, disagrees.

“These are the most unpatriotic bimbos,” Phelps-Roper said. “They stand at funerals and say to us this guy died for your right to do this is almost laughable. … God gave us these rights.”

Westboro Baptist Church members began protesting at soldiers’ funerals in June, claiming that God is killing the soldiers with improvised explosive devices, or IEDs, in retaliation for a plastic bomb set off in front of Phelps-Roper in 1995.

Hansen said the Patriot Guard would like to see laws changed either prohibiting people from protesting funerals or restricting the area or hours where protesters can be heard.

“We’re getting e-mails from people in Texas and Indiana, all over, who are going to go to these protest funerals,” Hansen said. “The word is out. Our group is going to get bigger and bigger until it stops. It’s going to take everybody to get laws changed.”

Phelps-Roper said the laws have already been changed.

“You are permitted to keep us off the sidewalk in front,” Phelps-Roper said. “You don’t like what you are seeing? The Supreme Court recommends a solution – avert your eyes. … Sidewalks are held in trust by local units of government for robust public debate.”

Logan says it’s not all about First Amendment rights.

“I don’t want to take away their rights,” he said. “We all have those rights. But there should be a boundary, and they have crossed over it.”

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So far, the riders have only attended three funerals. The first was Staff Sgt. John Dole’s funeral in Chelsea, Okla., on Oct. 11; 40 riders from Kansas participated. The second funeral was for Army Spc. Lucas Frantz in Tonganoxie, Kan., on Oct. 17; 120 riders attended that one.

Last week, more than 150 cyclists participated at the funeral for Sgt. Evan Parker in South Haven, Kan.

“Not all of us are veterans, but we are all patriotic citizens,” Houck said. “When you see somebody out picketing a military funeral, you take it personal. … How could anybody do such a despicable, horrible thing to grieving family members who’ve just lost a son or daughter?”

Hansen said the group always checks with local law enforcement before attending a funeral.

“We don’t want to interrupt any services. We are not counter-protesting anything,” Hansen said. “But we are there to honor the soldier and protect the family from the chanting and signs.”

At funerals, the group takes their motorcycles as close to law enforcement officials as they can. Many of the cycles sport American flags. The riders then turn their backs to the protesters.

For the Oklahoma funeral, the group revved their cycles’ engines; in Tonganoxie, they recited the Pledge of Allegiance; and in South Haven, they recited the pledge and revved their engines.

Logan said it’s been years since he swore to protect his country and, at 65, he hasn’t quit yet.

“We’ve let these people get such a toehold,” he said. “They apparently are a fairly powerful group of people but are just filled with hate. The more we can do to bring this to the public’s attention, and get enough people to agree with us, then maybe we can change things.”

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(c) 2005, The Wichita Eagle (Wichita, Kan.).

Visit the Eagle on the World Wide Web at http://www.wichitaeagle.com/

Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Information Services.

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PHOTO (from KRT Photo Service, 202-383-6099): PATRIOTGUARD

AP-NY-11-09-05 0627EST

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