We salute 1st Lt. Tyler Parten

First Lt. Tyler Parten was laid to rest in his hometown of Marianna, Ark., today. Lt. Parten was killed in Afghanistan last Thursday repelling an attack by insurgents in Konar province.

A 2007 West Point graduate, Parten, 24, was a scout platoon leader assigned to the 3rd Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team of the 4th Infantry Division, based in Fort Collins, Colo. He had been in Afghanistan since May.

The photo above shows Parten handing out candy to kids in Afghanistan.

The Patriot Guard Riders were on hand yesterday and today to shield his family from the insults of members of the Westboro Baptist Church, from Topeka, Kans. Church members routinely show up at military funerals to celebrate what they believe is God's retribution against the United States for this nation's tolerant attitude toward homosexuality. Yeah, I know. It's so bizarre you can't even dignify it with the title of theology.

Those folks are the reason I joined the Patriot Guard Riders back in February, 2006 after seeing them waving their inflammatory signs outside the Lafayette, Ind., Christian Reformed Church at a soldier's funeral.

There were only about 8,600 PGR members at the time. Since then, our ranks have swollen to 176,100 - as of 2:33 p.m. today.

The press release announcing the Westboro Baptist Church's intent to harass mourners at Lt. Parten's funeral today took notice of the PGR.

It said, in part:

Lawless men like the Patriot Guard Riders hate God. These PGR slobs are violent, cowardly, murderous liars. To the PGR gang of thugs, we say, as Jesus said: "Ye are of your father the devil." Jn. 8:44. God hates the PGR.

Speaking just for myself and emphasizing that I have no authority to speak officially for the Patriot Guard Riders, I'd say it's an honor to be insulted by those people.