This was posted in the "comments" section of the article. It seems to make sense. I've always wondered who funded these guys. Now we know. They don't give a hoot about any of this. They are like the guys who run into your car in traffic and then sue you for hitting them. Do something outrageous, then sue when someone or some civil authority infringes on their rights. Its kind of like the Koran burning pastor. He went from a small time cult leader to the talk of the world, just by threatening to do something outrageous. Only difference is Phelps is getting paid. These aren't protests, they're business trips. And extortion....

FQ13
Quote from the OP
GAVINJOHN at 12:42 PM November 07, 2010
As a human being, I am always wondering, why would Fred and his followers be so misguided and outspoken with such silly beliefs. As a former Marine, I envision my own snese of what I would do if faced with these fools, and as a brother of a fallen Marine, I know that would land me in the pokey. As a citizen of the US, although in very poor taste and low class, I belive their right to protest is sacred, but there should be some sort of distance they need to be from a service. I really wanted to understand why and how are they able to travel around to these funerals. Don't they have jobs? Who pays the expenses? So I decided to do a little online research and found out some interesting things. Fred has no followers. he has family members as his congregation and this is nothing more than a family "business". He has a few relatives who are low life attorneys who make a living sueing anyone who assaults them or infringes on their rights. They have sued police departments, cities, individuals and so on. They do these outrageous "protests" and hope someone gives them a reason to sue. They apparently divide the proceeds and this is their livelihood. This protest seems to be averted pretty cleverly but beware to future counterprotesters.