The Westboro Baptist Church has adopted a gruesome tactic to spread their message, the protesting of funeral services for U.S. Troops. The group began in 2005 by picketing the memorial service of Carrie French and later the funeral of Matthew Snyder carrying signs with disgusting messages such as “Thank God for dead soldiers”, “You’re going to Hell” and “Thank God for 9/11″. They also planned to disrupt the memorial service of Lieutenant colonel Roy Tisdale, a battalion commander and former Aggie. The students and alumni of Texas A&M University would have something else planned.
Ryan Slezia co-organized an online campaign to gather support in creating a defense for the memorial, a Maroon Wall. The purpose of “The Maroon Wall” event is to show our support and gratitude to the family of Lt Col. Roy Tisdale and to join them in honoring his memory at his memorial service and funeral. We are standing to honor the memory of Lt Col. Roy Tisdale and the sacrifices both he and his family have made for this country along with the contributions they have made to this community. We stand together as a show of solidarity towards this family in their time of mourning and in defense of their right to grieve their loss in peace.
Approximately 500 Texas students and alumni gathered outside the event, arms interlocked, side by side. The students prepared to stand, silently and steadfast, between the ceremony and distracters, even in blistering heat. The protesters never showed their faces, even as the funeral procession made its way off campus towards the cemetery. Along route, more support came from students and spectators in the ways of cheering and flag waving. The two time veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan was finally laid to rest at Aggie Field of Honor cemetery in College Station.
Roy Tisdale, 42, was the recipient of the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Bronze Star Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Joint Meritorious Unit Award, Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Unit Citation, National Defense Service Medal, NATO Medal, Overseas Service Ribbon, and the Purple Heart. His is survived by his wife Kim, his daughter Megan and son Lane.