CARBONDALE - Illinois Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn has proposed the "Let Them Rest in Peace" Act that would ban hate groups from protesting funeral services in the state. During his visit to Carbondale Tuesday, Quinn outlined his proposed legislation.

Quinn's proposal would create a 300-foot buffer zone between protesters and the site of the funeral services and memorials. The zone would be in effect from 30 minutes before until 30 minutes after the funeral.

"The first amendment is very special in our country, but there has to be a balance," Quinn said. "The expression rights of that hate group cannot drown out the same religious rights of the family to grieve and bury their loved one."

Quinn said he has attended at least three military funerals - including the service for Army Spc. Brian Romines of Anna - at which the Westboro Baptist Church protested.

"I can't think of a crueler thing to do than to inflict pain on the parents of a slain soldier at the last few moments mom or dad has with their son to bid him goodbye in a religious ceremony," Quinn said. "You cannot have a group claim superiority that their expression rights can allow them to intimidate and harass mourners at a funeral."

Quinn said he has received a good response to the proposed act since it was unveiled on Sunday. He has submitted the act to House Speaker Michael Madigan and is hopeful that he will be the lead sponsor of the legislation.

The Westboro Baptist Church, from Topeka, Kan., has traveled the nation denouncing homosexuality in the most vulgar terms and has even attended military funerals, claiming that dead soldiers are God's way of punishing America for its acceptance of alternative lifestyles.

On Oct. 20 about a dozen Westboro members were in Carbondale to protest a scheduled speech by Shepard, the mother of Matthew Shepard - who was murdered in October 1998 as a result of anti-gay hate. The group's bright neon signs that read "Thank God for 9/11" and "God Hates Fags" were enough to incite nearly 300 community and SIUC members to come out in mass to denounce the group's stance.

nicole.sack@thesouthern.com

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