Westboro Baptist may picket George Jones funeral

The (Nashville) Tennessean | USATODAY

UPDATE: Westboro member Margie Phelps later told The Tennessean, "I'm not sure it's fully decided at this moment." She says the group is also considering protests at NBA playoff games in Oklahoma City and Chicago in response to NBA player Jason Collins' recent announcement that he's gay. Phelps says chances of picketing Thursday in Nashville were "about 80/20 likely."

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The Westboro Baptist Church has announced it plans to picket the funeral of country star George Jones, set to be held Thursday morning at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville.

In a press release, the organization calls Jones a "drunkard," and says he "used his talent to glorify himself and engage in much adultery."

The demonstration is set to start at 9:15 a.m. local time and conclude 10 a.m., when the funeral service is set to begin inside.

In response, musician Lee Marcus is encouraging attendees to "form a barricade between those nuts and the funeral," in a post on Facebook.

"Don't let this CULT make this sad day even harder," he writes. The post currently has more than 2,000 "likes" and 1,800 shares.

Jones, a Country Music Hall of Famer, died April 26 in Nashville at age 81.

Numerous country stars and other famous friends are set to make appearances during Thursday's service, including former first lady Laura Bush, Governor Bill Haslam, Kenny Chesney, Wynonna Judd, Alan Jackson and Brad Paisley.