It looks like Fred Phelps and his merry band of sociopaths can't pass up this tragedy either. They are taking their message of hate to Montcoal WV.
According to this article in the New York Times, Westboro had previously scheduled a trip to West Virginia and Virginia and had received some angry emails about it.
So obviously according to Phelps' twisted theology the mine explosion was God's punishment for people daring to oppose him:
“This whole nation is awash in rebellious sin and defiance of God, His standard, and His servant’s faithful words,” a news release on the church’s Web site said Thursday morning.
The statement said the church had received threats about a trip to West Virginia and Virginia scheduled to begin Thursday.
“So God reached down and smacked one of those mines, killing 25 (and likely four more are dead),” it said. “Now you moan and wallow in self-pity, and pour over the details of the dead rebels’ lives, pretending they’re heroes.”
Personally I suspect Westboro may finally have overstepped themselves. I have a hard time seeing a grieving mining community, whatever their politics and religious beliefs may be, quietly putting up with being told their loved ones were killed by an angry God who hates homosexuals.