Bush 9/11 ads: WHO ARE THESE ANGRY 9/11 VICTIMS???

3/5/04 | Timeout

[Timeout]

The media has bombarded us with these stories about the 9/11 families' dismay at the Bush ads. But who are these people?

After watching them on Today, Hardball, Fox, etc. etc. etc., I decided to do a little snooping. I didn't have the names of those on TV, so I went with news articles on the web.

This is probably not news to you, but they're bleeding heart, anti war, peace protesters. If the press weren't so biased they would be calling them the "Bush Haters".

What I found is below:

[Timeout]

San Francisco Chronicle 3/5/04
Kelly Campbell, co-director of the nonpartisan group Sept. 11 Families for Peaceful Tomorrows... "There's no consensus around this, but for the most part, 9/11 families are very sensitive to someone using images of our loved one's death for their own ends," she said. "And that's what's pretty blatantly happening here."

Campbell's group scheduled a news conference for today on the grounds of the World Trade Center to call for Bush to withdraw the two ads that include images of the tragedy.

USA Today 3/20/03
"Personally, it feels like Sept. 11 all over again," says Kelly Campbell, co-founder of September Eleventh Families for Peaceful Tomorrows. "Only this time, it's people in Iraq that will experience what we've gone through. And also the families of service people here in the U.S."

Campbell, whose brother-in-law, Craig Amundson, 28, was killed in the attack on the Pentagon, added that "the president has never provided anything resembling a link between 9/11 and Saddam Hussein, yet he continues to use our loved ones' deaths to promote this unrelated war. ... And we're also very worried that this very unpopular war is really going to fuel the fires of terrorism."

_________________________________

CNN 3/5/04
Added Rita Lasar, who lost a brother on 9/11, "President Bush promised in a speech he gave in 2002 that he would not use the site for political reasons. We believed him; we trusted him. He has broken his promise to us.

"To say that we're outraged is the truth, but it's more than outrage. It's a deep hurt and sorrow that any politician, Democrat or Republican, would seek to gain advantage by using that site."

She added, "We're here today to beg them not to use those ads ... and not make any ads like them."

From a WEBSITE called "RNC NOT WELCOME in NY" (undated)
(protesting the upcoming convention)
Everyone from radical anarchists to moderate environmentalists expects the NYC/GOP ideological collision to spark the biggest American protest march since the end of the Vietnam War. Families of 9/11 victims, predominantly Democratic like the oasis of ideological sanity they live in, are so incensed at reports that the convention was timed to allow Bush to lay the Freedom Tower cornerstone at the World Trade Center site that many plan to join the protest. "Keep your hands off Ground Zero," Rita Lasar, head of a 9/11 victims group, warns Republicans. "Do not make a political football out of this."
RNC NOT WELCOME...

Washington Post 3/20/03
The 9/11 family members who led demonstrators across police lines Monday included Rita Lasar, 71. Her brother, Abe Zelmanowitz...refused to abandon his friend, a quadriplegic in a wheelchair who could not descend the stairs of the North Tower. After the attack, Bush cited Zelmanowitz's heroism -- praise that enraged Lasar, who thought her brother was being used.

_______________________________________

Yahoo 3/5/04
Among those angered was Bob McIlvaine, who lost his son Bobby when hijacked planes destroyed the Twin Towers.

"My son was murdered on September 11th," he said. "To argue that using footage of the wreckage of the towers to further someone's political career is 'tasteful' really needs to be rejected outright, and I condemn it."

CNN 3/18/03
Outside the U.S. Capitol, demonstrators Monday marched and waved signs that read "Stop the Slaughter of Innocents in Iraq" and "No Blank Check." Fifty-four protesters were arrested when they broke police lines. Three of them had relatives killed in the September 11 attacks.

"We can't simplify these world problems with evil and good. The problem is so complex, so great, and diplomacy is the only way to go," said Bob McIlvaine, whose son was killed in the attacks on New York's World Trade Center.

McIlvaine said he is certain his son would not have supported war against Iraq.

Washington Post 3/20/03
It's the first time he's been away from his wife in the 18 months since their son died in the World Trade Center. Robert McIlvaine doesn't like to stray too far from home near Philadelphia anymore. Since September 11, 2001, a sense of "gloom and doom" never leaves him. He calls his grief a hurricane, a storm always blowing beside him. He holds it at bay by keeping busy, by going to a support group of other 9/11 families once a week and to a psychologist twice a month. But he has learned sometimes it is necessary to face the hurricane. He came to Washington knowing he would be forced to talk about Bobby's death all over again. Knowing he would cry. But on the eve of war, this trip was more important than staying safe at home. He came to Washington to get arrested. McIlvaine, 58, a teacher at a critical-care psychiatric hospital, joined 53 other peace demonstrators who crossed a police line at the Capitol on Monday.

"It's very insulting to hear President Bush say this is for September 11," McIlvaine said.

...They wear U.N.-blue peace-sign buttons with the vertical line of the peace symbol rendered as twin towers.

[Fun Bob]

mega-ping!

miserable failure miserable failure miserable failure miserable failure miserable failure

[Timeout]

They (anti war marchers) wear U.N.-blue peace-sign buttons with the vertical line of the peace symbol rendered as twin towers.

Now, tell me again who's "politicizing" 9/11.

[Southflanknorthpawsis]

More on your point HERE

[AgThorn]

great post!!

Goes to show you who is really exploiting 9/11, these so called victims and the demoncratic party.

[writer33]

"Robert McIlvaine doesn't like to stray too far from home near Philadelphia anymore. Since September 11, 2001, a sense of "gloom and doom" never leaves him."


These are liberals. They're the only ones experiencing gloom and doom on a regular basis. If not on a daily basis.

[Fresh Wind]

Much more on Rita Lasar here:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1091629/posts?page=18#18

[NotchJohnson]

Listened to Rush a bit today. He was amazed that these woman said the exact same thing . . it happened under Bush's watch, he was reading to children at the time. Each lady said the exact same thing, but into detail like they were either coached or convinced that this is how it is/was. If they are from NYC they probably hate Bush anyways.

[TomGuy]

Previous thread:

The 'Offended' 911 Group “Peaceful Tomorrows” is funded largely by Teresa Heinz

[FairOpinion]

AND:

The 'Offended' 911 Group “Peaceful Tomorrows” is funded largely by Teresa Heinz KERRY

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1091579/posts

“Peaceful Tomorrows” is being portrayed as an independent group of relatives of victims of the 911 attacks. They are getting a lot of press claiming to be outraged over the new Bush ads.

According to their own contribution page, “Peaceful Tomorrows is a project of the Tides Center, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization.”

According to an article in the Pittsburgh Review, “Between 1995 and 2001, $4.3 million of that money came from the Howard Heinz Endowment. In 2002, it and the Vira Heinz Endowment blessed The Tides Center, a San Francisco spin-off of the Tides Foundation, with another $190,000 while the two endowments gave $1.6 million to the new Tides Center for Western Pennsylvania.”

[goldstategop]

All DNC trolls. Too bad Terry McAwful can't hide these jokers' biases better.

[JLS]

The bottom line is that these selfish, self centered ego maniacs think of themselves as victims, the only victims. The US, that is all of us, were attack that day. They lost someone close to them and for that deserve more sympathy, but that is it.

They do not have any special claim to being attacked any more than the rest of us. They do not have any more right to claim how those images are used than the rest of us.

[finnman69]

bump

[doodad]

You really need to send this to Brent Brozell over at the media research center. I suspected this, but he didn't have the perps outlined.

[Publius6961]

Trailer trash, exploiting their dead "loved ones" for cash and political leverage. Take a good look at them when on TV. Probably an IQ of 160 total among them.

[Right_in_Virginia]

The President's team should run more leadership ads and include more of 9/11 and the aftermath. They should include the flight suit shots...video from his 9/14 speech and his address to the nation on 9/21.

In fact...throw in a couple of shots of Saddam being checked for lice.

Drive the Dimms nuts...drive em crazy. Force them to show who they really are.

[P-Marlowe]

911 was an attack upon all Americans. It could have been any of us, but it was the twin towers that was the specific target.

I am offended that anyone would take away from the president the honor that he deserves for his decisive actions following the 911 attack.

We as Americans deserve to see the images. Indeed the twin towers should be shown on TV every day until we catch Bin Laden and dismantle the terrorist networks. We need these reminders to keep us alert and aware of what is at stake in this election and the ads by Bush are a reminder to us all.

We cannot let traitors like Kerry take that away from us.

[netmilsmom]

Rush may be show prep for the media, but you have gotten deeper than anyone else. Good Job!!!

Send it on to all the biggies and someone will get the word out.

[Dante3]

I would also like to see a list of the amount of money the collected for having realtives die on 9/11.

[Rocko]

To quote Mr. Spock: Fascinating.

[Skwidd]

Sounds like some people were 'lucky' enough to have a relative die in the WTC so they could pimp out their corpses for political reasons. That's pretty disgusting.

[jwalsh07]

Nice work.

[PeteFromMontana]

Oh sure....screw up a perfectly good Bush bashing with FACTS, sheesh!

</sarcasm........... p.s.Nice find, thanks for the post

[ladyinred]

Goes to show you who is really exploiting 9/11, these so called victims and the demoncratic party.

Spot on! Also add: NBC/CBS/CNN/FOX et al !

[Timeout]

I sent it to MRC and Best of the Web. Any other suggestions?

[PeteFromMontana]

Listened to Rush a bit today. He was amazed that these woman said the exact same thing

The same type of thing has happened to me. I will have heard the talking points online only to have them repeated to me in person by a liberal. I wonder where these people "hookup" to layout these talking points, who's doing it and how in the heck are they so organized?

If someone on my side told me what to say and when to say it I would tell them to go climb a tree. I am sure some folks are working on exposing these rats for what they are.

[doodad]

Flog it over to Boortz and Hannity; they will get that out.

[Grendelgrey]

...Remember the "RATs Reaction" last election cycle? Remember how every one came out screaming that the RNC was using subliminal messaging etc?

The so called anger of these people was too quick to surface, and in such a well organized way, plus it was fed too quickly into a well greased media pipeline that no sane rational person can doubt that the reaction was pre-planned.

Bush is the President during a War on Terror. 9-11 was a Terror Attack. The DNC knows it is in a self painted corner on this issue and obviously had this reaction planned to try and offset the ads.

Personally I do have some misgivings about some of Bush's growth of government, and lack of response to illegals. I would like to see a stronger effort to cut waste ,fraud and mismanagement in the Federal government. I still give the Administration high marks on the war on terror. I believe there is room to improve on the home front....

...as for these ads, they strike me as fair and legitimate to run. The DNC is afraid of these ads because their policy during Clinton /Gore was containment and thus far the sock puppets of the left have all stated they will bring everyone home and do nothing in the face of terror. All but Leiberman, and he tossed in the towel early in the game. Containment and appeasement fail each and everytime they are used. Ask Neville Chamber Pot...

[jocon307]

Great job, excellent research.

Now, let's plan to meet these nuts any time, any place, anywhere to stick up for GWB.

Hey, I was born and raised in NYC, there's A LOT of crazy lefties there, so, unfortunately it is not surprising that some of them would have lost relatives on 9/11.

[JCG]

Excellent work Timeout.

America's Fifth Column ... watch PBS documentary JIHAD! In America
http://12thman.us/media/jihad.rm (Requires RealPlayer)

Who is Steve Emerson?

[backhoe]

Good work- cross-link to:

-BUSH TRADE CENTER AD SPARKS CONTROVERSY--Judge for yourself--

[RightWingMama]

Good job!

[Timeout]

I found their picture! McIlvaine's wearing the "twin towers peace sign" button!

Rita Lasar, Bob McIlvaine, Adele Welty and Kelly Campbell.

[lainde]

bttt

[JOE6PAK]

God bless your Brother Rita. I am sorry for your loss. But STOP using him as a political FOOTBALL!

[cajungirl]

You know some of these families have lost my sympathy. Why do they think they own 911. Next thing you know some WWII vets survivors will object to that magnificent statue of those men raising that flag over ImoJima. And we won't be able to see the films of the attack on Pearl Harbor. These people have an incredible sense of entitlement. That attack was on this country. Their relatives were in the wrong place at the wrong time, nothing more nothing less. They have worn out their sympathy welcome from me. Or the few who are tools of the socialist, peace, demo movement are no longer recipients of my sympathy.

[uvular]

Gee, thanks for the investigative report, Timeout! Hope one of the folks you e-mailed will follow up on this and the ties of Peaceful Tomorrow to THK.

It always amazes me how media gets hold of folks like this to immediately comment on something-it shouldn't-they're all buddies.

[backhoe]

Cool! I'll link to the picture.

[michaelt]

C'mon, you can't tell me you are PLEASED with the way Bush has handled 9/11.

What did you want done? What would you do now? What did Bush do wrong?

I for one, want to know what happened and why it won't happen again, and he has done little to inspire me in this regard.

What do you mean? What about "what happened" don't you know? How do you get "inspired" in learning what happened?

And welcome to FR.

[Jackson Brown]

Troll on.

Your posts
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/finduser?user=user

since you joined 4 days ago (link to all of them above) show your completely "argumentative" record so far.

BTW, how is it over a DU?

[txhurl]

A very great service. Looking forward to this disseminated.

[AmishDude]

What kills me is that the press went gleefully unawares. You don't have to be a cynic to be suspicious that the very morning the ads aired, there were these victims being paraded on TV. They were waiting to pounce on this and the Bushes knew it. That's why the 9/11 reference was so fleeting.

Rush knew it, too. He chose to address it in a "gee whiz" sort of way.

[SAMWolf]

Any bets on how many of these people who are now "offended" were screaming the loudest "Sue, Sue" and "It's not enough" when they wanted monetary gain from the 9-11 attacks?

[Jorge]

The more we learn about those protesting the Bush ads, the less genuine this all looks.

I'm glad to see that Bush is STILL running the ads in spite of the tantrums on the left.
I just saw the one showing the WTC again a few minutes ago. The more I see it the more I like it.

[AmishDude]

Do you like Moby? I think his music is kewl.

[autoresponder]

Hi Monica

[BunnySlippers]

While these people may have lost family and friends at the World Trade Center, ... 9/11 happened to all of America. There are probably just as many widows and widowers of 9/11 who approve of the Bush ad.

[txhurl]

No way! She's STILL shilling for Bill?

[lucysmom]

You know some of these families have lost my sympathy. Why do they think they own 911.

Because we have cited the deaths of their loved ones for all that has come after. We frequently invoke the 3,000. So in a sense we have given them the status some are now using.

Bush has the right to use 9/11 in his campaign, whether that will help or hurt him is another matter.