Small Rally With Big Message for Troops (FR mentioned)

The Washington Times ^ | Sunday, March 14, 2004 | Denise Barnes

[kristinn]

Undaunted by blustery March winds, a small-but-determined group rallied on the Mall yesterday to cheer and show support for American troops serving in Iraq, Afghanistan and trouble spots around the world.

The two-hour "Support Our Troops Rally" began at noon and drew about 50 people. The group waved American flags and listened to a series of short speeches by representatives of groups such as the Blue Star Mothers of America Inc., the sponsor of the rally, Rolling Thunder, Free Iraq, the Congress of Racial Equality, the D.C. Chapter of Free Republic and Operation Free Spike Inc.

[kristinn]

In addition to this Washington Times article, WTOP radio ran a report about the rally on their half-hour news breaks all afternoon and evening. WMAL radio had me on for a few minutes in the morning before the rally.

The Associated Press had a nice photo posted on the wires of Trueblackman speaking at the rally. If anyone sees it in their Sunday paper, please let us know on this thread.

C-SPAN taped the rally but it is not on their schedule yet.

There were much more reporters and TV cameras there, but the sparse crowd detracted from the news worthiness of the event. That's a shame, because the parents of our service members need all the support they can get these days.

[facedown]

Big Bump!

[Tijeras_Slim]

Heard about it on radio here in New Mexico. Wondered if any FReepers had been in attendance.

[kristinn]

Thank you bump!

[GulfWar1Vet]

Headline News had a blip about the rally mentioning that Bob Dole was there..it was down at the bottom.

I wished I could have been there!

[kristinn]

New Mexico! That's good news. Thanks for letting us know. Do you remember what news network (ABC, CBS, etc.?)

[Tijeras_Slim]

ABC top of the hour, on KKOB 770 AM.

[rabidralph]

A big perseverence bump for those who attended.

[StarCMC]

GREAT JOB GUYS!!! WIsh I lived closer so I could participate! HUGS!!!

Support our troops ping

[kristinn]

I'm grateful for the mention on CNN's Headline News, even if it was just on the scroll.

[kristinn]

That is really good news that it was on the ABC radio national network.

[basil]

Bump for a job well-done. It's a shame that the crowd wasn't larger, but that's the way it often goes with conservative gatherings.

The point is that you WERE there, and you DID get press coverage. That had to be heart warming for Blue Star Mothers across the nation who couldn't be there.

[Angelwood]

This is an excellent article by Denise Barnes. She captured many of the powerful portions of the speeches we heard yesterday.

I hope C-Span plays the tape soon so that others can see and hear for themselves the history of the Blue Star Mothers and the moving words of the other speakers.

[hellinahandcart]

bump...

[Neets]

You got your publicity didn't you?

If I remember correctly, WT is a CONSERVATIVE news organization.

The parents of our service members, and my collegues serving in Iraq and all over the world, DO HAVE MY SUPPORT.

[kristinn]

Barely. If the turnout was better it would have gotten more mentions in the news. As it is, I'm happy the Blue Star Mothers got their message out this much. Hopefully, military parents who aren't familiar with them will learn there is a support group out there that actually supports the troops and their mission.

[armymarinedad]

We can no longer be the silent majority. The left is organized and loud. With a liberal bias in the press it is an uphill battle, but we must speak out. Our way of life depends on it. Press on.

[tgslTakoma]

I hope that CSPAN does show the rally, even though there were so few people in attendance. The speakers were all very good, as I had posted in a comment last night on a now non-existent thread.

Susan Naill's comments were very good; she told the history of Blue Star Mothers and spoke about BSM's projects and family support efforts.

If CSPAN plays those speeches, and at an hour that many people will be watching, maybe more military parents will learn about Blue Star Mothers, and join the group.

There is strength in numbers.

[Copernicus]

Thank you for your service to the troops overseas.

Best regards,

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

Kristinn Taylor, co-founder of the Washington, D.C., Chapter of Free Republic, moderated the event and introduced the speakers.

....Niger Innis of the Congress of Racial Equality flew to Washington from New York yesterday morning for the rally to show his support for U.S. troops and the organizers.

"I'm so pleased to be here with my friends, my brothers and sisters of the Blue Star Mothers, Free Republic and Rolling Thunder," he said. "This is an important time for our country and our world. We are engaged in a global war. A war as profound as World War I, World War II and the Cold War ... ambiguous and difficult to fight.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thanks, kristinn and the DC Freepers, armymarinemom and the Blue Star Mothers, and everyone who braved the cold to show support for our troops and Veterans! 

Great press coverage.

"Small-but-determined group(s)" have changed the world.