IAmNotAnAnimal: My thoughts on the Fayetteville, NC "pro-peace" March

me | 03-20-04 | me

[IAmNotAnAnimal]

My thoughts on my first Freep ever today in Fayetteville, NC. I arose early and set out on my two hour journey to Fayetteville. During the course of my trip, I kept going over different scenarios in my mind on responses to any sort of idealogical or factual argument I may have with the other side. I admit I was a little stressed.

arriving, the word was that we would have about 30 FReepers (if lucky), and that there were going to be about 1,500 "peace" people. As we gathered and waved our flags, spoke our mantras, the "enemy" slowly ascended the hill. My anxiety about being quick-witted in response to reasoned arguments rapidly vanished. The rag-tag crew that ascended the hill (about 600-700) people looked to be a mish mash of seasoned citizens wearing torn clothing and trash bags, and junior high school students waving such signs as "My dad is a Navy veteran, and he opposes the war".

Okay, so where's your dad? I can't help but mention the ecletic dancer with black and red hair who was "dancing" to the beat of homemade drums. It made me long for the sixties, even though I was born in 1968. I looked around at the 90, yes 90 Freepers and family assembled, all with flags and signs, reciting the pledge of allegiance, I looked at the Vietnam Vets against John Kerry, the veterans from various wars, the wives, and the babies, and then I had to laugh. Not at us, at them. I saw signs that were very germane from "Affordable Housing" to "Dennis Kuchinic" (who)?, and other such mind provoking drivel. I had to laugh, I just had to.

The reporter asked me if I had lost my legs in combat. I explained to the reporter that I had leg braces on, as exhibited by my very visible feet, that my legs were still there.

We marched behind this stately peaceful crowd where we joined up with our brothers and sisters in leather and on Harleys.

We would have loved to debate the other side, but no one seemed to want to come to "the line" to do that. So, I just watched one misguided veteran from the 101st, who upon weighing roughly 300 pounds shout to us that we didn't "get it". I would've shouted back, but he had already turned and gone down the hill, presumptively to get another hot dog.

The FReepers were great, it was like being amongst old friends, but I had just met them. We all shared in fellowship, and were quick to offer help to those who needed it. I would like to thank all the FReepers who were there for their kindness and patriotism. I am only left with one question - when we got to the park there were about a hundred open black umbrellas laying on the side of the "peace" people, and it wasn;t raining. What gives?

Looking forward to the next one. Ranger out.

[Mich0127]

Good job! Keep up the good work!

[Mark]

Thank you and the other FREEPERS! Good job.

[SC Swamp Fox]

The umbrellas were part of fund-raising effort.

I am told that for a fee, you could paint an umbrella and add it to the "peace tree" which they built by hanging the umbrellas on the cone shaped jungle-gym in the adjacent playground. By the end of their rally I only saw about 10 umbrellas on their "tree".

It was great meeting you and all of the other Freepers.

[Overtaxed]

But...but...where was the after-FReep Guinness?

[Rebelbase]

***Formatted***

My thoughts on my first Freep ever today in Fayetteville, NC. I arose early and set out on my two hour journey to Fayetteville. During the course of my trip, I kept going over different scenarios in my mind on responses to any sort of idealogical or factual argument I may have with the other side. I admit I was a little stressed.

arriving, the word was that we would have about 30 FReepers (if lucky), and that there were going to be about 1,500 "peace" people. As we gathered and waved our flags, spoke our mantras, the "enemy" slowly ascended the hill. My anxiety about being quick-witted in response to reasoned arguments rapidly vanished. The rag-tag crew that ascended the hill (about 600-700) people looked to be a mish mash of seasoned citizens wearing torn clothing and trash bags, and junior high school students waving such signs as "My dad is a Navy veteran, and he opposes the war".

Okay, so where's your dad? I can't help but mention the ecletic dancer with black and red hair who was "dancing" to the beat of homemade drums. It made me long for the sixties, even though I was born in 1968. I looked around at the 90, yes 90 Freepers and family assembled, all with flags and signs, reciting the pledge of allegiance, I looked at the Vietnam Vets against John Kerry, the veterans from various wars, the wives, and the babies, and then I had to laugh. Not at us, at them. I saw signs that were very germane from "Affordable Housing" to "Dennis Kuchinic" (who)?, and other such mind provoking drivel. I had to laugh, I just had to.

The reporter asked me if I had lost my legs in combat. I explained to the reporter that I had leg braces on, as exhibited by my very visible feet, that my legs were still there.

We marched behind this stately peaceful crowd where we joined up with our brothers and sisters in leather and on Harleys.

We would have loved to debate the other side, but no one seemed to want to come to "the line" to do that. So, I just watched one misguided veteran from the 101st, who upon weighing roughly 300 pounds shout to us that we didn't "get it". I would've shouted back, but he had already turned and gone down the hill, presumptively to get another hot dog.

The FReepers were great, it was like being amongst old friends, but I had just met them. We all shared in fellowship, and were quick to offer help to those who needed it. I would like to thank all the FReepers who were there for their kindness and patriotism. I am only left with one question - when we got to the park there were about a hundred open black umbrellas laying on the side of the "peace" people, and it wasn;t raining. What gives?

Looking forward to the next one. Ranger out.

[IAmNotAnAnimal]

Dam*, not to self for next time: Guiness, Guiness, Guiness.

[IAmNotAnAnimal]

Thanks, looks much better.

[HighWheeler]

"when we got to the park there were about a hundred open black umbrellas laying on the side of the "peace" people,"

These are filthy, lazy people who want everyone else to keep the world clean and neat for them.

[FReepaholic]

[Reformatted for easier reading...hope you don't mind]

My thoughts on my first Freep ever today in Fayetteville, NC.

I arose early and set out on my two hour journey to Fayetteville. During the course of my trip, I kept going over different scenarios in my mind on responses to any sort of idealogical or factual argument I may have with the other side. I admit I was a little stressed.

Upon arriving, the word was that we would have about 30 FReepers (if lucky), and that there were going to be about 1,500 "peace" people. As we gathered and waved our flags, spoke our mantras, the "enemy" slowly ascended the hill. My anxiety about being quick-witted in response to reasoned arguments rapidly vanished.

The rag-tag crew that ascended the hill (about 600-700) people looked to be a mish mash of seasoned citizens wearing torn clothing and trash bags, and junior high school students waving such signs as "My dad is a Navy veteran, and he opposes the war". Okay, so where's your dad?

I can't help but mention the ecletic dancer with black and red hair who was "dancing" to the beat of homemade drums. It made me long for the sixties, even though I was born in 1968. I looked around at the 90, yes 90 Freepers and family assembled, all with flags and signs, reciting the pledge of allegiance, I looked at the Vietnam Vets against John Kerry, the veterans from various wars, the wives, and the babies, and then I had to laugh. Not at us, at them.

I saw signs that were very germane from "Affordable Housing" to "Dennis Kuchinic" (who)?, and other such mind provoking drivel. I had to laugh, I just had to.

There was a lot of press coverage, including Reuters. A Reuters reporter came up to talk to me, which I did out of my deep respect for Reuters (okay, she was really cute). The reporter asked me if I had lost my legs in combat. I explained to the reporter that I had leg braces on, as exhibited by my very visible feet, that my legs were still there.

We marched behind this stately peaceful crowd where we joined up with our brothers and sisters in leather and on Harleys. We would have loved to debate the other side, but no one seemed to want to come to "the line" to do that. So, I just watched one misguided veteran from the 101st, who upon weighing roughly 300 pounds shout to us that we didn't "get it". I would've shouted back, but he had already turned and gone down the hill, presumptively to get another hot dog.

The FReepers were great, it was like being amongst old friends, but I had just met them. We all shared in fellowship, and were quick to offer help to those who needed it.

I would like to thank all the FReepers who were there for their kindness and patriotism. I am only left with one question - when we got to the park there were about a hundred open black umbrellas laying on the side of the "peace" people, and it wasn;t raining. What gives?

Looking forward to the next one. Ranger out.

[GeorgeW23225]

Thanks for sharing your experience, and I'm really glad that everything went well. I sure wish I could have been there (but Conservatives actually have jobs) unlike the left wing professional protestors. Freepers are a great bunch of people, aren't we ?? I've seen some of the best political humor and razor sharp wit here on the boards
Smart, very smart. We sure are, all of us!!

Keep up the great work !!

[Mr. Mojo]

So, I just watched one misguided veteran from the 101st, who upon weighing roughly 300 pounds shout to us that we didn't "get it".

He's right, you don't "get it" ....and neither do I. We just don't get how anyone could want our troops to pull out of Iraq now that a very dangerous dictator - who WMD'd his own people, bombed Israel with rockets, attempted to assassinate a U.S. President, and was most likely involved in 9/11 (at least peripherally) - is gone and the Iraqi people are just starting to put their lives back together with our assistance. ....and I don't they we ever will "get it."

[LisaMalia]

Great job! We may be small in numbers, but we are GROWING! Thanks for taking the time and effort.

[NRA2BFree]

So, I just watched one misguided veteran from the 101st, who upon weighing roughly 300 pounds shout to us that we didn*t "get it".

Oh man, you should have RACKED him. LOL!

[SC Swamp Fox]

Our counter-protest made the NBC nightly news. They did a segment on the anti-war protests and then included the counter-protest (us) in Fayetteville as an example of how divided the nation is on the issue.

They showed a wide shot of us at the Hay/Franklin street location and included the comments of one of the Rolling Thunder vets that were with us. Not bad.

[Bob]

So, I just watched one misguided alleged veteran from the 101st, who upon weighing roughly 300 pounds shout to us that we didn't "get it".

Not all veterans really are.

I once met a guy who claimed to have been an 'Army Lance Corporal' who served in Desert Storm. He apparently thought it was a cool sounding rank but didn't even know that it's a Marine Corps rank and isn't used by the Army.

BTW, I've also met a 'Marine Corps pilot' who flew the F-17 fighter. (There's never been an F-17, at least not in any of the U.S service branches.)

[IAmNotAnAnimal]

Don't tread on us :)

[IAmNotAnAnimal]

Kind of like Chief Petty Major in the Air Force?

[IAmNotAnAnimal]

All I had was soft soap :)

[SC Swamp Fox]

Don't tread on us :)

While I wasn't in the shot, my flags were in the shot when the Rolling Thunder vet was interviewed. Pretty cool.

[IAmNotAnAnimal]

Definitely cool

[Bob]

Kind of like Chief Petty Major in the Air Force?

Can't say as I've ever met one of those. :=) But then again, while I was in the Navy, all we had were Chief Petty Officers, Senior Chiefs, and Master Chiefs.

[SC Swamp Fox]

'Army Lance Corporal'

That's funny. Usually the posers make themselves a commissioned officer and a graduate of one of the service academies.

[Alia]

Hurrah! The first "counter protest" is always the most stressful; and because it is the first; and you know the opponents more than likely will neither be civil or fair. They get up close, and you see... just ...folks.

Thank you for marching today.

[lowbridge]

Didja meet Darth Sidious?

[SC Swamp Fox]

Darth was there. He had on a slick lookin' Drudge hat.

[lowbridge]

Upon arriving, the word was that we would have about 30 FReepers (if lucky), and that there were going to be about 1,500 "peace" people. As we gathered and waved our flags, spoke our mantras, the "enemy" slowly ascended the hill. My anxiety about being quick-witted in response to reasoned arguments rapidly vanished. The rag-tag crew that ascended the hill (about 600-700) people

Why is it that the lefties always manage to get more people at their demonstrations than us?

[armymarinedad]

Message from my sons: Thanks for your support. HOOAH/OORAH

[IAmNotAnAnimal]

We're national. They refer to me here Capt. Todd McDonald )of course that's not my real last name), but hey, the reporter said she was from Reuters. Not exactly what I said, and they didn;t mention Free Republic, but we're making progress.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4568374/

[solzhenitsyn]

Why is it that the lefties always manage to get more people at their demonstrations than us?

Because we're not professional rabble-rousers, and we don't bus in unionists or idlers on the public dole. We have jobs and other serious responsibilities in life. I'm thrilled that these guys in Fayetteville had a turnout of 90. That is tremendous.

[jocon307]

"Why is it that the lefties always manage to get more people at their demonstrations than us?"

I think I gotta go with the aforementioned reason, we have jobs and real lives, they don't.

[Neets]

Kudos

BTT

[SC Swamp Fox]

About 2,000 rallied in Fayetteville, North Carolina, near Fort Bragg, one of the largest U.S. military bases. Several hundred counter-demonstrators stood along the march route.

“The appearance that we get in the media focuses on one or two people killed, when we are opening schools and people are giving us flowers,” said Capt. Todd McDonald, 35, who said he broke both his legs in a parachute accident in Iraq.

I was interviewed by the NY Times and the Fayetteville Observer. I hope they don't distort what I said.

[Indy Pendance]

Great job!

[SpaceBar]

Why is it that the lefties always manage to get more people at their demonstrations than us?

Because there's more area under the left end of the bell curve.

[IAmNotAnAnimal]

Hope is a good thing

[lowbridge]

Because we're not professional rabble-rousers, and we don't bus in unionists or idlers on the public dole. We have jobs and other serious responsibilities in life.

But 700 to 30? There cant be that many unemployed people. That answer is a bit too simplistic. That may explain some of the rabble rousers but not all.

[IAmNotAnAnimal]

There were actually about 90 freepers and about 20 bikers, so closer to 110

[diotima]

We don't pay our people. :^)

[lowbridge]

There were actually about 90 freepers and about 20 bikers, so closer to 110

110 is pretty good for our side. But still I wish it was us with the hundreds or thousands of protestors outnumbering the left.

[SC Swamp Fox]

Most of their side could be divided into two groups...

Old hippies and college-age ideologues.

Very few "adults".

[lowbridge]

We don't pay our people. :^)

Darn it. And me needing a second job. :-)

[IAmNotAnAnimal]

And one Palestinian wananbe with the scarf over his face

[SC Swamp Fox]

We don't pay our people. :^)

And we have lives.

Jobs, children, spouses, homes....things we have to take care of.

[socratic_t65]

it is rather interesting that you would cite the use of chemical weapons by hussein some 14-16 years earlier as a justification ("who WMD'd his own people") for invading the country. funny, how the "hussein 'has' wmd" is vitually forgotten by bush supporters. why is that?

you have falsely asserted hussein being connected to 9/11. there is no peripheral connection, just one that has been imagined.

there is even conflicting reports as to the validity of the assasination attempt to kill the elder bush and hussein's involvement. makes one think of the incubator lies told about the first iraq war. in reviewing your post the only thing that is conclusive about your post is the bombing of israel which took place in 1991.

did you see the news yesterday? the reason i ask is because the iraqi's protesting the u.s. occuaption really challenges your statement "the Iraqi people are just starting to put their lives back together with our assistance."

have a nice day!

[Tax-chick]

My husband took our two oldest boys camping, and our oldest daughter has equestrian events all weekend, and we have four kids under 5 in addition to the above. That is, we have lives!

That said, I'm still annoyed that we scheduled all this stuff before we knew about the FReep, and we'll try to make the next one!

***

Great report, not-an-animal, and I hope we'll meet in the relatively near future!

[Mr. Mojo]

it is rather interesting that you would cite the use of chemical weapons by hussein some 14-16 years earlier as a justification ("who WMD'd his own people"

I cited Hussein's use of chemical weapons against the Kurds, but I never cited it as a justification for going to war. We went to war because we determined that Ba'athist Iraq was a threat to U.S. national security, and we made the corrrect decision.

did you see the news yesterday? the reason i ask is because the iraqi's protesting the u.s. occuaption really challenges your statement "the Iraqi people are just starting to put their lives back together with our assistance."

Yeah, I saw the news yesterday. And the polls. 7 out of 10 Iraqis want us to stay, and nearly everyone in the nation admits that things are much better now that Saddam is gone. You wouldn't be watching Al Jazeeera by any chance, would you?

As far as Saddam's complicity in 9/11 and his attempted assassination of the Elder, there is strong evidence to support it, albeit circumstantial. .....strong enough to go to war. And it appears we're going to stay until the job is done whether or you and the millions of protesting leftists today like it or not.

[funnynurse]

I also attended the rally in F'ville today. My first one. I had never met a "freeper" before, had barely heard of them. I became one, I suppose, when I was offered and accepted a button from my neighbor to my left. In an earlier post, someone mentioned a crowd of 110. There were A LOT more folks there than that when I got there. Overall, the counter folks were very civil. We stood where we could actually hear the speakers in the park. I was totally shocked that a lot of them did not hardly touch on the message at hand "BRING OUR TROOPS HOME". Almost every speaker seemed to have a private agenda. Is this normal at these "peace" rallies??

I expected there to be varied opinions, but not the overt politicizing I heard.

To the person that mentioned the "incubator lies"; of course Uncle Saddam's henchmen would never dream of that. Nor would they rape, pillage, torture, etc. It is all a vast right-wing conspiracy!!

I did not really agree with invading Iraq. In January, my spouse was sent over to Baghdad. My entire perspective has changed since then. I know the info I get from him is accuarate. Like he says, "I don't have to THINK anything, I am here on the front experiencing it." The vast majority of Iraqis in his sector are supportive of his mission there, and this has made his life (and mine back here) a lot easier.

He offered up a suggestion to the peace crowd, I hope it is OK to post it here.

Simply this:

Please come here and help out, these innocent people need you.

He is not holding his breath, and neither am I, but the invitation is out there. If you want results, use action not words!

[Vinnie]

I posted this on another thread, copied to this one.

My wife and I just got home from a rally in Fayetteville, NC. We left a little early.( posted earlier on another thread0

We had 50-75 at our first location, ( I'm a poor judge of attendance, may have been more). We taunted the marchers with "Gave peace a chance, got 9/11" as the walked by.

The 'festivities' moved to a park the anti-war protesters had set up.

We met with Rolling Thunder, a biker group whose main concern is MIAs and POWs. With both groups I would estimate 200.

The 'Thunder' revved their bikes up in unison, completely drowning out the anti-war speakers. Of course the police put a stop to that.

What little of the anti-war speeches I heard started as We support the troops by insisting they come home but soon changed to Bush Bashing. Yawn.

I'm sure ther will be pics coming later. I have some but no website.

I'm going to leave many out, but some in attendance that I met..

Anglewood..DC
Kristinn..DC
Huber
Dixie Sass
Dr. Rauol..DC
Congressman BillyBob
Upchuck
Darth Sidious
Helms
Mykidsmom
Constitution Day
Fred Mertz
TaxRelief
Taxman
CAL (I think)
Several people were 'walk ons' that is read about the counter protest in the newspaper and joined us.

One other note.
I was surprised at the number of protesters. Estimate our larger group X 3.
There were 3-4 buses for them. Guess if you aren't working, have a free ride, probably getting paid..... did look like a freak show (G)