Posted on 03/19/2005 5:03:49 PM PST by Constitution Day
From the Durham, NC Herald-Sun:
Peace rally attracts about 3,000 near Fort Bragg
By VALERIE BAUMAN : Associated Press Writer
Mar 19, 2005 : 6:56 pm ET
FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. -- An anti-war rally organized in part by veterans and military families drew about 3,000 people to a park near Fort Bragg -- home to more than 40,000 soldiers and thousands of other dependents.
Demonstrators attending the rally on the second anniversary of the United States' invasion of Iraq said they hoped it would build pressure to bring troops home.
"I can't remain silent on these issues, slap a yellow ribbon on my car and call it supporting our troops," said Kara Hollingsworth, the wife of a soldier serving his second tour of duty in Iraq. "I support our troops by making sure they are not put in harm's way unless absolutely necessary."
The demonstration in a town where life revolves around the sprawling Army base, home to the Army's Green Berets and the elite 82nd Airborne Division, was met by about 100 opponents waving American flags and banners.
Anne Hladik is a military wife too. Her husband is in Baghdad, preparing to come home from his second deployment. She stood with the counter-protesters.
"I'm very insulted that people came here specifically to harass our military families," Hladik said. "It's hurtful because it gives (soldiers overseas) the illusion, at what may be a difficult time, that the nation may be against them."
Hladik said the best way to show support for U.S. troops was to send care packages and calling cards to service men and women overseas.
Similar protests across the United States and Europe marked the anniversary of the Iraq war. At least 45,000 Britons marched past the American Embassy in London to protest the invasion.
In Fayetteville, the day opened with a march to Rowan Street Park, where 100 boxes draped with American flags represented soldiers killed in Iraq.
Rally organizers repeated throughout the event that their support for the troops meant wanting the Bush Administration to bring them home safe.
Michael Hoffman, a co-Founder of Iraq Veterans Against the War who invaded Iraq in 2003 with the Marines, be didn't think anti-war protests undermine the morale of troops facing danger, Hoffman said.
"I've been in Iraq, I've been shot at, you're not thinking about the protests, you're not thinking about yellow ribbons, you're thinking about 'how am I going to get out of this?'" he said.
Police made one arrest Saturday. Rann Bar-On, a rally speaker was arrested for obstructing and delaying arrest, and trespassing, both misdemeanors. Officers said he tried to enter the rally site without a mandatory search.
http://herald-sun.com/state/6-588004.html
I just had to tell you that you were missed today.
I don't know who she is but she really took a stand!. I spoke with her and her kids for a bit.
This is one of the strongest images to come from this freep and i can't figger out how to save it. Please help me.
http://media.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/images/I50403-2005Mar19
I don't know if that helps or not but I can't do anything with it.
WE'VE GOT TO SAVE THAT PHOTO OF "ACCOSTED" HOLDING HER HAND OUT!!!!
Sorry you have to register to see the story.
I am so proud of you people. Thank you all for including me.
As you all have probably noticed, charter's webspace servers suck. Sorry.
Had a wonderful time last night and today.
The event was well-organized and well-run. To all my old FReeper friends and the new ones I met this weekend...You guys are the greatest!!!
I laughed most of the way back to Virginia thinking about Doctor Raoul and Huber's funny comments and jokes....
(How many lefties does it take to screw in a light bulb?
None, they would rather sit in darkness and ignorance.) And the unintentional comedy provided by the lefties in the park.
Did anyone get a picture of the old dude dressed up like Santa Clause in drag wearing a nun's veil? What was that about????
I am afraid I was partly responsible for letting the young hippy raid the Tastee Cakes at our table but one of the Rolling Thunder ladies was keeping a close watch on him and he knew better than to mess with her. He wanted a couple of signs and since he had been holding them for us I sold him two for $1.56. He said that was all the cash he had and he was hitchhiking.
Met several people who had heard about the Rally from the newspaper reports and decided to come out and take a stand in support of the troops. The Carolina FReepers did a good job getting the word out.
I loved seeing the teenagers who showed up on our side, also. They represented various "tribes" and all had courage and good hearts in common. Not to mention they were a lot of fun to be around.
Had a nice talk with a young soldier, J.J., who came across us by accident. He has only been at Ft. Bragg a week. He is a big Ronaldus Maximus fan and after expressing an interest in the "Viva la Reagan Revolucion" poster, I took great pleasure in giving it him.
The t-shirt is available at thoseshirts.com.
While Dr. Raoul was giving us the lowdown on the various so-called Peace groups from the podium, a young man confronted bert, yelling and cursing at him. The big skin-head looking guy in the photo above came up from behind and hit bert on the top of his head and then started yelling like a girl - "He hit me! He hit me!" (the skinhead, not bert!) The police were having none of it and dragged him off. Personally, I think it was a set up to get bert arrested.
Did anyone get a photo of Buford P. puffing on a stogey and holding the Uh-oh it's code pinko sign? Too funny.
AQGeiger's speech was moving and straight from the heart and the FReeper chorus did an excellent job with the Star Spangled Banner and America the Beautiful.
I hope all the FReepers travelling tonight have safe journeys. To those of you who stayed in Fayetteville...Party On Dudes!
This Freeper is going to bed!
Thanks for helping to push me up that hill after the Freep.
It would have taken me about an hour to do it alone.
BufordP was helping me across Hay street to where I was parked, when a big black SUV with blacked-out windows threatened to run us over. Pissed me off pretty good. Later on I figured the driver probably thought we were part of the anti-war crowd. It was pretty funny that I unknowingly parked in the anti's parking area. There were quite a few of them still lingering around their vehicles while I was
getting in my car. In the space of about ten minutes, several cars full of GI's drove by cursing at them. Nice ending to a good day.
Speaking of soldiers, I believe they were restricted from taking part in the event. I live here in Fayetteville and one of my SF buddies agreed with this. I imagine the freeper side would have expanded quite a bit if they were allowed to attend.
When I first got there, I set up near a raggedy looking young guy with a plastic bullhorn, yelling incoherent rhetoric and mumbo-jumbo especially when someone from our side was speaking. I pegged him as a plant from the other side, pointed him out to some other folks who confronted him and he high-tailed it back to the pit. It pays to study the enemies websites and tactics.
I was impressed with the 'Nam era Marine that me and Buford were talking with toward the end of the event. He drove himself down from NY just for this particular freep. Pretty nice guy, though I forgot his name.
From what I saw on the local news when I got home, they gave us pretty equal time and validated us as a legitimate voice.
Thanks to the folks who helped me back in my wheel chair after I fell out of it when it rolled forward off the curb.
I had a good time last year, a good time this year and I hope to see ya'll again...
Thanks for making the effort, dodging vans, etc.! GREAT SIGNS by the way!
I was thinking she looked like the other commie lesbo...I mean commie actress....uh I mean commie actor has been..
Well, you know...Robert Redford...
Is there anyway to get Dr Raoul's research on a Freeper Thread?
I would love to have back grounders on those commie freaks.
So when someone mentions those liberal freaks...I can mention where they evolved from.
Taxman Bravo Zulu!
Great FReep, pics, etc. Sorry I could not join you this year.
She smiled in the picture but she was really upset.
I just wanted to say THANKS for the great time yesterday. I was proud to stand with a bunch of true PATRIOTIC AMERICANS! My wife just called and I told her about yesterday. She wanted me to thank everyone for their support. She plans to tell her troops about us. I’m going to send her pics from the board, so she can show them to the troops. My pics did not turn out to well. I plan to spend more time on this board; I might not become a regular but will post from time to time. After yesterday I have been thinking about putting in for the chapter leader of the Protest Warriors. I think it would be great to have the FReeps and the PW working together. Again, thanks for the great time. GOD BLESS.
So that's what those people with the birds on sticks were doing! (A prize for the best explanation of what "Guernica" has to do with this situation ...) I thought they just wanted to get another use out of their Chinese New Year outfits.
You missed a clasic. The DC Chapter had a big success. Code Pink's act will be free to lie without the truth close by.
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