Anti-War Protests Target Wounded at Army Hospital

CNSNews.com ^ | 8/25/05 | Marc Morano

[South40]

Washington (CNSNews.com) - The Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., the current home of hundreds of wounded veterans from the war in Iraq, has been the target of weekly anti-war demonstrations since March. The protesters hold signs that read "Maimed for Lies" and "Enlist here and die for Halliburton."

The anti-war demonstrators, who obtain their protest permits from the Washington, D.C., police department, position themselves directly in front of the main entrance to the Army Medical Center, which is located in northwest D.C., about five miles from the White House. Among the props used by the protesters are mock caskets, lined up on the sidewalk to represent the death toll in Iraq. See Video

Code Pink Women for Peace, one of the groups backing anti-war activist Cindy Sheehan's vigil outside President Bush's ranch in Crawford Texas, organizes the protests at Walter Reed as well.

Some conservative supporters of the war call the protests, which have been ignored by the establishment media, "shameless" and have taken to conducting counter-demonstrations at Walter Reed. "[The anti-war protesters] should not be demonstrating at a hospital. A hospital is not a suitable location for an anti-war demonstration," said Bill Floyd of the D.C. chapter of FreeRepublic.com,who stood across the street from the anti-war demonstrators on Aug. 19.

"I believe they are tormenting our wounded soldiers and they should just leave them alone," Floyd added.

According to the Walter Reed Army Medical Center, nearly 4,000 individuals involved in the Iraq war were treated at the facility as of March of this year, 1,050 of whom were wounded in battle.

One anti-war protester, who would only identify himself as "Luke," told Cybercast News Service that "the price of George Bush's foreign policy can be seen right here at Walter Reed -- young men who returned from Iraq with their bodies shattered after George Bush sent them to war for a lie."

Luke accused President Bush of "exploiting American soldiers" while "oppressing the other nations of earth." The president "has killed far too many people," he added.

On Aug. 19, as the anti-war protesters chanted slogans such as "George Bush kills American soldiers," Cybercast News Service observed several wounded war veterans entering and departing the gates of Walter Reed, some with prosthetic limbs. Most of the demonstrations have been held on Friday evenings, a popular time for the family members of wounded soldiers to visit the hospital.

But the anti-war activists were unapologetic when asked whether they considered such signs as "Maimed for Lies" offensive to wounded war veterans and their families.

"I am more offended by the fact that many were maimed for life. I am more offended by the fact that they (wounded veterans) have been kept out of the news," said Kevin McCarron, a member of the anti-war group Veterans for Peace.

Kevin Pannell, who was recently treated at Walter Reed and had both legs amputated after an ambush grenade attack near Baghdad in 2004, considers the presence of the anti-war protesters in front of the hospital "distasteful."

When he was a patient at the hospital, Pannell said he initially tried to ignore the anti-war activists camped out in front of Walter Reed, until witnessing something that enraged him.

"We went by there one day and I drove by and [the anti-war protesters] had a bunch of flag-draped coffins laid out on the sidewalk. That, I thought, was probably the most distasteful thing I had ever seen. Ever," Pannell, a member of the Army's First Cavalry Division, told Cybercast News Service.

"You know that 95 percent of the guys in the hospital bed lost guys whenever they got hurt and survivors' guilt is the worst thing you can deal with," Pannell said, adding that other veterans recovering from wounds at Walter Reed share his resentment for the anti-war protesters.

"We don't like them and we don't like the fact that they can hang their signs and stuff on the fence at Walter Reed," he said. "[The wounded veterans] are there to recuperate. Once they get out in the real world, then they can start seeing that stuff (anti-war protests). I mean Walter Reed is a sheltered environment and it needs to stay that way."

McCarron said he dislikes having to resort to such controversial tactics, "but this stuff can't be hidden," he insisted. "The real cost of this war cannot be kept from the American public."

The anti-war protesters claim their presence at the hospital is necessary to publicize the arrivals of newly wounded soldiers from Iraq, who the protesters allege are being smuggled in at night by the Pentagon to avoid media scrutiny. The protesters also argue that the military hospital is the most appropriate place for the demonstrations and that the vigils are designed to ultimately help the wounded veterans.

"If I went to war and lost a leg and then found out from my hospital bed that I had been lied to, that the weapons I was sent to search for never existed, that the person who sent me to war had no plan but to exploit me, exploit the country I was sent to, I would be pretty angry," Luke told Cybercast News Service.

"I would want people to do something about it and if I couldn't get out of my bed and protest myself, I would want someone else to do it in my name," he added.

The conservative counter-demonstrators carry signs reading "Troops out when the job's done," "Thank you U.S. Armed Forces" and "Shameless Pinkos go home." Many wear the orange T-shirts reading "Club G'itmo" that are marketed by conservative talk show host Rush Limbaugh.

"[The anti-war protesters] have no business here. If they want to protest policy, they should be at the Capitol, they should be at the White House," said Nina Burke. "The only reason for being here is to talk to [the] wounded and [anti-war protests are] just completely inappropriate."

Albion Wilde concurred, arguing that "it's very easy to pick on the families of the wounded. They are very vulnerable ... I feel disgusted.

"[The anti-war protesters] are really showing an enormous lack of respect for just everything that America has always stood for. They lost the election and now they are really, really angry and so they are picking on the wrong people," Wilde added.

At least one anti-war demonstrator conceded that standing out in front of a military hospital where wounded soldiers and their families are entering and exiting, might not be appropriate.

"Maybe there is a better place to have a protest. I am not sure," said a man holding a sign reading "Stop the War," who declined to be identified.

But Luke and the other anti-war protesters dismissed the message of the counter demonstrators. "We know most of the George Bush supporters have never spent a day in uniform, have never been closer to a battlefield than seeing it through the television screen," Luke said.

Code Pink, the group organizing the anti-war demonstrations in front of the Walter Reed hospital, has a controversial leader and affiliations. As Cybercast News Service previously reported, Code Pink co-founder Medea Benjamin has expressed support for the Communist Viet Cong in Vietnam and the Nicaraguan Sandinistas.

In 2001, Benjamin was asked about anti-war protesters sympathizing with nations considered to be enemies of U.S. foreign policy, including the Viet Cong and the Sandinistas. "There's no one who will talk about how the other side is good," she reportedly told the San Francisco Chronicle.

Benjamin has also reportedly praised the Cuban regime of Fidel Castro. Benjamin told the San Francisco Chronicle that her visit to Cuba in the 1980s revealed to her a great country. "It seem[ed] like I died and went to heaven," she reportedly said.

[South40]

While I love it when libs reveal their hatred for America, I'm sorry these wounded vets have to be a part of it.

If Sheehan's son had been injured and not killed, would she protest at his hospital?

[schwing_wifey]

I don't want to beat a dead horse (or people who look like one - C.S.) but if you think another country is so much better, pack your sorry @$$ up and move there!

There is NOTHING like living for awhile in another country to make you appreciate what you have at home, and "visits" don't tell you JACK! about how things REALLY are!!!

Please forgive my rant, I need to drag myself out for a lunchtime run and its drizzling here and you would NOT BELIEVE the size of the snails and slugs you have to weave your way through. The slugs are so big and squishy you could twist an ankle if you step on one.

[Texas_Jarhead]

Expose the pinko bastards.

[muir_redwoods]

"God don't make trash". Well, looks like he was wrong.

It's just a hunch on my part but I get the feeling these creeps had a hand in their own "trash-ification" process.

[Boomer Geezer]

I really don't have a ping list... just thought you might be interested in this one.

[TheRobb7]

"Luke accused President Bush of "exploiting American soldiers" while "oppressing the other nations of earth." The president "has killed far too many people," he added."

More soldiers died via ACCIDENTS durng Clinton's watch than have died in Iraq. (www.defense.org)

Great posting, South40.

[Alia]

One anti-war protester, who would only identify himself as "Luke," told Cybercast News Service that "the price of George Bush's foreign policy can be seen right here at Walter Reed -- young men who returned from Iraq with their bodies shattered after George Bush sent them to war for a lie."

Dead wrong. The correct story is:

"the price of Bill Clinton's "lack of" foreign policy can be seen right here at Walter Reed -- young men who returned from Iraq with their bodies shattered after George Bush had to do the job the Clinton Admin refused to.

[goldstategop]

More soldiers die every year in routine training during military exercises than die in Iraq in a year. The MSM is leaving out the context for the casualty figures. By any standard of previous wars, they're nothing short of miraculous!

(Denny Crane: "Sometimes you can only look for answers from God and failing that... and Fox News".)

[BillF]

DC Chapter ping!

FReepmail me or post a reply to get on or off the list. You do NOT have to be in the DC area to be on the list. If you're interested in our activities, that's sufficient.

Click here for the thread with a report of last Friday's FReep of the Pinkos at Walter Reed and details about the planned FReep for Friday night.

You should also see the thread with the Drudge story if you haven't already (click here).

Injured Walter Reed patients, including amputees, have repeatedly told us how important it is for us to be there to counter Code Pink.

If we can sufficiently outnumber the leftists often enough, embarrassment may cause the leftists to stop these outrageous morale-damaging ("Maimed for a lie" is one of their signs) demonstrations at the hospital.

The same FReepers are doing almost all of the these FReeps. We do so gladly as a labor of love for our brave troops fighting terrorists over there, instead of waiting for the terrorists to come here. We FReep especially for those wounded in combat. However, some FReepers' family vacations or other obligations may prevent some of them from coming this next Friday.

Our troops are bold enough to face bullets, mortars, IEDs, and suicide bombers. Are you bold enough to get out from behind the keyboard, FReep in person, and stand up for the wounded troops at Walter Reed?

If you're in the DC area and don't have family or work considerations that keep you from FReeping, can you spare a few hours on a Friday night? Will you?

[BillF]

Thanks for posting this.

For those of you who are in the DC area, you are invited to join us in a peaceful counterprotest to the Pinkos per the below thread. Unfortunately, I won't be able to make it this Friday, Aug. 26 so maybe you could go in my place? Please do NOT go if you cannot control your temper and your actions when close to America-hating traitors.

Details as to the time and place can be found by clicking on the thread excerpted below.

FReep of Code Pink's Quagmire at Walter Reed, Aug 19 (Heavy graphics, Join us Aug 26!)
DC Chapter ^ | August 22, 2005 | BillF

Posted on 08/22/2005 12:39:11 AM PDT by BillF

For the twelfth week in a row, FReepers from the DC Chapter and beyond have outnumbered Code Pinkos at their weekly obscene anti-war blood dance outside Walter Reed Army Medical Center. 

Code Pink is truly stuck in a quagmire as FReepers severely hinder the Pinkos' cynical attempts to manipulate wounded soldiers and relatives in hopes of finding those who will join the anti-war movement and break faith with the troops still fighting a ruthless enemy. Many of the most severely wounded troops from the war in Iraq and Afghanistan are taken to Walter Reed for continued treatment and rehabilitation. The Pinkos other goal is too demoralize those wounded troops, but wounded troops have repeatedly thanked us for our presence as an antidote to the morale-sapping leftist antics.

Incredibly, Code Pink cannot muster enough people to achieve their desired fraud and deceit at their Walter Reed protest in the liberal bastion of Washington, DC, a city filled with left wing activists and where about 90 percent of the people voted against George Bush.

Do you think that the Pinkos are sickos to have an anti-war demonstration at a hospital holding war-wounded? Then please help us by showing up next Friday night per details below.  Stand up against the Pinkos who've endorsed the Iraqi resistance (see here and here), given money to the other side in Fallujah, and called our troops "killers." Then, the Pinkos demonstrate at the hospital and pretend that they support our troops.

This was Eighteenth Fabulous Fun FReep of the Code Pinkos as FReepers continue to frustrate the Pinkos' evil scheme.

As we have done on a number of these FReeps, we ate pizza on site at the FReep.

[snip]

(L-R) Nina0113, beandog, Landry Fan (sitting), BufordP, lurker Joan, Albion Wilde, Doctor Raoul, Marc Morano, Fraxinus, canine-American Vega, lurker Bill, and lurker Liz.

[snip]

CLICK HERE FOR THE REST OF THAT THREAD.

[malia]

You are correct, McCarron, the real cost of this war can't be kept from the public. The real cost of this war sits on the head of the impeached X42, clinton.

[libbybelle]

Just as in Viet Nam, these demonstrations only encourage our enemies. These people know this - it's the reason they do it. Who's paying them?

[South40]

No, thank you and all who are with you there.

Great job!

[poobear]

"It seem[ed] like I died and went to heaven," she reportedly said."

If Cuba, you ignorant ---t, is YOUR heaven, what pray tell is hell? -!

[poobear]

"The slugs are so big and squishy you could twist an ankle if you step on one."

Just d@mn!

[BillF]

I haven't read all of the replies, but I would ask people to kindly keep their cool. A few replies that I have read have been regretably harsh. There is no place for threats of violence on FR.

For those who are unpersuaded by moral and legal arguments against violating the rights of the Pinkos, there is another consideration. DC is about 90 percent liberal. If you lose perspective and post over the top comments, it may come back to haunt those of us, like myself, who are on the front lines of this struggle against the evil Pinkos. (I've been to 17 of the 18 FReeps of the Pinkos at Walter Reed.)

If we had a hundred FReepers show up and peacefully counterprotest the leftists week after week, the Pinkos would likely be shamed out of continuing. There aren't enough FReepers showing up, but a very few FReepers now seem to advocate violence? It doesn't make sense.

Violence against peaceful protestors no matter how much you object to their message is immoral and illegal. Also, if we can't get enough people (i.e., as many as we would like to have) to show up now, does anyone think that violence would induce more people to come to a FReep?

I don't want to accuse any particular FReepers, but why would any FReeper want to do something so stupid as to advocate or commit violence? We are kicking Pinkos' tails peacefully, lawfully, and without interfering with their rights. We have completely blunted their messages and prevented them from succeeding in their fraudulent attempt to feign friendship with troops in attempts to "turn" troops against the war, the military, and the President.

When FReepers make foolish statements about committing violence, I have to wonder if they are not agent provocateurs of the left.

[BillF]

That was Drudge's lead from last night, before the CNSNews story was out. Drudge knew that it was coming.