Posted on 05/26/2006 2:07:50 PM PDT by kristinn
All FReepers and lurkers in good standing are urged to join the D.C. Chapter of Free Republic this Memorial Day at Arlington National Cemetery as we stand up against the Fred Phelps led Westboro Baptist Church.
Phelps and his cult will be doing their "God Hates Fags," "God Loves Dead Soldiers" schtick on Memorial Drive near the entrance to the cemetery.
We'll gather in opposition to send a positive, patriotic message of gratitude to the families of the Fallen who will be arriving at Arlington for the wreath laying and speech by President Bush that morning.
An excerpt from the press release by Westboro Baptist Church:
Thursday, May 25,2006 NEWS RELEASE Thank God for lEDs (Improvised Explosive Devices) God Himself Has Now Become America's Terrorist, Killing and Maiming American Troops in Strange Lands for Fag Sins. WBC to picket Arlington National Cemetery - at 10:15 a.m., Monday, May 29 - at Jefferson Davis Hwy. & Memorial Drive,Washington, D.C. (Virginia) - in religious protest warning: God is not mocked! Gal. 6:7. God Hates Fags! & Fag Enablers! Ergo, God hates the U.S.A. and Memorable Day idolatries.
The D.C. Chapter will arrive at 8 a.m. to get set up along Memorial Drive with the MOAB and our flags and signs. Parking at the cemetery is going to be tight, which is another reason to get there early. There is a Metro station at Arlington that is served by the Blue Line.
Please forward this announcement to those you know who would be interested in joining us Monday morning.
As always, the D.C. Chapters rules for demonstrating will be in effect. Briefly, they are: No violence, no profanity, no racism, no provocations, obey the law and treat all law enforcement officers with respect.
D.C. Chapter mega ping!
D.C. Chapter mega ping!
DA%%IT, I planned to visit my grandfather's grave on Memorial day - and my wife's grandparents.
words fail me.
Please, give Fred and his crew the "their #1" with your middle finger from me.
ping to all those who may not be on the "D.C. Chapter mega ping!"
Sorry for any double pings, which I'm sure most of you got.
[Mr] T
Maybe some Freepers can pass out handbills with pertinent info to the RT attendees on Sunday?
As the worthless Congress drag their feet stopping this idiot.
Wow! My calendar just cleared for Monday! I'll be there as soon as I can to help counter-protest the mutants, which will depend on when the Metro opens on Memorial day.
my grandparents .... :)
She pulled up in the lot and parked. Then walked into the visitors center. It was a grand building full of history. The walls were covered with the details of the famous who lay in rest there. She made her way to the pass desk.
“Name of family member and date of death?” the clerk asked.
“Her name was Bernice Elizabeth Knost and she died Nov. 17, 1995.”
Had it been that long? The family pilgrimage back east for Thanksgiving had been just around the corner but grandma couldn’t wait. Grandma was called away too soon, she thought.
Pass in hand, she made her way back to her car and up the narrow sloping roads to one of Arlington National Cemetery’s oldest sections. She stopped and got out crossing the carefully manicured lawns to the white stone marker signifying the resting place of her grandparents.
On one side, her grandfathers military achievements were fully listed. She read them all carefully trying to imagine the man she had never met. He too was taken too soon leaving a wife with 16 and 2 yr old sons to raise alone.
She lingered much longer on the other side though. It simply listed her grandmother’s achievement as “His Wife”. Those two words couldn’t possibly sum up all she knew about such an important person in her life.
In the mid-day sun, she reminisced. A flood of scattered memories cascaded over her.
Standing out on grandmas porch to wave at the freight trains as they passed by.
Coming back to grandmas for plastic spoons to dig under the pine trees around the Mason Lodge
… across those tracks…grandma had fits about that!
Walking down the trail, previously the train tracks, to grandmas house whenever she needed to escape her parents. Grandma always swore their secret was safe with her, but she knew the minute she was distracted with cookies and milk, grandma would call to let all know she was safe.
Recalling a Thanksgiving long ago. Her little sister had decided to cut her hair, in an reverse Mohawk! There was only one option at that point, shave it all off! Grandma took one look at her smallest, now bald, granddaughter and headed for the kitchen. Dad followed her and found her over the sink peeling potatoes. She sobbed over and over again, “It’s alright, it will grow back”.
Gardening with grandma. She loved flowers, mostly purple ones. Her yard was an explosion of purple iris every summer. She worked at a family owned flower shop until she could no longer work. The florist loved when the granddaughters visited. He would let each pick a flower from the refrigerated case. She always picked a purple one, for her grandma.
Vacationing at Ocean City. Grandma was their chaperone. They couldn’t rent the condo without adult supervision. So much for supervision. Grandma took them to dinner then dropped them off on the boardwalk to wander freely for hours every night. She was every teens dream chaperone.
Memories faded as the clouds moved in. It looked like a storm was headed her way so she said her goodbyes and made her way back to the car.
Yes, grandma was “His Wife” but, she was so much more, she was a strong woman. As she left , she felt the strength of her grandma’s spirit follow her. She hoped to, one day, have harnessed just a bit of it for herself.
Ping!
Salute to COL and Mrs. Knost
PING! to anyone who wants to counter-protest the WBC mutants this Monday. Apologies to anyone who was already pinged.
San Diego FReepers give you and DC FReepes "Eagles Up"
Phelps is a total wack job.
Where do Phelps and his gang of mobile anuses get their funding?
It can't be cheap to travel as much as they do. And they don't appear to hold a real job.
Please demonstrate to the world that FReeRepublicans will legally confront any person or entity, regardless of their political, religious, or sexual orientation, that has the temerity to desecrate our National Cemetery, on Memorial Day no less.
Eagles up, indeed.
RD
Partly from suing people or communities when they can claim their rights were violated. They hope there is trouble they can sue over.
That has been the standard answer. But, I have been following this filth for some time. Thet have not had a "settlement" in quite a time. Are they tax exempt?
I have got to start working on my self control so I can make one of these and not break any rules of decorum.
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