9/11 families rally against NYC terror trials

Associated Press ^ | Dec.5, 2009

[Free ThinkerNY]

NEW YORK — Several hundred people rallied in the rain near Manhattan's federal courthouse complex to protest the plan to put major terrorism suspects on trial in New York.

Demonstrators included the actor Brian Dennehy and a number of people who lost friends and relatives in the 9/11 attacks.

One person held up a sign calling Attorney General Eric Holder "disgraceful and despicable."

[Man50D]

Now why don’t I trust the AP’s figure of only several hundred people?

[Carley]

The weather is pretty bad in the area.

But we will wait for the report from those in attendance.

[fatnotlazy]

I would trust attendance statistics about as much as I trust unemployment statistics.

Is there anything this president and his henchmen have done that was actually good for this country? Even the surge in Afghanistan is suspect.

But these trials rank up there with some of the most outrageous policies this administration (or any administration) has ever produced.

[1776 Reborn]

“Now why don’t I trust the AP’s figure of only several hundred people?”

Where are the Democrat ballot counters when we need them. They could double any number the police would actually report. ;-)

[pioneerstakethearrows]

I was there. The figure of several hundred seems fair. It was miserable weather for it; too bad, as they had done a great job planning. Big screen TV, good sound system, but cold, windy, and steady rain turning to slush was the problem.

[Sacajaweau]

Another "I Won"!!

I think the real reason is for Obama to extricate himself. If the Military Tribunal said "Death", Obama would have to sign for it to occur.

Now, Obama being born and raised as a Muslim......need I say more...

[Palladin]

Thank you to all who braved the weather to be at this rally.

Thank you, Brian Dennehy.

Were any FReepers there?

[jmaroneps37]

I was there and I can say that “several hundred” is only a little off. Yes the weather was really bad BUT the turn out was worse! Where was the FDNY? I doubt they had anywhere near 343 protesters. Very bad show. I felt for Debra Blasingame she works so hard at keep the victims families together and informed; she didn't deserve such poor support.
I was an organizer “Marshall” assigned to ask people not to wave signs the media could embarrass us with and not to carry signs supported by iron pcp pipe or wood.
At least one other Freeper, a brother Marine, Racebannon was there.

[American Number 181269513]

I was at the rally today. I left Queens at 9:30 am and met up with the people from Staten Island at the ferry terminal in lower Manhattan. The weather was lousy with temperatures in the upper 30’s accompanied by a steady cold rain that picked up in intensity from time to time throughout my five and a half hours of marching and rallying.

From the terminal we marched up Broadway stopping at several intersections such as Liberty Street to take pictures of using the World Trade Center (ground zero) as a backdrop. At Worth Street and Broadway we made a right and proceed to march another block or so to Foley Square. It was about 11 am when we arrived at the stage area and the crowd grew from hundreds to at least 2,000 or so (really 10-20 people according to MSNBCBS).

I set up in front of the stage and if the picture in the post was a bit wider you would see me in the lower left hand corner behind the guy with the yellow bordered sign. In fact, if you look closely you can see a sliver of my red jacket and hand and I am holding up my NEVER FORGET sign. I saw a NY1 news clip that does include me and if I can find it on the web I’ll post it.

The rally started promptly at 12pm and ran nonstop until 2:30pm. There were myriad speakers such as victims family members including the sister of one of the pilots on a plane that hit the WTC, the father of Todd (Lets Roll) Beamer, at least one survivor from the world trade center (burned over 90% of her body), first responders, a Marine, parents of a fallen soldier and of course couple of celebrities (of which I learned that Brian Dennehy was a Marine).

The rally was peaceful but you can tell that the crowd was indeed angry and justifiably so. There was also a lot of raw emotion at this rally as we were just blocks away from ground zero and we were standing in front of the court house which is the proposed venue to try the terrorists. Speaker after speaker punctuated their speeches with pointing to the federal court house building indicating that we would have to put up with this travesty for years to come.

These are dark days and they are numbered as everything this current administration wants to do they want it done in a hurry but we can stop this. Mr. Beamer summed it up best when he said that we are facing 9/11, The Sequel. He fired up the crowd with his “stop this attack” speech referring to the government sponsored, Holder delivered and Obama approved trial of enemy combatants. I will continue to fight.

[Palladin]

Thanks to you and Race for being there. Part of the reason for the poor turnout is that it is a Saturday. People who work in the City all week just don’t want to go back in on a weekend. It’s a rough commute for some, especially in foul weather.

This is a new movement, and I’m sure it will grow in force and numbers as more people find out about it.

Debra shouldn’t feel bad.

This cause will pick up after the Holidays.

[Palladin]

God bless you for being there!