Posted on 10/05/2002 11:02:13 PM PDT by HAL9000
Anti-war protest draws about 1,500 in AustinAUSTIN — About 1,500 demonstrators, including more than two dozen from San Antonio and South Texas, marched through downtown at the state capital Saturday afternoon in protest of plans for a U.S. invasion of Iraq
Chanting such slogans as, "One, two, three, four, we don't want your oil war!" the throng marched north along Congress Avenue and gathered for a rally at the Austin federal building at Ninth and San Jacinto streets, where more than a dozen speakers addressed the group.
A Houston peace organization brought a busload of more than 30 protesters, but a similar bus-chartering effort in Dallas failed.
About a dozen demonstrators from the Dallas-Fort Worth area came to Austin, anyway.
The demonstration and march drew graying veterans of past anti-war campaigns as well as a new generation of high school and college students, many of whom were attending their first protest.
Richie Libertad, 19, a student at Edison High School in San Antonio, said he came for the march because, "I feel that what George Bush is striving for is not what the people want. The people do not want a war."
Tory Gravito, 24, a law student at St. Mary's University, said the demonstration would be useful "to force the media to broaden the debate about the war in Iraq."
Among the some two dozen religious, pacifist and left-wing groups represented at the march was the Austin chapter of Veterans for Peace.
Jewel Johnson, 76, a veteran of World War II, said he has attended dozens over the years.
"I was in the Navy," he said. "My ship picked up former prisoners of war, American, Brits and Russians, at Nagasaki, shortly after the atom bomb was dropped.
"A few days later, I walked through the rubble of Hiroshima, and I've been a peace activist ever since."
About a dozen speakers took the microphone at the federal building rally at the conclusion of the march. The most prominent of them was Rahul Mahajan of Austin, author of a book on U.S. policy in the Middle East, and the Green Party's candidate for governor.
"I accuse the Bush administration of viewing the events of 9-11 as an opportunity instead of a tragedy," he told the crowd.
Leti Guerra, a student at San Antonio College, also spoke to the rally, to invite participants to an Oct. 26 mobilization in San Antonio.
"I don't want mothers to grieve the loss of their sons, or for children to do without their parents. We need to do this in every city and every state until Bush gets the message that we don't want this war," she said.
Only two counter-demonstrators, from a conservative group called Free Republic, were in evidence at the rally. They carried picket signs reading, "Leaving Saddam in control of weapons of mass destruction is like putting Clinton or Condit in charge of interns."
Well done.
Only two counter-demonstrators, from a conservative group called Free Republic, were in evidence at the rally. They carried picket signs reading, "Leaving Saddam in control of weapons of mass destruction is like putting Clinton or Condit in charge of interns."
Yeah, but our guys had them surrounded.
Way to go FReepers!
"I wish I knew who those FReepers were."
So do I, Sam, so do I.
God bless you two, whoever you are!!
10/06/2002
AUSTIN - Chanting "no more blood for oil," hundreds of people on Saturday protested peacefully in downtown Austin against possible U.S. military attacks on Iraq.
"Yes we are here, and yes we are angry, and yes we will not stop mobilizing," Green Party gubernatorial candidate Rahul Mahajan told the crowd. "We will not stop yelling until this war is avoided."
Mahajan accused the Bush administration of using the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks as an "opportunity, not a tragedy" to implement an agenda to get control of oil resources from the Middle East and central Asia. He said the administration was trying to redraw maps of the Middle East.
He also encouraged the crowd to keep fighting a possible war, and said Saturday's demonstration needs to the first in a series.
Mahajan estimated 1,000 people attended the rally. Authorities wouldn't give an estimate.
Protesters carried signs that said "Free the Press," "Stop the Bombs" and "No more war for Oil." Austin police reported no arrests.
Ryan Green, 42, of Austin, held his 7-year-old daughter on his shoulders while his mother, wife and son stood nearby. Green said he didn't think the economy could withstand a confrontation with Iraq. The United States needs to create more jobs, Green said.
"To support war in Iraq is to support fascism," Green's wife, Genevieve Sprinkle, 44, chimed in. "This is not an example we can afford to set for our children."
Suzie Baker of Manor said she came because she wanted to voice her opposition to military action in Iraq.
"I think it's political. You talk war and the polls go up. That is really scary. I think it is about oil. I think it is all about the really wrong reasons," she said, before adding that she was "mainstream, ordinary" person.
To help prove her point, she said her husband had been at the rally but had to leave because he had a tennis match.
Across the street, a small group waved American flags in opposition to the protesters.
"I'd rather settle this peacefully, but if war is needed to protect our people, protect our land, then we need to take that action," said David Armstrong, 36, of Austin.
Excerpt:
Only two counter-demonstrators, from a conservative group called Free Republic, were in evidence at the rally. They carried picket signs reading, "Leaving Saddam in control of weapons of mass destruction is like putting Clinton or Condit in charge of interns."
Way to go FReepers !!
Please let me know if you want ON or OFF my Texas or General Interest ping list!. . .don't be shy.
Only two And they were noticed!
Bravo, FReepers, to the Two of You!
There were at least a half dozen of us. This reporter needs glasses. DrewsDad made that sign. The Bat Lady was dressed as the Statue of Liberty, green face and outfit. Her marine son flew the marine flag, TheSarce was holding two American Flags. I had Alissa's perennial sign "Thank You, President Bush" so had the opportunity to answer many questions regarding why I was thanking him.
We made the evening news on almost every local station, and some gave us equal coverage. Hopefully we'll have pictures sometime today.
Hats off to the both of you (whomever you are!)
Reveal yourselves now and tell us all about it...PLEASE!
:)
As we walked up Gracy was being interviewed by KVUE TV they also interviewed my Marine son. I was not ready in my costume so declined to talk. I started putting on my Statue of Liberty outfit and greenface. By the time I was ready, he was gone. Oh well.
That's one heck of a "kill ratio" you folks chalked up there!
The text in my post #16 is the full article in the Dallas Morning News.
The registration there is free and all you need is an e-mail address, just fyi.
Kudos to you!! What a job well done!
We are freerepublic.com... and we are EVERYWHERE!!! Looks like it was a great weekend for The Force.
EVIL WINS WHEN GOOD PEOPLE DO NOTHING
PEACE IS
1 PENTAGON
1 USS COLE
2 TOWERS TOO LATE
THERE WILL BE BODY BAGS
FILLED WITH US CIVILIANS
US MILITARY or
TERRORISTS
WHAT PART OF
"UNTIL YOU ARE
DEAD or CONVERTED
TO ISLAM"
DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND ???
OTHERS FIGHT FOR YOUR RIGHT TO WHINE
Freeper tip, take duct tape and tape these to the walls behind you so that you have lots of signs up. We missed one side of the wall where the traffic was driving by and the leftist had to walk. We should have had lots taped up along that walk.
The US should protect our borders and not go mess with other countries.... yes as a Constitutionalist I think we should but somehow I can't forget 9/11 and I don't want to wait till a US city is nuked before we take out this guy. forgot to ask them what city they would sacrifice for this.
A couple who was standing behind me read my letter from David Horiwitz and asked if they could stand there (this was after the spitting) and I said yes, it was probably safer here. She graduated from a liberal college recently and didn't know how to get involved. I said get educated and read FR. I also said the college preached diversity - except for Conservatism and she said AND CHRISTIANITY. I said good point. I have just come back from a DC trip (see the Hillary freep in Sept.) and visited the holocaust museum. I was telling them that if communist win the world some of the first who are killed are the ones who wear glasses (educated) and his eyes opened wide. Then of course jews, homos ( the spitter), gypsies, and what I thought was funny was Hitler targeted the Jehovah's witnesses. strange. I invited them to eat with us but they didn't show up, I'm sorry that we couldn't have spent more time with them.
Gracie was talking to one of the leftist and he got a big mouthful and SPIT in her face!!! I can't believe how horrible these people can be.
Of course there was no cop on our corner. I pushed my sign in his face in case he had another ready and pushed him away and yelled "get out of here NOW" She had been saying that but I guess that he decided he better go then. Alan (my son) came around the corner and yelled down the street to him "is that how you respect women?" but fortunately for the guy, Alan didn't go after him.
I grabbed some of the open letter to anti-war protesters from David Horiwitz (I had about 100 copies) and handed them out as they left passing our station saying "a Vietnam anti-war wrote you a letter." On the back was an editorial about phony pacifist. Some took them (passed out all) and most politely said no thank you, some just silently passed by with dirty looks and ONE lady (and I use that term loosely) HIT MY HAND DOWN VERY HARD. I hope her hand hurt as badly as mine did. Don't you just love the diversity that they embrace?
I would always say thank you to the ones who took the flyer and thanks for taking the time to read it. Very few threw them down on the sidewalk but I picked them up and handed out again.
Several people who took the flyers read them on the walk down the street and then come back to give them back to me. I guess that some of them truly do recycle.
One woman at the end (can't remember her sign-stop the war or not our sons and daughters dying) asked me if I would sacrifice MY son and I turned around and said yes, there he is my only child, a Marine out defending her and her right to state her opinions and she wouldn't get that in the middle east - she and I would both be dead for speaking out.
WOW. And again, WOW!
God bless your son, and thank him for my family please, and God bless you for being in the right place at the right time for the right person. What a powerful statement that must have been. It gives me goosebumps just reading it.
Thank you for the post.
anyway about the oil. Several ladies stated this was just about oil.. I said oh that worked well last time for Bush's friends since oil prices went down (sarcasam off)
Never give up;-)
I'm sickened by the foul behavior of the leftists - spitting at Gracey and striking your hand shows their true colors. This crew sounds a bit more violent and vicious than the usual crop that just want to taunt and argue. There will be more protests I'm sure and I will try my best to be there for our country.
It's always been true that a few of us showing up get more or less equal coverage as the other side. A few patriots can make a difference.
God bless your son for his service.
First, someone around here owes you guys a few rounds. Second, that is a true statement. We did use depleted uranium rounds in Iraq. They have contaminated the ground. Children over there are dying and having birth defects. HOWEVER, what they fail to mention is that the "contamination" from depleted uranium amounts to less than the background radiation of the ground itself, the birth defects are due to Saddam's preference for building weapons and palaces over the slightest amount of health care, and that we were AT WAR defending the entire region from Saddam's murderous rampages when we were firing those rounds. Typical Lefty disinformation and cognitive dissonance.
It takes much more bravery for 2 people to stand up to a mob of 1500 anarchist-socialists (who are provided with police protection) and defend the policies of this government.
Where were the anti-war protesters during King Bubba's reign? Blowing up the Yugo factory, asprin factory, Chinese embassy, etc.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.