Posted on 03/09/2003 10:54:03 AM PST by Willie Green
For education and discussion only. Not for commercial use.
Supporters of war with Iraq rally Downtown
Sunday, March 09, 2003
By Dennis B. Roddy,
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Supporters of military action in Iraq gathered yesterday in a boisterous rally that put housewives and bikers shoulder-to-shoulder and occasionally found the words "God Bless America" juxtaposed with "rock on brother -- ride free."
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Supporters of President Bush's policies on Iraq rally in Point State Park yesterday. Many in the crowd -- estimated by organizers at 2,500 -- said they had relatives in the armed services. (Bill Wade, Post-Gazette) |
"Look at this motley crew standing up here," laughed Michael Johnston who, under his biker name "Big," emceed a 90-minute rally at Point State Park that veered from bellicose chants of "U-S-A" to sometimes tearful messages of support for American troops now deploying in the Persian Gulf.
The gathering of mostly middle class residents of Western Pennsylvania was organized by The Cycle Source, a magazine based in Tarentum.
Hence, amid a sea of American flags and signs protesting everyone from Saddam Hussein to the nation of France, rested a line of gleaming Harley-Davidsons and refrigerator-sized men in leather and bandanas.
"I got one thing to say to Saddam Hussein," said Buck Harrold, a former Marine from Scottdale, Westmoreland County. Amid a roar of approval, he displayed his back with a large flag sewn on his leather jacket reading "Try burning this one [expletive]."
Watching as speakers told of sons and daughters now overseas, or tearfully recounted their own experiences in Korea and Vietnam, were families with signs.
"We love you Glen," read one carried by Lynn and Bob Bootay of Pleasant Hills. Their youngest son enlisted in the Army immediately after 9/11 and is now Kuwait, awaiting war.
"He said it was time for his generation to step up," said Lynn Bootay. "He said he did it for his two nieces."
She said her son occasionally has gotten word of anti-war protests, and is upset. The Bootays decided to gather with the others yesterday in hopes their son will hear about it.
"This is the first time I've ever done anything like this in my life," she said.
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| Al and Julie Barkley, of Ross, attend yesterday's rally at Point State Park, carrying a sign with a photo of their son, Alex, a lance corporal in the Marines Corps. (Bill Wade, Post-Gazette) | |
The Bootays weren't the only ones with sons in the military.
Bubby -- "That's what I go by" -- rode in from Youngstown, Ohio, along with Mike Pemberton, a fellow member of the Pagans Motorcycle Club.
"We're supporting our troops. I have a 17-year-old son who just joined the Army," said Bubby.
"It's about our country," added Pemberton.
There were no scheduled speakers for the rally, which meant that plenty were on hand.
One speaker, who identified himself as a Vietnam veteran, was ejected from the rally after he took the microphone to say that he was there to support American troops because he believed President Bush does not.
A more typical speaker, Russ Knepp of Hampton, recounted his father's service in World War II, his own tour of Vietnam, and then told of one son who had been stationed in Korea, another who fought in Desert Storm, and the youngest, Casey, just deployed for any coming war with Iraq.
"My wife's over there crying," Knepp said. "This is her fourth time seeing one of us off."
Knepp reflected on the fascinating contrast of tattooed bikers and people who would return home in minivans after the gathering.
"I doubt there's any rich people here," he said. "I think you have a lot of blue collars. They fight the wars. It'll be the blue-collar kids that have to do that again."
Dennis Roddy can be reached at droddy@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1965.
By Andrew Conte
The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
Sunday, March 9, 2003
Only the debit card receipts for Gatorade and candy tell Margaret Farrell where her son is. They're from Kuwait City.
Douglas Farrell McFarland, 22, an Army parachute rigger with the 82nd Airborne Division, became part of the military build-up in the Persian Gulf three weeks ago.
His mother and newlywed wife, Amy McFarland, showed their support for him Saturday by joining a crowd of people in Point State Park to rally for the troops.
Signs in the crowd called for Iraqi President Saddam Hussein to be killed. Chants of "USA" rang out along with the strains of "The Star-Spangled Banner" and "Dixie." Motorcycles lined the macadam paths into the park.
The message, many people said, was that protesters can oppose the war, but should not disparage those sent to fight it.
"I don't know how I feel about the war — that changes day to day," Farrell, of Mt. Lebanon, said. "But I support our troops."
Organizer Amy Miller, 33, of Irwin, Westmoreland County, said she wanted Pittsburgh to join other cities such as Cleveland and San Antonio, which have held rallies supporting the troops.
Many in the crowd were Vietnam veterans or people with relatives serving in the Gulf. For more than an hour, they took turns giving testimonials at an open microphone. City police estimated the crowd at 1,500. Organizers put it at 3,000.
"The message of today is support for the troops and letting the soldiers know we support them and will be here when they get home," Miller said.
Others offered a more pointed message.
Tim Crytzer, 33, carried a sign reading, "Kill 'em all, Let Allah sort 'em out." A Gulf War veteran, he said he's frustrated the U.S. military did not remove Saddam then.
"It's not about peace — it's about doing what we have to do," Crytzer said. "If we don't, Sept. 11 is just the tip of the iceberg. The American people have to start realizing that."
Others in the crowd carried signs critical of France's call to avoid war and give Iraq more time to comply with U.N. demands. Gary McKruit, 42, of Butler County, dragged a muddy French flag on the ground behind him and stopped to spit on it.
"I see people burn our flag all the time," McKruit said. "Now it's their turn. As far as I'm concerned, they're back-stabbers."
While McKruit and others rallied, about 20 people gathered outside the North Side's Allegheny Unitarian Universalist Church, as they have every Saturday since November, to protest military action. Jeanne Zang, 53, of Sewickley, an organizer of that vigil, said participants also support the troops.
"We're not opposed to the troops in any way; we're in favor of bringing the troops home," Zang said. "We don't want to see them killed for what we see as a senseless war."
Andrew Conte can be reached at aconte@tribweb.com or (412) 765-2312.
Link: Pittsburgh Rally for FREEDOM...Post after freep reports/pix here
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