Rally for America: Chicagoland Chapter [after action report]

Me | 3/22/2003 | RedWing9

[RedWing9]

This is the thread to post after action reports from all the FReepers and for any NEW FReepers who were at the Rally today!

[RedWing9]

Post your thoughts, pictures or other links here...

[Bob J]

I think they're all resting up!

[Amerigomag]

Hit the wrong topic button did you?

[BureaucratusMaximus]

This was my first Freep! It was very cool meeting other Freepers in person, and being there actively supporting our troops, our president, and our freedom. Many fine Americans, complete with flags and signs attended (My favorite was "Daschle for President...of France"). The Harley drivebys were way cool. It was nice to see Patrick O'Malley(R) (former IL senator/IL Governor candidate/a true conservative) there. Iraqi-Assyrian group was there testifying to the masses the evils of Saddam Huessien and how they are glad that the USA will liberate Iraqis people; I was glad other people got to hear that. RedWing, unspun, justshutupandtakeit, and TheRightGuy should be commended for their fine comments. chicagolady was a gracious host at the "press" table. Freepers ROCK! Count me in for future Chicagoland Freeps, and don't be afraid to ask for my help!

[cfrels]

Great Rally, Great Job Chicagoland Freepers! Do you think the Commies are still over in the corner banging their drums?

[Chi-townChief]

A quick repost:

The Harleys (Rolling Thunder Club, I believe)were fantastic! Somebody mentioned that it was like a fly-over. The only problem was the one pass they made during a prayer but the lady who was leading it proceeded valiantly to the completion. AMEN!!!

And:

I also dug that semi that came by laying on the air horn, the driver giving us the thumbs-up.

[GRRRRR]

I am HOME, and working to post pictures for you all...I am so PROUD of you all and WAY to go RedWing9...You da MAN!

GRRRRR

[unspun]

Thank you two, especially and TheRightGuy(s) and ALL, ALL, ALL... and BillyBoy for the great technical and promo work!

RW9, the more I think about it (and see the news reports on CLTV, MS-NBC, and so on) the more I wonder if the reason the press wanted to pressure you to be at Federal Plaza early, was in part, to get pictures with few Ralliers for America there.

CLTV just reported something like "the Anti-War protestors rallied again [downtown] but this was the first time their protest was met by protestors supporting the war in Iraq..." I wonder if the reason that someone in the media started spreading around that the rally was to begin at 9:30am instead of 11:30am was to get the media out while our Ralliers were sparce.

What do *you* think?

I've seen numerous pictures on TV, but none that show the organized rally (with podium and speakers... and loudspeakers) that it was.

Wonderful job. Superb. Something to make an electronic scrapbook of, and to send to our troops!!! Hey, did you say something about an application to the Free Republic Network, today? Tell us about it (again)!!!

[RedWing9]

Well, what a success! I'm relieved that it is over, but yet happy that it can happen again and it won't feel so, so, so, so.... I don't have a word...

TheRightGuy, TheRightGuy'sWife and I met up at just about 9a to start our press coverage off with an interview with NBC and CLTV. We then headed over the rally site and started to set up.

Within 30 minutes people began to show up, not many, but they were almost 2 hours early, so no matter. About 10:30 I took some video that showed less than 100 people there. Then they started to arrive, and they were many.

By the time we started at 11:30, promptly just like W., there were easily 2000 people there. The last large anti-war rally I countered was estimated by the news to be 2000 (it was no where near that) and at the beginning we were more packed and in a larger group than that rally! News reports are all over the place, but it is safe to say, 2000 we were not, 4000 WE WERE!!!!

I am amazed, happy, bewildered, to name a few objectives. To stand on our Soap Box and see that see of Red, White and Blue, was AMAZING, SOBERING, and finally HEARTENING. There is a real America out there.

Johnny Stone, morning radio personality from 106.7 The Fish did a great job of emceeing, we thank him greatly for his work. Johnny opened us up and then we were treated to the singing of the National Anthem by a Navy Veteran named Nicole whose boyfriend is overseas right now. We recited the Pledge of Allegiance and then Patrick O'Malley spoke.

At this point, feeling nervous and anxious I wandered the group thanking everyone for appearing. I was up next and I had to get acquainted with the crowd or I would have been a blubbering fool :o). I had prepared remarks, I used them more as an outline, because seeing all those people there it was easy to let it flow and speak to them as an American, a FReeper, and a Patriot.

We continued with speeches by State Senator Chris Lauzen,GRRRRR, TheRightGuy, Syrians and Iraqis, justshutupandtakeit, a double purple heart medal winner, and finally our own unspun. Each of them added splendidly to our Rally.

After cleaning up, we retired to the Berghoff for some fine foods, further discussion, cheering of other folks who were wearing patriotic clothing and turning our backs on some "No War" button wearing < insert favorite adjective here >

. I want to thank facedown and sistergoldenhair who manned the FR while we were downtown. I've seen the thread and it was great to be able to have that going at the same time.

Thank you E-V-E-R-Y-O-N-E for everything!

P.S. I was asked at least 30 times when the next one is... {patience - stupid question coming.....} Shall we????

[RedWing9]

Hit the wrong topic button did you?

What????

What happened to my title??? I put it in as "Rally for America: Chicagoland Chapter [after action report]"

[SierraWasp]

How did this thread get here with no mandated TITLE?

[facedown]

I want to thank facedown and sistergoldenhair who manned the FR while we were downtown.

You're entirely welcome!

[Dog Gone]

I stole your title as a souvenir. Hope you don't mind!

[RedWing9]

RW9, the more I think about it (and see the news reports on CLTV, MS-NBC, and so on) the more I wonder if the reason the press wanted to pressure you to be at Federal Plaza early, was in part, to get pictures with few Ralliers for America there.

I can only counter that by telling you that the NBC and CLTV interviews I did were not at the rally site. Prior to the rally, the only interview I did was with Steve Scott from WLS, one as a tape for the national network and one live on the air with Don & Roma.

[RedWing9]

I stole your title as a souvenir. Hope you don't mind!

You and your doggy brethren, I'll get you!

[Mr_Magoo]

Dude, you ROCK. (even if you do lose your thread title!)

Wish I could have stayed, but I had to get back. I was reaching my limits.

[unspun]

So... please, kind AM, sir, may we have the title back?
"Rally for America: Chicagoland Chapter [after action report]"
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/872564/posts

I SAID PLEEEEEAAAAAASSSSE!!!!! (a-hem) sir.

[RedWing9]

(even if you do lose your thread title!)

This is crazy, what am I in... the FRighlight FRone....

[Mr_Magoo]

Are you sure the moderator is a sir? The Mod might be a sir-ette! LOL!

[RedWing9]

Helppppppp....

What happened to my title??? I put it in as "Rally for America: Chicagoland Chapter [after action report]"

[unspun]

If they're gonna be priggish about it, let's start a new thread (I'll just await your decision, General).

[Dog Gone]

I think your lack of title is very distinctive. Nobody else has been able to do this in FR history, if I recall.

[Mr_Magoo]

LOL!

Have you checked your pockets? When I can't find a screwdriver, it is usually in my back pocket. Maybe the title is there . . .

:-)

[RedWing9]

I think your lack of title is very distinctive. Nobody else has been able to do this in FR history, if I recall.

You might be right... Should it stay, or should it go!? That is the essence of the question...

[BureaucratusMaximus]

I think we should all have a beer on the house when the title comes back....just cus. Admin Mod better leave a tip too.

[RedWing9]

Have you checked your pockets?

No pockets, I'm in the shower...

[unspun]

Everybody...
"THANK YOU, MR. ROBINSON, SIR."
(Pssst... anyone remember to bring an apple for his desk?)

[Mr_Magoo]

[RedWing9]

(Pssst... anyone remember to bring an apple for his desk?)

MI apples though, not those crazy WA ones...

[RedWing9]

Hey! GET OUT OF MY HOUSE!

[joan_30]

WAY TO GO GRRRRRRRRRrrrrrrrrrrrr.. WE Love you and are Proud of YOU ::::::::::::

[joan_30]

BUMP

[Mr_Magoo]

ROTFLMAO!

back to the rally . . .

I checked out the Tribune and Sun-Times write-ups. Both suck. :-( Neither one had good pictures to glom.

[RedWing9]

A bump to some of my FReeper friends. I also want you to know that the 5p news here made NO mention of the Rally for America outside of Chicago. They mentioned all the other anti-war protests, but not once the FRN.

[unspun]

All-right... ;-` let's keep this a No Cheese Zone.... until after we get our PICTURES!!!! WHERE ARE THE PICTURES?

[Dengar01]

This is the best I can do for now.

Chicago Rally Pictures!!!

I put them on my website because I didn't want to suck up bandwidth here so just click on the link it'll take you right to the pictures.

[unspun]

Thank you!! (Put a 'point of technology' - if the pictures are on your site, but linked through FR, does that really take up FR bandwidth? Seems to me they just come from your server to the browser.)

[Dengar01]

I also want you to know that the 5p news here made NO mention of the Rally for America outside of Chicago. They mentioned all the other anti-war protests, but not once the FRN.

No Redwing9, Channel 32 FOX broadcasted us on the 5PM news around 5:10 they just did a lousy job. But they did cover us.

[unspun]

Oh, I see... it would be slow for the user. Check.

[diotima]

YEAH!!! Good work! I can NOT believe how AWESOME the rally looks! We saw you on CNN too!

Tomorrow LA hits the Oscars!!!!

[Dengar01]

Did you notice the second we left that the riot police had the plaza surrounded. Those commies made me sick, but I'm sure they were about ready to call 911 with our patriotic songs playing loud!

[MinuteGal]

Congrats to all Chicagoland freepers! I was at the Sarasota, Florida rally today, but my heart was with all youse Windy guys, also. See ya when I make my next trip northward!

Leni

[GRRRRR]

First Pics from GRRRRR

KevHead is going to put MORE MORE MORE on his site, and I'll post a link later---HE's out having dinner..well how do you like that????!!!

[Dengar01]

Well if you want I can post my pictures on this thread I just don't want to suck up bandwidth let me know what you want me to do.

[RedWing9]

2000 my a$$. We have got to do something about the truth in the press.

[GRRRRR]

Your link works beautifully...

[RedWing9]

No need to Dengar01... Although I hear there is a way to "download" pictures for FR to actually host... Don't ask me how though...

[GRRRRR]

Here's my speech from today---but first, I must say how PROUD I WAS, and am to be affiliated with such fine people. RedWing, you did an awesome job marshalling us to action...Inertia is a powerful force to overcome...

Second, Standing up on the "soapbox" and seeing so many people, at first made me a little weak in the knees, plus I had to go..really bad!---but, when we all chanted USA-USA-USA and I knew it was going to be fine--I closed my eyes and imagined the whole crowd naked...LOL!

WE THE PEOPLE, of FreeRepublic did a GOOD THING today. The veterans and parents of young men and women OVER THERE TODAY, thanked us for doing what we did today. We have LET THE Troops know, that we are FOR them...Those Moms and Dads will write to their sons and daughters and tell them of this day, of what we did FOR THEM...God Bless America and ALL who sail in her...GRRRRR

---

Thanks for the intro---

Wow, what a great crowd---ARE YOU PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN TODAY?
I know I am...

Before you stands a PROUD AMERICAN—with a “BORN ON DATE” of January 6, 1994. Yes, Yes, I know I don’t look that young...but, I remember that specific date because...just a few yards from here, I stood with over a hundred other people, raised my right hand and took the OATH of Allegiance that all naturalized American citizens take. I swore to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States from all enemies, foreign and domestic—a few short minutes later I became an American Citizen by choice. You see AMERICA is the only country in the world that people RISK THEIR LIVES to get into...why is that? BECAUSE WE ARE A FREEDOM LOVING PEOPLE IN A FREE COUNTRY!!

There was a time when I never gave a thought about what it meant to be an AMERICAN...
As a teenager and a young adult, “BEING an American” didn’t mean much to me UNTIL Ronald Reagan was inaugurated.

The Reagan years brought to all Americans, an awareness of what the AMERICAN CIVILIZATION really was...a rugged individualism, a sense that WE THE PEOPLE could accomplish many great things,.... if only we would Dream it, we could DO it! Reagan’s vision for the future of America embodied what the SPIRIT of the American people could do to make the impossible, possible.

Then just a few years later, when Bill Clinton moved into the White House, I knew I had to do something—and after a heated discussion with one of my Favorite Liberals, this lady reminded me that I had NO RIGHT TO COMPLAIN, because I was NOT an AMERICAN and I couldn’t vote, I couldn’t say a word...
Well that did it...she was right...and less than a year later, January 6, 1994, I became an American CITIZEN...and nothing has been the same since. Today, I am a VOTER, I have a VOICE in my future, I have a VOICE in my COUNTRY!

Today I am a PROUD AMERICAN, when I see MY PRESIDENT speaking, I can see the Pride and Love he has for his country, his wife and his family. I can see his eyes sparkle with his vision for America, a place where we can be safe, a place were we can voice our differing opinions but still agree that the God given right to be FREE is NOT JUST FOR AMERICANS!

Today is NOT JUST another Saturday in America. Just as September 11 altered the course of history for Americans and the world, the LIBERATION OF IRAQ will alter the course of history for the Iraqi people and, perhaps, the entire Middle East. George W. Bush has a VISION FOR AMERICA and for that, I am PROUD TO SEE AMERICANS HERE TODAY that SUPPORT HIM and DEFEND him and Pray for him!

Many people will pass this day doing family chores and the like, however, WE THE PEOPLE have decided to come here and BE PROUD AMERICANS. WE THE PEOPLE are excersizing our FREEDOM of SPEECH, just like “those people” who blocked Lake Shore Drive...except WE THE PEOPLE have a message of optimism and hope, a message for those who support Duty, Honor and Country—our Military...for as someone else said, “it is they who keep us free, not the journalist”...

I’d like to close with something from the Gipper,
President Ronald Reagan, who said this at his State of the Union Address on January 25, 1984.

“I've never felt more strongly that America's best days and democracy's best days lie ahead. We're a powerful force for good. With faith and courage, we can perform great deeds and take freedom's next step. And we will. We will carry on the tradition of a good and worthy people who have brought light where there was darkness, warmth where there was cold, medicine where there was disease, food where there was hunger, and peace where there was only bloodshed.

Let us be sure that those who come after will say of us in our time, that in our time we did everything that could be done. We finished the race; we kept them free; we kept the faith.

[baseballmom]

Great Job - looks like an awesome Rally for America