Please let me know if you want ON or OFF my Texas ping list!. . .don't be shy.
No, you don't HAVE to be a Texan to get on this list!
Posted on 03/23/2003 10:42:11 AM PST by MeekOneGOP
Amid rallies, Texas protesters show support for war in Iraq
03/22/2003
By JOEL ANDERSON / The Associated Press
DALLAS — More than 3,000 protesters braved an afternoon of wet, dreary weather Saturday to show their support for President Bush and U.S. troops in Iraq.
The rally, organized by several conservative groups in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, drew an eclectic gathering of supporters ranging from local politicians, relatives of soldiers serving in the Middle East and former citizens of Iraq.
Most attending the "I Love America Pro-Military" rally at a downtown Dallas plaza said it was important to show the troops that not everyone is against the war.
"Our troops need to see a united America," said Ron Hill, 52, who drove from Houston to attend the rally. "We're a silent majority that's tired of being silent. We don't need another situation like Vietnam."
Many of those in attendance donned rain coats and umbrellas to shield themselves from the persistent rain.
"I was telling somebody that I'd be surprised if more than a few people showed up in this weather," said U.S. Rep. Jeb Hensarling of Dallas, ducking into the shade of the old Dallas County courthouse. "But it just proves that people want to do what they can for the troops."
Demonstrators began the rally with a prayer, then watched as about 30 featured speakers were quickly shuffled on and off a platform stationed just a few feet before the red-brick courthouse.
Although the theme of the demonstration was support for Bush and U.S. troops, another issue raised several times was the need to present opposition to the hundreds of protests been held all over the country.
Large anti-war protests were held Saturday in Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles and other cities.
Rain and temperatures that hovered around 50 degrees chased off some of the supporters after about an hour, but many others turned away from those on the platform and began shouting at a group of 30 anti-war protesters gathered across the street behind a steel fence.
"We all support the troops," said protester Erin Lindsay, 25, of Dallas, "but this war didn't have to happen. I just don't believe that America should be able to defy the United Nations."
A few people attending the rally even tried to cross the street and confront the protesters, but police officers quickly hustled them back across the street.
The crowd dwindled after about two hours, but a few die-hards remained in the rain until the very end. Including a few who had a personal stake in the war.
"We want Saddam Hussein gone," said Moayyed Zobeir, 36, an Iraqi Kurd who now lives in Duncanville. "He is a terrorist and is against humanity. It's not safe for my people there."
Near downtown Houston, a rally sponsored by several liberal groups drew a few hundred people, who gathered at the Mickey Leland Federal Building and marched a short distance to Sam Houston Park.
Several protesters in the peaceful crowd, which included many children, held signs with messages including "How many lives per gallon?" and "Give peace a chance." (ap.state.online.tx 0999 03/22/2003 20:35:57 )
The Dallas Morning News chose to BURY this amongst their AP stories in the side instead of a highlighted article easy to see. NOT surprising, knowing their anti-Bush bias !
Here are the links to the FR Articles with Photos!:
First Report From Dallas Pro-America Rally
DALLAS RALLY A SUCCESS (PHOTOS)
GOOD Turnout too. (I bet you could DOUBLE the AP number and it would be CLOSER to the actual turnout):
DALLAS — More than 3,000 protesters braved an afternoon of wet, dreary weather Saturday to show their support for President Bush and U.S. troops in Iraq.
"Protestors?" Why couldn't they say "Supporters?" . . .
Please let me know if you want ON or OFF my Texas ping list!. . .don't be shy.
No, you don't HAVE to be a Texan to get on this list!
Lousy typist. I'm going to fire her.
Another AP Link? I searched before posting.
Do you have the link to cross reference it to here? . . .
You're certainly not alone here on this Meek. While the AP reporter couldn't count beyond 3,000 it appears he did do a better job than we usually get. He even managed to get most of my quote generally correct but did leave out the important part about Viet Nam and not happening again.
The part he left out of my quote was that we must not let the leftist liberal and biased media to turn public opinion against the troops and this effort at eradicating terrorism like they did in the Nam towards us VN vets.
He even managed to get most of my quote generally correct but did leave out the important part about Viet Nam and not happening again.
Well that's a good thing. . .
The part he left out of my quote was that we must not let the leftist liberal and biased media to turn public opinion against the troops and this effort at eradicating terrorism like they did in the Nam towards us VN vets.
Yep ! Imagine the Liberal media leaving that part out. "The things we've come to expect" from the lamestream media . . .
I have to tell you, though, that story about how you shot that guy in the aft still blows my mind. I can think of a few guys in Iraq who kind of need that right now.
DALLAS - Several hundred people braved a cold, constant rain Saturday to support the president and American troops in an "I Love America Pro-Military Rally" in downtown Dallas.
Many participants said they don't want to repeat the mistake made during the Vietnam War, when U.S. protests demoralized soldiers far from home.
"Our troops do need the support over there, I'll tell you," said Ron Hill, a disabled Vietnam veteran who drove from Houston for the two-hour event.
About two dozen anti-war protesters also showed up at the rally sponsored by area Republican and conservative groups, but the confrontation was mild compared to clashes in Manhattan, San Francisco, Hollywood and elsewhere in the country.
New York City drew more than 100,000 anti-war demonstrators, challenged by thousands who support the troops in Iraq. In Chicago, about 800 troop supporters were jeered by opponents.
The message in Dallas was that Texans who support President Bush and the U.S. troops in Iraq can no longer remain the silent majority. Drivers in dozens of passing cars honked and waved in a show of support.
"We need to have a strong voice that says we stand behind our president and we love the men and women in our military," U.S. Rep. Pete Sessions, R-Dallas, told the cheering crowd.
The crowd of war veterans, college students, and moms and dads spent much of the afternoon exchanging banter with war protesters standing behind a police barricade with a large sign that read "Peace is Patriotic."
Rally participants told them to "go home to France," but anti-war advocates said that their presence was important.
Rachel Clary, a 23-year-old Plano resident, said it's not anti-American to speak out against military action.
"They're under the impression that we don't love our country or support our troops. We do. We want them to come home alive," Cox said.
But rally participants said that questioning the president sends the military the wrong message.
"All around the world, people are thirsty and hungry for freedom," Dallas resident and rally organizer Charles Kingerfelt told the crowd. "The people in Iraq have been thirsty too long."
The support comforted Monty Mickey, whose son is overseas fighting. And he said he didn't mind the protesters.
"Blood was shed for them to be over here, just like blood was shed for me to be here," he said.
This report includes material from the Associated Press.
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