OPERATION INFINITE FREEP: Norfolk, VA May 11,2003 "Mothers for Peace", AFTER-ACTION REPORT

May 12, 2003 | Flora McDonald

[Flora McDonald]

I spent Mother’s Day in Norfolk, VA with my daughter, Florette, Freeping the Mothers for Peace event at Lafayette Park. We stood at the corner entrance to the Park, Florette holding two signs, back to back, in honor of her younger brother, stationed in Kings Bay, GA. Her signs said “HOME OF THE FREE BECAUSE OF THE BRAVE” and “EVIL TRIUMPHS WHEN GOOD MEN DO NOTHING”. I held two signs, back to back, thanking our heroes, our troops.

The attendance at the “Peace” event was sparse. Florette estimated 75 which agreed with the police estimate. Well into the event, two men came over and hung a “Mothers for Peace” banner on a tree limb behind us. Fortunately, the wind blew it around so much it was almost impossible to read if you were driving by. We later moved to a parking lot across the street where we backed the truck up to the sidewalk and Freeped from there. Spotting our cooler, little boys on bicycles and several people in cars stopped to buy sodas. LOL So we gave away our Cokes and had some interesting conversations.

We got a polite response from people in cars. Lots of waves, honks and thumbs up signs. The Peace Rally was so hard to see, Florette thought most people didn't know why we had chosen that spot.

Two Viet Nam Vets came by to thank us for being there, so we took the opportunity to thank them. One said, “They didn’t do this when we came home.” Then he caught himself, seemed a little embarrassed and said how pleased he was to see us out there on the corner. He had driven by us a couple of times before stopping. It felt like deja vu, I have heard and read the exact same words before. I guess it's one of the reasons we FReep, isn't it?

A middle aged woman with an umbrella on her head and balloons tied to various body parts came over from the rally to read our signs. She was fairly incoherent, something I’ve noticed about a lot of the older peaceniks. I wished her a good day. A young man wearing an impeach Bush button said he admired our signs and carried similar ones at a DC March. Go figure.

As the march began to form up in the park, Florette and I discovered that we had an anonymous Support Group. They came over to thank us at various times, wished me happy Mother’s Day, asked if we had been harassed by any of the peaceniks, wished more people like us would show up at these things and hinted that it would be cool if we walked behind the marchers. They got a laugh out of our sign that said “GO HOME, MOM NEEDS THE SUV”.

The marchers signs were pretty much unreadable. The only one we could remember afterwards was “Bring the Troops Home”. One of the marchers carrying what may have been a stork on a stick, invited us to join them. I told them to enjoy their freedom of speech and be sure to thank a Vet.

Florette, being young and a first time Freeper had worn high heeled sandals so we drove down to the USS Wisconsin. By then it was after 5 PM and the wind was fierce. How they managed their puppets, I don’t know, but it must have been pretty funny because I got beat up by my own sign trying to get it out of the truck when we reached the Wisconsin. It’s on an eight foot pole and took on a life of its own, I had to warn people on the sidewalk to stand back. Florette was laughing so hard, she could hardly walk.

The Support Group was waiting and suggested a spot in the circular entrance to the park next to the Wisconsin. So we stood on a bench and greeted the marchers as they came in. Their numbers were down to about 50 by then. Some of the marchers wished me happy Mother’s Day. One young man with a beard and a very expensive camera on a piece of string around his neck, said, “How can you justify killing your enemies?” (huh?) And without pausing for an answer said how glad he was that we had this chance to “dialogue”. He never stopped talking long enough for me to “dialogue” back and gave me a lecture on his version of free speech, the war and life in general. Ahhhh, to be 20 years old and totally in love with yourself. There's hope. He's young enough to grow out of it. The march continued over to the waterfront and the waiting Channel 3 TV van. Saying good-bye to the Support Group, we exchanged mutual thanks and well-wishes. The wind had died down as Florette and I headed west into a beautiful sunset.

[Flora McDonald]

Sorry there are no photos. The McDonald household is a tad behind the times as far as technology is concerned. We did take disposable cameras but the wind was so strong we had to hold the signs with both hands and only took a few pix.

[Flora McDonald]

Ping you all!

[The Right Stuff]

Good job!

[talleyman]

Great job - big bump!

[W04Man]

Good Job Flora & your daughter!!

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

One young man with a beard and a very expensive camera on a piece of string around his neck, said, “How can you justify killing your enemies?”

When it comes to war, that question pretty much answers itself!

[Jimmy Valentine's brother]

What a great way to spend the day with your daughter. Well done.

[CPOSharky]

Great job Flora.

Sorry I couldn't make it. Trying to get six people into the same place at the same time (family, including two moms) for dinner kept sliding the tme back until there was no way to make it.

[southern_living]

Way to go, Flora!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Off subject a bit- did you have any damage from the storm Friday? I have a ton of friends in Amelia and all of them suffered some type of property damage (thank God that was all). One Cumberland friend had trees down in her yard. I went Saturday to pick up the children of friends that live near the courthouse in Amelia and the damage was almost unbelievable.

[Flora McDonald]

Thank God your friends are safe! It was the strangest storm! Even though they suspect a funnel cloud near 522 and Rt. 60 which is just a few miles from here, by the time I got home it didn't look like anything had happened. We didn't even have any leaves blown off the tree in our front yard. I almost decided to skip Norfolk because of the uncertain weather.

Keep in touch.

[Flora McDonald]

Hey CPOSharky!
Family first - wouldn't have it any other way. 75 leftists vs. 2 sane women, no problem. To be honest, the bigger peace demonstrations are more exciting. I had made a series of what I thought were humorous, slightly sarcastic signs to flash standing in the pickup bed as they marched by but by the time I held up two, the marchers had passed us by! LOL

[bluesagewoman]

Good job! Love the "Go Home, Mom needs the SUV" sign. LOL! You write the best after-action reports! Your daughter sounds like a real jewel. If you have a ping list, put me on it. Thanks!

[Trteamer]

Way to go!! What a fine FReep you had.

Isn't it funny when they come up and want to "dialog" LOL!! When we see them coming we all crack up laughing if someone mentions the word "dialog". "Oh look! Here they come, they want to have some dialog" ROFLMAO!!

Please add me to your ping list also.
All the Best.

[BlueOneGolf]

Great FReep!! Way to go!

[Flora McDonald]

I don't know if I was just having a senior day, but we spoke or listened to about four demonstrators and I just couldn't follow what they were saying. I don't expect logic from them but a decent train of thought would help.

You will be pinged.

[AGreatPer]

I loved this. Thanks Flora.

[Flora McDonald]

Hello, Great One!
Yes, my daughter is a jewel but I'm a little afraid of what she'll do when she finds out her FReepin' name is Florette!

[bluesagewoman]

Great One? Well, I have gained a little weight, but geesh! (Back on that darned diet.)

Tell Florette not to take offense. Zip's progeny are known as The Zipletts.