Free Republic

Small Counter Rally Shows Support for Troops Associated Press WASHINGTON — Support for U.S. troops fighting abroad mixed with anger toward anti-war demonstrators at home as hundreds of people, far fewer than organizers had expected, rallied Sunday on the National Mall just a day after a massive protest against the war in Iraq. "No matter what your ideals are, our sons and daughters are fighting for our freedom," said Marilyn Faatz, who drove from New Jersey to attend the rally. "We are making a mockery out of this. And we need to stand united, but we are not." About 400...

Diane Ibbotson came to the District amid yesterday's anti-war protest to support U.S. efforts in Iraq and say her enlisted son died for a worthy cause. "I know the loss. I know the grief," Mrs. Ibbotson said. Her son, Army Cpl. Forest Jostes, 21, was killed in Iraq alongside the son of Cindy Sheehan, the California woman whom the media has made a recognizable face of the anti-war movement. "But," Mrs. Ibbotson said, "a mother's grief, as deep as it goes, does not justify undermining the morale of the United States armed forces while we are at war." Mrs. Ibbotson...

If you were just watching the Support the Troops Rally in D.C. on C-Span, you heard about the e-mail from Gary in Iraq. Here is the e-mail..... Capt. Gary Bourland wrote: Linda- Im very proud of you. Every day we are reminded how crucial it is what exactly we are doing. Countless IEDs, Indirect Fire and sporadic sniper fire are continuous reminders as well. As the news reports of the Iraqi constitution this and the constitution that, it is amazing they don’t even recognize that what they are reporting is a monumental thing called democracy in action. Will the constitution...

As a U.S. Navy veteran, Joseph Williams knows what it means to serve his country. As a Vietnam veteran he knows about war. He also knows what it’s like to lose a son on the battlefields of Iraq. Marine Lance Cpl. Michael Williams was 31 when his company was ambushed near Nasiriyah in the opening days of Operation Iraqi Freedom. He and 13 others died. His father isn’t bitter. “I was happy for him when he joined,” Williams said. “I’m tired of hearing Cindy Sheehan trashing America.” As Sheehan, an anti-war activist whose son died in Iraq, continues to gain...

WELCOME HOME OUR HEROES - Tonight (Sunday, Sept. 25th) Sacramento Intl. Airport (Terminal A) - 9:40 PM Friends:We have decided to throw a “Welcome Home” gathering for Deborah Johns and Joseph Williams – TONIGHT! (Sunday, September 25, 2005) and we need to build a crowd of well-wishers at the Sacramento airport to show these two how much we appreciate their efforts in this week’s national “We Support Our Troops And Their Mission” bus tour.Here’s the details:*Tonight (Sunday, September 25th) at 9:40 PM we will all gather at the Sacramento International Airport – Terminal A to greet Jet Blue Flight...

The D.C. Chapter, Jimrob, trueblackman and other freepers have done us proud today, on an international scale. We recognise the effort and inspiration that it took to produce such an event. This is a forum for thanks and well deserved Kudos.

WASHINGTON (AP) - Military families and others defending the war in Iraq took their turn Sunday to demonstrate on the National Mall, if in much smaller numbers, and counter the massive protest against the war a day earlier. About 100 people had gathered before a stage set up on the eastern portion of the mall as the noon rally began. A large photo of an American flag served as a backdrop for the stage, and country music blared from speakers while other banners and signs proclaiming support for U.S. troops waved in the breeze. John O'Neal, 64, from the Philadelphia...

(09-25) 11:49 PDT WASHINGTON, (AP) -- Support for U.S. troops fighting abroad mixed with anger toward anti-war demonstrators at home as hundreds of people, far fewer than organizers had expected, rallied Sunday on the National Mall just a day after a massive protest against the war in Iraq. "No matter what your ideals are, our sons and daughters are fighting for our freedom," said Marilyn Faatz, who drove from New Jersey to attend the rally. "We are making a mockery out of this. And we need to stand united, but we are not." About 400 people gathered near a stage...

He is on NOW!!!

<p>I am heading down to the Rally site now, to help with setting up - which began at 5am today. I didn't know if someone would post a live thread later. My apologies if I have stepped on any toes.</p>

This blogger, Global Cop From D.C., has been posting live from DC all weekend with photos starting Friday night of the counter Code Pink demonstration at Walter Reed Friday night through today. Check out all the pictures here: http://globalcop.us/

A DAY AMONG THE MOONBATS By Michelle Malkin   ·   September 24, 2005 05:10 PM I spent the afternoon at Sheehanapalooza in D.C. under overcast skies, in a haze of hemp-scented paranoia, steeped with fetid Bush hatred. Am uploading a bunch of photos of moonbats in action at my Flickr site. Here's a sample:++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ (the first photo from her site has F-bomb on a t-shirt, so I did not post it. You can go to her site and see it, or put the following in your browser -- http://michellemalkin.com/archives/images/yikes.jpg The face of the anti-war movement: YEARRRGH! ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ An attractive member of...

Weekend march aimed at bringing troops home... [snip] Bush did not plan to be in Washington on Saturday, but he will have support on the streets. The groups FreeRepublic.com and Protest Warrior plan their own demonstration on Saturday, with hundreds expected to join in. FreeRepublic spokesman Kristinn Taylor said a larger rally Sunday on the National Mall would honor military families. [snip] The war protests will coincide with planned demonstrations against the World Bank and International Monetary Fund, which hold their annual meetings this weekend. Anti-globalization protesters will eventually join the marchers opposing the Iraq war. ANSWER and United for...

A supporter waves her flag in front of the State Capitol building in Denver. The “Support our Troops and Their Mission” tour wrapped up its third day across the country with a stop in Denver, Wednesday. Deborah Johns and Joseph Williams appeared live on KOA AM-850 AM with host Mike Rosen, followed by a rally in front of the Capitol building in downtown Denver. Military Moms, WWII vets, and Freepers helped to create an energized crowd. There was some great news media coverage of this event. CLICK HERE to read the Rocky Mountain News account and then CLICK HERE to...

Note: To see photos of this Freep, please click on the captioned links throughout the thread. For the twenty-second consecutive week, members of the DC Chapter of Free Republic, FR lurkers, out of state Freepers, Republican Operatives, mil-bloggers and many others gathered across the street from the main gate at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, on the northeast corner of Georgia Avenue and Elder Street, NW, to show our unconditional support for our troops, their mission and our great country.Our group began assembling on our corner at 6:30pm, and we discovered that the womyn of Code Pink had already been...

War Protests Will Devastate Morale Says VFW Chief WASHINGTON, Sept. 22 /PRNewswire/ -- News reports about a large anti-war rally in Washington this weekend are deeply troubling to the new national commander of the nation's largest organization of combat veterans, the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S. "Our concern isn't with fellow Americans exercising their First Amendment rights to be heard," said Jim Mueller, the VFW's new commander-in-chief. "Our concern is how their political protest messages will be perceived by the 2.2 million American military personnel who protect and defend those freedoms daily," he explained. "Our concern is for...

As Congress this week honored parents whose sons or daughters have been killed in Iraq, some families said Cindy Sheehan and her anti-war group do not represent them and are disrespecting the fallen soldiers. "You can't call into question the integrity of the commander in chief without having it call into question the integrity of those under his command," said Diane Ibbotson, whose son Army Cpl. Forest Jostes, 21, died in April 2004 outside Baghdad. "Let's talk about the things they've accomplished," she said, listing the end of Saddam Hussein's dictatorship, Iraq's first free elections, and the building of schools...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – September 23, 2005MEDIA INQUIRIES: Contact Shawn Callahan (916) 768-2686 [cell] OTHER INQUIRIES: Contact Robert Dixon (916) 761-6987 [cell] National Pro-Troop Tour Stops in Baltimore, MD – SATURDAY PM * From Northern California to Wash. DC… with 20 Cities Including Baltimore * Led by Marine Mom, Deborah Johns & “Gold Star Father” Joseph Williams (SACRAMENTO) – The national organization that supports our troops and the war against terrorism, Move America Forward (website: www.MoveAmericaForward.org), has announced a national pro-troop bus tour that will stop in more than 20 U.S. cities en route to Washington, D.C. – including...

Saturday, September 24thBaltimore, MD - Johns Hopkins University5:45-6:45 PM - Rally & News Conference at John Hopkins University at the Glass Pavillion - located right by Levering Hall and Gilman Hall. “Support the Troops” banner-sheets will be on display, for you to sign and include a message of support. The sheets will be sent to the troops upon the completion of the nationwide bus tour and Washington, D.C. rally. Audience members will recite the pledge of allegiance to protest the ruling against the pledge by activist U.S. District Judge, Lawrence Karlton. Campus Map: (PDF) === From Yahoo Maps === I...

Saturday, September 24thShanksville, PA12:30 - 2:00 PM - Rally & News Conference held near the crash site of Flight 93 (at location of Memorial to the Victims, designed by Lei Hennessy Owen. At Upper entrance of Crash site, off of Buckstown Road. Site of Crash of Flight 93 on 9/11/2001 Directions are as follows: Go Down the Pennsylvania Turnpike. Take Somerset Interchange 10/110. Go straight ahead to the 3rd traffic signal. Turn left at that light onto Rte. 281 North. Go 10 miles and then turn onto Rte. 30 East. Go 3 miles till you see Highland Tank Manufacturing. Turn...