War Supporters Plan Counter Demonstration

[sabra]

http://www.wsoctv.com/news/5017340/detail.html

War Supporters Plan Counter Demonstration


WASHINGTON -- Military families and other defenders of the war in Iraq are claiming their turn to demonstrate, responding to a huge war protest with a rally Saturday on the National Mall.

Organizers hoped to draw several thousand people to their noontime event near the National Air and Space Museum. They acknowledged the rally would be much smaller than Saturday's anti-war protest in Washington but said their message would not be overshadowed.

"People have been fired up over the past month, especially military family members, and they want to be heard," said Kristinn Taylor, a leader of FreeRepublic.com, one of the sponsors of Sunday's event.

The pro-military rally was billed by organizers as a time to honor the troops fighting "the war on terrorism in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere around the world."

[wryter2000]

1. Oh, goody

All twelve of them in one place. I hope they order enough porta-potties.

[NewJeffCT]

2. my local paper had 2 articles, one about the anti-war, one for prowar

Both were about the same size article, though they noted the pro-war anti-protest had 200 people.

I can't find the Hartford Courant articles online, though they did say the anti-war demonstration may have surpassed their goal of 100,000.

here is the pro-war article:
200 Display Their Opposition To Protest

September 25, 2005
By TIMOTHY DWYER, Washington Post WASHINGTON -- On a day when they knew they would be outnumbered and out-shouted, more than 200 supporters of the Iraq war nonetheless gathered Saturday at the U.S. Navy Memorial to get out their message.

They were military families and members of such organizations as Move America Forward and Protest Warrior, and they were determined to be heard.

[Solly Mack]

3. Sounds like a Pro-War rally

a pro-troop rally would be one where people wanted the troops to come home from an illegal war. Oh wait..that just took place. :)

[Liberal Veteran]

4. Yee-hah! A Pro-War rally!

I swear you can't make up shit like that.

[Frances]

11. Pro War vs Pro Troops?

nt

[mikehiggins]

5. What part of DoD is paying for this one?

Whenever I hear about something like this it makes me wonder how much Rumsfeld has put up to pay for it.

[buff2]

6. These idiots promote MURDER

Any rational thinking person would prefer peace,but not these blood thirsty bastards. The more troops that get killed the better. They don't even give a flying phuck if it's one of their own kids. KILL AND BE KILLED is their motto....oh wait. Unless you are a fetus or embryo,then LIFE MATTERS. It's AFTER you are born that makes it alright to kill and be killed. Geesus,what a sick,sick bunch of asswipes.:puke:

[Arugula Latte]

7. It's like the old saying about the Reagan administration:

Their concern for life begins at conception and ends at birth.

[asjr]

8. I wonder how many will be

carrying banners proclaiming We Love War, We Love War. Because that is what it amounts to. They are surely not for the troops. If they were they would be on the other side.

[Orrin_73]

9. Will there be military officers with

conscription papers, it would be a good place to find new recruits. :evilgrin:

[hadrons]

10. is Kristinn Taylor of age to enlist???

[tuvor]

12. War Supporters Follow Anti-War Rallies

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 area, carried an American flag over one shoulder as he moved around those near the stage. Asking ``Do you want to vote?'' he offered a chance to dip a finger in a cup of blue paint, symbolic of the elections earlier this year in which Iraqis showed off ink-stained fingers proving they had voted.

``This is an indication that efforts the United States has made in Iraq and Afghanistan have led to free and democratic elections,'' O'Neal said.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-5301584,00.html

[Ian David]

13. The Chickenhawks only got 100 people??? WTF!!?!?!

I would have expected maybe 1,000.

No less than 500.

Wow, they really are the actual LUNATIC FRINGE!!

[dusty64]

17. 100 idiots yet EQUAL

coverage to the 500,000 to 600,000 people protesting our regimes illegal war. That deserves a giant WTF!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Bill McBlueState]

22. eh

500 to 600 million, huh? ;)

I think the article makes it pretty clear right off the bat that this is a small time event compared to yesterday's "massive protest."

[dusty64]

26. You're right

I fixed it. I'm a little under the weather today and its self inflicted. :hangover: Still, if the roles were reversed and the antiwar crowd was 100 vs. half a million supporters does anyone believe the corporate media would give our side an inkblot.

[Maraya1969]

14. I almost feel sorry for them. They are on C-Span and they are tiny

[tuvor]

15. "Sorry for them"???

This is your chance to kick 'em while they're down!

:)

[sickinohio]

20. I don't even ALMOST feel sorry for the fools!!

And, I hink it's hilarious that they are on C-Span with so few of THEM!!

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[lady lib]

16. Come on guys, they're "the silent majority."

Uh huh.

[Kagemusha]

18. Very... very, silent.

:)

[CatWoman]

19. ROFL

That cup of paint he's using is what's left after painting their "pro war" posters :D

[McIntyre]

21. Newspaper account of SD Rally

Oho, but they have allies, the media is riding to the rescue...

Here's the link http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2005/09/25/news/sandieg...

Here's my letter to the editor:

Letter: Re Anti-war protestors greeted by equal number of pro-troop
supporters, 9/24/2005: I rode the "Peace Train" to the protest in Balboa Park and take issue with your report stating there was an equal number of counter protestors. During the 1.5 mile march from the station to the park I saw/heard two people heckling us and viewed approximately two dozen at Balboa Park; hardly the equal number your phantom reporter contends.

The support we received from people along the route was heartening as was the number of cars honking and flashing peace signs. Isn't it peculiar that, in addition to your erroneous version of our rally, the Amtrak in Washington, D. C. suddenly and inexplicably cancelled several trains leaving peaceful protestors without transportation to the rally there? What's a patriot like me to make of all this?

:patriot:

[bee]

27. Stories gone now. file not found. n/t

[McIntyre]

31. Try this link

Thanks!

http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2005/09/25/news/sandiego/20_12_149_24_05.txt

[cascadiance]

35. Their source was the local Fox whores I think...

They have the same story up on their site too...

http://www.fox6.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=37C9C915-17C3-4AF3-BD08-295D57CE2AA4

[McIntyre]

40. OMG!

Thanks so much! I've just penned another letter to the editor. I stopped my subscription to the SD Union Tribune (when they unceremoniously dumped James Goldsborough) and it's been touch and go with the North County Times. Thank God for DU!

Thanks again.

[Child_Of_Isis]

23. War supporters..

good name for them.

[davekriss]

24. This is an example of the MSM telling us what to think

Giving equal coverage to 100 pro-war counter-protestors vs. between 100,000 to 500,000 peace protestors, or as in the case in a reply above claiming "equal" attendance on both sides when that was not anywhere close to the factual case (for a local protest) -- these are examples of PROPOGANDA, examples of the press telling us what to think ("ahh, I see, the situation is not so cut and dry, we are a split nation, it was possible for Bush to win in 2004, he didn't steal it, we meant well in Iraq because "everyone" believed there were WMD there, half the nation thinks invading was the right think to do so I will passively sit on my couch rather than add my voice to what I think is right, etc. etc. f*ckin' etc.)

I think it goes well beyond the relatively passive tendency to promote elite interests as outlined in the propganda model Chomsky outlines in Necessary Illusions.

[hadrons]

25. This part is rich ....

"We're hoping for more folks,'' said Kristinn Taylor, a leader of FreeRepublic.com, one of the sponsors. "People have been fired up over the past month, especially military family members, and they want to be heard.''

Earlier, Taylor said organizers were prepared for 20,000 people to attend the pro-military rally, billed as a time to honor the troops fighting "the war on terrorism in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere around the world.''

Can you image of these idiots were able to whine their way into having the city prepare for 20,000 'morans;, err war-supporters and only have this pathetic bunch show up ... you think Mr. Kristinn Taylor would like to see a bill from DC about that???

[cal04]

28. Take note democrats in the Senate and Congress

this is the time you should be aware of what the American people are telling you

[grahamhgreen]

29. Any real supporter would simply join the military.

[Mark E. Smith]

30. The 100 Freeper March

They really do need to lay off the donuts.

[brooklynite]

32. Let's take a look at that flag code, shall we?

§ 700. Desecration of the flag of the United States; penalties

(a)(1) Whoever knowingly mutilates, defaces, physically defiles, burns, maintains on the floor or ground, or tramples upon any flag of the United States shall be fined under this title or imprisoned for not more than one year, or both.

That flag in the background looks pretty defaced to me...

[VegasWolf]

33. So these redneck obese FReepers represent the Majority??? nt

[Selatius]

34. They're a bunch of lunatics and "morans"

They clearly represent the FRINGE in America. They had well over 100,000 at the ANTI-WAR march, and these freaks and anti-Americans could get hardly more than 100. They're so out of touch with America.

[cascadiance]

36. What are you saying? Their rally here is clearly HUGH!

:sarcasm:

[AlCzervik]

37. i saw the whole shot of them and even with the camera panning around

all the way i bet there were no more than say 400 people and that includes the speakers.

[AX10]

38. many say it was only 100.

It's quite sad. But it's good to see that they are not organized.

[AlCzervik]

39. they looked kind of spread out so i'm just guessing here

i noticed that when the speakers were on stage there were chairs set up in fron and only one woman was sitting there.

[Akoto]

41. Honoring the troops and honoring the war, two different things.

You can and certainly should honor the troops for serving our country. That does NOT mean you are obligated to applaud the so-called mission they've been sent to carry out. They are under the control of those who lead by falsehood, and it will be the people who put an end to it with these peace protests.