DeLay protest. 200 STRONG! A Report.

[johncoby2]

DeLay protest. Houston Texas.

(Special thanks to Melissa Taylor, Tom Gederberg, Jackie Ricot, and April Moone for a GREAT job putting this peaceful protest together. And thanks to the other 196 people who came out!)

WOW! There over 200 protestors ready to greet Tom DeLay at his speech to the NRA banquet in Houston Texas. They were LOUD and had great signs that read “2nd Amendment YES, Tom DeLay NO”, “Keep Guns. Ban DeLay”, “Put the Hammer in the Slammer” and more. Chants of "2 4 6 8 who do we want to incarcerate?" "What do we want? Indictments. When do we want it? NOW!" and more went on for about 2 hours.

With the NRA in town, so was the media. The protestors were interviewed by all local channels in Houston, the Houston Chronicle, the Houston Press, KTRH radio, and KPFT. The Associated Press, New York Times, ABC Radio, Fox News, and NPR also did interviews.

Some pictures can be found at yahoo:
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?g=events/ts/041505nranatlrifle&a=&tmpl=sl&ns=&l=1&e=17&a=0&printer=

More will come later.


The only interesting event was when DeLay fans began giving us the 1 finger salute. The police quickly stopped this because it was considered “disorderly behavior”. Someone dress in a prisoners costume had a sign that said “Make DeLay My Bitch” was also warned to use the other side of the sign that said “Don’t DeLay. Indict Today”.

The police helped us a bunch, even had erected barriers which protected us from Delayers and provided us a great location. The crowd from the 5th floor of the Hilton looked GREAT!

Contrary to what many would believe, many NRA people who were coming out of the Convention Center were very much in favor of what the protestors were doing. Only a few made comments about the NRA but quickly became quite once they understood the protestors were focused on DeLay and not on the NRA.

Protestors from Houston, Fort Bend, Clear Lake, and even from Conroe were part of the crowd.

A great event for DeLay foes. Another embarrassment for Tom DeLay and his supporters.

[KaliTracy]

1. Thanks for this report. Recommended. n/t

[babylonsister]

2. You all rock for being there! Thanks for

your report!

[Lithos]

3. Good job!

Keep up the great work! :thumbsup:

L-

[Catherine Vincent]

4. Ditto!

[Turn CO Blue]

5. Now, Dat's what I'm talkin' about! woohoo! nt

[surrey405]

6. if i had known i would...

have gone to houston from Austin. man i missed it. DUers and other suporters should do these quite often.

[Catherine Vincent]

8. Welcome to the DU community!

:hi:

[lavenderdiva]

34. Welcome to DU surrey405!

:hi:

[WestHoustonDem]

38. Welcome to DU Surrey!

[ailsagirl]

7. Thanks for the report and thanks for going out to protest

I love the sign, "Pound the Hammer!!!"

:yourock:

If you'll excuse the expression, AMEN!!!!!

:evilgrin:

[Webster Green]

9. Flipping the bird is disorderly behavior in Texass?

Ain't that considered to be freedom of expression?
:shrug:

[AnneD]

17. Well.....

if they enforced it on the freeways, our jails would be full....Say, could Bush be arrested, we have documented proof. What is the satute of limitations on this.
I think we are in the process of changing our state motto from friendship to I'll whup yer ass. Even our little old grandmother will whup yer ass if you cross 'em.

[dxstone]

10. Good goin'! The pig must PAY!

Check out the latest:


Tom Delay Shits Self In Middle of Senate Floor
http://www.presidentevilonline.com/sn_delayshit.html

"I LOVE horror movies, man... I just don't want to LIVE in one."
DXS

[unhappycamper]

11. You guys are awesome! Thanks. n/t

[wakeme2008]

12. “Make DeLay My Bitch” -- I like it and

if DeLay would get STATE prison that's what would happen to the 5'6" (as I recall) DeLay.

[rodeodance]

13. but Bush is sticking to DeLay -the opposite of what he did to Lott- seems

very iffy at the point that DeLay will step down--the Repugs need him to whip all those nasty bills together.

[ray of light]

14. Let Delay Linger

Like old milk, the longer it lingers the smellier it gets around the whole room. The Republicans are being nailed by this corruption and it's starting to permeate the whole room. So Bush, Frist, Hastert can all keep the spoiled milk around till next year for all I care.


Also, thanks for the thread. Sounds like a great rally.

[blondeatlast]

20. Maybe they will topple together.

Good going, Houston!

My hats off to y'all!

YEEEEEEEEEEHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAW!

"Make DeLay my bitch." Pretty nasty, I think the cops were right--but effin' HILARIOUS, I must say!

[Jon_da_brockman]

15. Dont get me wrong

I dispise DeLay as much as the next guy, but what do those pictures remind you of?

[NJCher]

18. which pictures?

Be specific. There are lots of pictures on this thread!


Cher

[blondeatlast]

21. A peaceful protest?!

Beyond that, I have no answer. :shrug:

[Catherine Vincent]

32. The pictures remind me of when the freepers were protesting

Clinton all the time. So what of it?

[fudge stripe cookays]

44. Hmmmm....

7 posts, misspelling, and claiming not to like DeLay "as much as the next guy."

Something stinks in here.
FSC

[AnneD]

16. Wish I could have been there.......

I always love giving the Neocon admin a warm Texas welcome (packing for the move next weekend). I know for a fact we have many protests that seldom have coverage. I went to the town hall meeting in Rosenberg where he announced how teachers and other public workers were to get shafted out of Social Security. Too bad there was no national press then-there were well over 200, close to 300 teachers and if the SS and sheriff were not there he would have been tarred and feathered. Please, John, pm me and put me on a notification list of protesters, volunteer, etc. We really need to get organized.
How do we go about a recall in TX. I am not in his district but think that may be a valid choice.
Great work guys :toast: ....maybe people nationwide will understand we are not all rw nuts in this state. We were screwed via redistricting as they couldn't tamper with all the ballot boxes here.:grr:

[NJCher]

19. yer doin' God's work, honey!

Seriously, I love you guys for doing this!! If I lived there I would be marching out there with you!!


Cher

p.s. the signs about "Keep Guns and Ban Delay" were strategically smart. I'm not in favor of guns but we have to keep our eye on the prize.

[sonias]

22. Thank you Houston area Dems!

200 strong! Now that's a greeting!

Put the Hammer in the Slammer!

Sonia

[sellitman]

23. In this article they don't even mention the protestors.

Typical MSM.....


Under fire, DeLay seeks NRA shelter
Majority leader gets roaring welcome

From Tribune news services
Published April 17, 2005

HOUSTON -- Embattled House Majority Leader Tom DeLay was expected to find refuge this weekend among thousands of gun enthusiasts and as many as 5,000 firearms.

As keynote speaker Saturday night at the National Rifle Association annual meeting, the Texas Republican addressed a crowd he has fervently supported since joining Congress in 1984.

"Tom DeLay is a champion on our issue," NRA chief lobbyist Chris Cox said. "He has been a leader in every sense of the word."



More: http://babyurl.com/01Ue3n

[jasop]

25. Yahoo says "DeLay Finds Friendly Audience With NRA"

I mean what the hell?!

[nankerphelge]

35. It's the associated press.

What a bunch of right wing bastards. Get the story straight APMFr's.

[Window]

24. Way to go!

Thanks for the report and pictures. This is great!

[katinmn]

26. Great report! Nice to hear the police were supporting our side.

That is a very good sign.

Resentment of DeLay runs deep.
:woohoo:
to all of you.

[UrbScotty]

27. Yes, the First Amendment is still alive and well!

:bounce:

[sheilajane]

28. the police being so nice.....

Don't you find it odd the police were so nice? I wonder if the powers that be have decided to throw Tom to the wolves! Or is he so out of control even former supporters will now turn on him!
I can only think of the time he sent operatives to Florida to stop the vote counting and nothing much was done. Then the redistricting in Texas and sending the Homeland Security after the dems. Did the dam finally break? The media is trying to say it is the dems,but I don't think they have that much power.

[Lisa0825]

40. There was one cop I thought was rude...

We had the whole block facing the Hilton, but some folks were meandering down to the corner, where there was a handicap sidewalk ramp. Not a lot of people.... not obstructing anyone. The cop raised his voice and demanded we push further up the block, and said we kept blocking the ramp. He was very forceful about it, as if he'd told us over and over again, yet I'd been there 30 minutes, and it was the first I'd heard him mention it. He was a real jerk about it.

[ClintonTyree]

29. While inside the Convention Center.....

Tom Delay and Wayne LaPierre (sounds VERY French, doesn't it?) pose with the obligaory gun in the hand. Off camera they both enjoyed anal sex with the rifle barrel, bringing them SECONDS of pleasure.

What is it with these morans and having to pose with guns every time? Is it supposed to make them appear more manly and virile?

It makes them look like frightened, insecure little boys in my opinion.

[mark wayne]

30. Thank you!

I live in Houston and rode my bike downtown yesterday to check out the convention crowd. At the time (10:00 a.m.) there was not a single protester and I was not about to become an army of one against those idiots. Glad you took the initiative to organize the troops. Only wish I would have know so I could have showed up later. I ckecked out the Harris County Democrat web site but saw no call to action. Oh well, thanks for a job well done!

[WestHoustonDem]

31. It was announced on the blog, but wasn't an official party event

www.houstondemocrats.com

Welcome to DU Mark!

[Catherine Vincent]

33. Welcome to DU, Mark!

I was supposed to be there also but couldn't make it. You should check out the Texas board periodically on DU and you'll find out when they have events like this.

:hi:

[PDittie]

36. Watch the local news report:

http://www.khou.com/perl/common/video/wmPlayer.pl?title=www.khou.com/nra_0417.wmv

(opens video link)

[Catherine Vincent]

37. Thanks PDittie!

:hi:

[mark wayne]

39. OK, I have one more comment about the NRA :

Is Ted Nugent's dick so small that he has to affiliate with the NRA in order to make himself look macho? I mean really!!! I am embarrassed for him. I know he is washed up and an old burn out but Jeez!

[robbzipp]

41. I was there!

I am very happy to have been a part of this protest. This was the very first time in my 27 1/2 years that I've ever protested anything or anyone and it felt GOOD! I am so glad that I found out about Democracy for Houston and I will be more and more active as time passes.

[Lisa0825]

42. Welcome to DU!!!

:hi:

Keep coming to this forum to see where we'll be next time!

[WestHoustonDem]

43. Welcome to DU robbzipp!!!

[CitySky]

45. Good panorama pic here

along with an IndyMedia writer's own irreverent take on the whole event: http://houston.indymedia.org/news/2005/04/38775_comment.php#38793

I was there too, donating my lung-power to the cause, and all I can add is that we had a blast! Thanks to all of the organizers and attendees.

-Sky in Houston

[WestHoustonDem]

46. I just saw Lisa on CNN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

:yourock: :woohoo: :woohoo: :applause: :applause: :patriot: :patriot: :patriot:

[Lisa0825]

47. HOLY COW!!!!!!!!! I guess my 15 minutes have begun, eh???

:rofl:

[Ysolde]

48. Congrats!

Looks like there's hope for us Red-staters! Great job!

:toast:

[WearyOne]

49. God I love to see Americans out there standing up to these

awful people.

Go for it.

[Joe Power]

50. Hey John...

...who could this be?

"Someone dress in a prisoners costume had a sign that said “Make DeLay My Bitch” was also warned to use the other side of the sign that said “Don’t DeLay. Indict Today”."

:yourock: