Posted on 08/06/2006 8:20:16 PM PDT by Citizen SMASH
I ARRIVE EARLY at Walter Reed, to help the Freepers and friends set up their large banners expressing support for the military. As we're getting established, a car full of soldiers in civilian clothes leaving the hospital grounds pulls up, and one of them asks what our purpose is (listen to the audio).
When I tell him, they all smile, and tell us how much it means to them that someone is showing some appreciation for what they do. The passenger in back has a cast on his arm; he tells me he was injured in Iraq while serving with the 101st Airborne Division.
Next I have the pleasure of meeting Justin, a Marine who was severely wounded in Iraq, and now is confined to a wheelchair. His entire family has joined the rally, including his lovely twin sisters, who are a big hit with the passing soldiers. Justin wants to talk about the good times, including the antics of his former commanding general, the legendary James N. Mattis (who has gotten in trouble a couple of times for his "candor"). He also tells me about meeting R. Lee Ermey, the drill sergeant from Full Metal Jacket, who attended several of his unit's Marine Corps Birthday Balls (listen to the audio). "How tall are you, Marine?"
Finally, I head down the block to see what's going on at the Code Pink protest site. I don't see any of the high-profile members (they're apparently all over in Jordan, trying to make peace with some Iraqi parliamentarians), so I look for someone who might be interested in a little dialogue. I warm up by saying "hi" to Megan from last week, which helps establish me as a non-threatening figure.
This time around, I interview “Mom,” a woman who came to the Code Pink protest with her teenage daughter. Mom is protesting outside Walter Reed primarily because she is “very opposed to the war.” She has lived overseas, in Iran, Israel, and the West Bank, so she knows better than the rest of us (her father was a diplomat). She believes “young men and women of this country” are “being used” in a “blunder,” and then being left to “fend for themselves” when they come home with missing limbs or post-traumatic stress. Mom has been coming to protests since she was “in a baby stroller,” and has also been bringing her daughter along since she was a baby. Besides the Iraq war, she has protested on behalf of Soviet Jews, Darfur, and even wrote letters for Amnesty International to complain about the brutal regime of Saddam Hussein. Mom is concerned that people enlisting in the military are being misinformed about military life and benefits by recruiters. She is strongly opposed to the “occupation of Palestine,” as well as the “occupation of Iraq.” Mom believes that occupying another people eats away at a nation’s soul, and cites increasing alcoholism and domestic abuse rates in Israel as evidence to back up her theory (listen to the audio).
We’re interrupted a couple of times by drive-by hecklers. I ask her why she thinks people are angry about them protesting outside the hospital. She says that they are ignorant and scared. “They want desperately to believe in... the lies that our government has told us... that somehow by occupying Iraq, we are spreading democracy.” Mom claims that the “people over there” (she points to the Freepers) are “the opposite of a patriot” because they “just sit on the sidelines” and let the government “do whatever it is they want to do,” instead of “getting educated” about all the horrible things for which our country is responsible.
The Code Pink protest breaks up, right on schedule, at 9pm. I walk back over to the main gate, and wait with the Freepers for the buses to return.
I had missed this last week -- but I won't miss it again -- the return of the buses is a triumphal moment. The driver of the lead bus slows to a crawl and honks his horn repeatedly as he approaches the gate. He turns on the interior lights, and we can see all the injured soldiers and their families, grinning from ear to ear, smiling, and waving back at us.
The twins tell me that it wasn't always this way; when Code Pink had a permit to protest outside the main gate, the soldiers would first turn to their side to give them the single-digit salute, before turning to the Freeper side and cheering. But ever since the Pinkos forgot to renew their permit, it's been all positive.
As we're cleaning up, one of the men tells me that it's much more impressive from inside the bus -- he was one of those wounded soldiers a few months earlier -- they really appreciate having someone out there to show some support.
I know what I'm doing every Friday night for the next couple months. If you're in town, come join me. It's time well spent.
Hey SMASH, was with the group early evening at 10th & C yesterday.
Left Coast - Right Coast you don't let up with the code pinkos. Good going.
Will look forward seeing you when you return
God Bless you.
Thanks for your report and again for what you're doing SMASH.
God Bless our troops.
Thanks for the great report, and the audios. It's really nice that our wounded heros know how much we appreciate them and that we CARE. Also liked your interaction with "Mom," who's apparently been brainwashed until all semblence of reality is gone. Thanks very much.
As Code PInk admitted last week, they are down to the hardcore core group for their effort. When they did have the gate side of that intersection, the occupants of the bus gave the Code Pink followers a lession in the truth. What Code Pink's leaders said about their relationship with soldiers was a lie. And Code Pink had a lot of turn over in the ranks. Their followers deserted when they found out the truth.
So what did the head liars at Code Pink do? Reschedule the protest to start earlier so they could leave earlier. Leave before the bus comes, so nobody finds out Code Pinks' leaders are liars!
And then Bruce Wolf, the resident comrade from AFL-CIO union Local 2 writes how the bus has mysteriously disappeared. And how it worries them. I wonder how a pile of excretment as tall as Bruce manages to stay upright.
Hey Doc, ya got a link? I'd love to read that.
Great report!
bttt
;oD
Can't listen to the audio at work but great report. The most important part is making sure our troops, esp the wounded, know that people honor, respect and CARE about them.
I was glad to meet and talk with you Friday night.
Thanks for this report and the update on the conversation with the PINKOS.
Thanks for the ping...might have missed this.
Nice to see you last Friday...this week too, I think!
I start twitching whenever they are within 50 feet of me. It is great having you around! See you Friday!
Thanks for the ping PD! Will your report be out soon? ;*)
Great report, and may God bless all of y'all.
Hey there, Lady! I see you are up to Freeping again!
No troubles??!!
Catch you later!
#2 daughter
Great report, SMASH! Thanks for the ping, PD!
Yup, I'm going to work on it tonight and steal like a bandit from SMASH ;)
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