Posted on 10/12/2002 8:55:23 PM PDT by farmfriend
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Rural people know that you can't put out a grassfire by stomping on it; property-rights abusers are about to learn that you can't quell a rebellion by stomping on it. The heard the government had tried! "Eyes turned expectantly in Bill Ransom's direction [convoy leader]. 'We promised we would go to Florida to help the farmers there,' he told the group in an even voice. 'We don't break promises. We are going to Florida.'" For more inspiring news. |
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East meets West in Sawgrass Rebellion Convoy Romance Hot diggitty dog... looks like we got us a wedding! This here match up didn't even need no shotguns! |
Karol [Mama2small@aol.com] wrote us saying "I would love to welcome Fearless Farmer Fred and all the love and caring he represents. He will be in good company here."
The saga of Fred and Fran will surely continue and we hope to bring you updates when they do.
Stay Informed:
| "All across America millions of acres are being put off limits to any use by Americans. They are being declared national monuments, heritage sites, buffer zones. This is spelled out in The Wildlands Project, an environmental plan to deny Americans access and use of fifty percent of the nation’s landmass. It is the plan, too, behind the "Sustainable Development" agenda heralded this summer by a United Nations conference in South Africa." More from APC |
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"Tell a friend. Most importantly, tell your children. Tell them about us and about our country and those who came before them. Tell them about the freedom that God and our founding fathers intended for us. They are next in line and there may be a time when they are called, as we have been. After all, this is just beginning. We must remain forever one step ahead of those who would tear us down, to further their anti-God, anti family and anti-American quest for power." More from Property Rights Action Committee |
The Fair was also good. We had several speakers and people from the fair stopping and listening. We had a former U.S. Army Colonel address issues from the Rio Grande Valley, the head of the Texas Chapter of Citizens for a Sound Economy, a senior fellow from the Policy Institute on Property RIghts and Bill Ramson speak. They all did extrordinarily well.
One young man from Rome, TX came up and read what we had there and indicated he came to the fair, with his family (wife and child), to specifically see the Bucket Brigade and wish it the best. Said he had formed, with friends, a Constitutional Society in Rome to educate people on how their rights are getting trampled and help people get involved. As we were speaking he indicated he had read about Klamath on a site by some fellow named Jeff Head, LOL!
I told him I heard that that site was pretty good too, but that there were better site around and asked if he would get onto FR sometime.
Bill Ames (Consertvative) was there with his wife and son and he is quite the firebrand! They joined up with the convoy and ent on to points east. I believe their next stop is in Jackson, MS on Monday.
One other funny thing. We had a Boy Scout group across from us with two cars, sledge hammers and an offer for three hits for one dollar. I went over and told them if they would spray paint a big UN on the side of the car (for the United Nations) that I would beat the living you-know-what out of it. They did ... and I did. Got a lot of cheers from all around.
 Jeff Head and Bill Ames (foreground) work the crowd as three Sawgrass convoy units roll by, during the Saginaw Train and Grain Festival parade.
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 Local property rights activist Stephanie Pivec,
president of the Citizens Against Forced Annexation, presents Republic of Texas flag to wagon master Bill Ransom. "Take this flag to Florida, to show our support for the property owners there."
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 H. Sterling Burnett, senior fellow for the National Center for Policy Analysis, is framed by the giant Jarbidge shovel as he addresses the audience. "This isn't just about the Endangered Species Act, or annexations, or sustainable development, or irrigation water rights with Mexico. This is about broad Constitutional property rights, and to succeed we must naturally include all Americans who are affected into the property rights movement."
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Subject: Texas in the Rear View
From: Kehn Gibson
Sent: Sunday, October 13, 2002 6:34 AM
Hey Folks,
It struck me today that this convoy crossed the widest part of the Union's
largest state, and did it by cutting an up-and-down path. It was a grueling
trip, one 400-mile leg sandwiched between two 200-milers. Tonight we stay in
Marshall, Texas, a mere 30 miles from the border with Louisiana. We will be
glad to be gone.
On Thursday, Pat Ratliff and Diana Wunderle shot ahead of the convoy's main
body to set up a stop out of scratch. With no coordinator on the ground, Pat
and Diana got us a spot at a Stockmen's show, and contacted local media. I
had spoken to a local county commissioner about meeting Bill Ransom but,
completely by luck, the commissioner was joined by the speaker of the Texas
House of Representatives, Pete Lainey. In a good ol' boy way unique to
Texas, Lainey came over to our booth at my invitation and immediately took
to Bill. Agreeing with Bill about the need to amend the ESA and several
other issues, Lainey spent an hour at the booth, as we all gathered around
to listen and talk.
As Lainey spoke about water issues challenging all rural Americans, he did
provide an insight into Texas politics. He has been the speaker of the House
for more than a decade, and said he had breakfast daily with then-Gov.
George Bush for eight years. When Diana spoke up to say the Clinton
Administration had destroyed the economy, we all discovered real quick that
Lainey was a lifelong Democrat. She was in a losing game, debating economic
policy with a personal friend of George W.'s, and we quickly moved to heal
the rift. Yet the incident taught us something important.
Lainey made it crystal clear our enemies cannot be defined by partisan
lines, and he is right. Several Republicans in Congress are not supporting
either amending the ESA nor Bush's Healthy Forest Initiative, while there
are several Democrats who do. I had heard that a Southern Democrat is a
different sort of animal that what we are used to seeing in Oregon -
fiscally conservative and leery of funding a bigger government. Lainey was
walking proof we are in a different political landscape now.
Further evidence of that was a talk I had today with a reporter from the
Ft. Worth Star-Telegram, Bob Kennedy. Viewing the stuff we had on the
table - videos of Global Governance and copies of Free American magazine -
the reporter said it was obvious we were associated with an "extreme right
wing, militia-type" political culture. I pointed out that disenfranchised
Americans in this country will gravitate towards anything that seems
organized and capable of bringing real change, and for many people seeking
common sense in our federal agencies the resolve in the people of the
Klamath Basin is the best hope they see.
We are on the down hill side now, two weeks in and a week to go. We will
visit three state capitols in four days this week, and arrive at our
destination by Friday. I don't think too much of the rally in Florida, as
this motel lifestyle is a one day at a time deal. When we get there, we'll
be there, and soon to turn to home.
The wicked will call them names and try to tear them down, but they are truly blessed people. I can't wait to meet them and thank them in person for what they've done.
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