Protesters stress patriotism in dissent, Nearly 300 march through rainy Ithaca afternoon

Ithaca Journal ^ | Originally published Monday, March 31, 2003 | By LAUREN BISHOP

[Behind Liberal Lines]

ITHACA -- Although Saturday marked the second major antiwar demonstration in Ithaca since the war in Iraq began, the props carried by participants prompted at least one onlooker to wonder whether they were for or against the war.

Because the peace march included the theme "Dissent is Patriotic," many of the roughly 300 marchers carried American flags, which people have recently displayed to show their support of the Bush administration's actions.

[Behind Liberal Lines]

Ithaca is the City of Evil.

[Behind Liberal Lines]

Given the number of "UN" and "Peace" flags I see flying around Ithaca in lieu of American flags, this is obviously a PR stunt.

[OpusatFR]

Nope. Not going to register. The Peter Arnett, "America is losing the war; bring troops home," argument.

Americans know that we are sitting targets for terrorists. 911 was not a dream and we are as much a target as a soldier in the battlefield. Our soldiers are not cowards. And neither are the American people.

The other we have yet to hear is the Ramsey Clark, "All the propaganda about Saddam killing and torturing people is bunk," stuff - not out there yet.

I wonder how Clark can explain away Saddam's genocide of the Kurds with chemical weapons? Propaganda?

I just can't wait for a reprise of Charlie Rangel's Baby Killer remark. That one was floated for a purpose. What incarnation is that going to take?

Also, we have yet to hear the new refrain of "Blame America."

For every single attack the left can throw, you have to be ready to counter it and anticipate the next.

[martin_fierro]

Because the peace march included the theme "Dissent is Patriotic," many of the roughly 300 marchers carried American flags, which people have recently displayed to show their support of the Bush administration's actions.

rationalization n

1. the cognitive process of making something seem consistent with or based on reason [syn: rationalisation]
2. a defense mechanism by which your true motivation is concealed by explaining your actions and feelings in a way that is not threatening [syn: rationalisation]
3. (math) the simplification of an expression or equation by eliminating radicals without changing the value of the expression or the roots of the equation [syn: rationalisation]
4. systematic organization [syn: systematization, systematisation, rationalisation]

[Miss Marple]

Here are some undercurrents that I have detected:

We are losing the war because Rummy and the Republicans are cheapskates.
We are losing the war because Iraqis hate us more than they hate Saddam.
Despite what the Pentagon says for PR purposes, we are killing massive numbers of civilians.

All three of these propaganda ploys are difficult to refute, because they are based on premises that are not easily disprovable. However, victory will be a pretty good antidote.

It is imperative, however, that we keep calling talk radio, writing letters, etc. so that the lies do not become accepted by the general public. You know we are having an effect when the peaceniks suddenly start carrying American flags!

[laz17]

What a sick bunch of lying freaks, trying to pass themselves off as patriotic. What they want is the destruction of America, for us to disarm and be led as sheep to the slaughter, and that is as far from patriotism as you can get.

[Beck_isright]

How can a city which is dying to change it's name to "Stalingrad" be considered seriously?

V

[OpusatFR]

Agreed, but these are the same arguments that were used in Vietnam. Right about the continued letters and calls and in some cases, buttonholing the right people.

I do know that Rangel's statement hit the democrats very wrong in NYC.

What is the saying, "Generals fight the last war?" The Left is using the same tactics from the last war. What they don't understand is that the right learns and learns to improvise faster. I don't think Socialism understands innovation as well as Capitalism.

[JoJo Gunn]

They hate America, they've cost cities and businesses millions of dollars, they give aid and succor to Dictators, and now that their precious little Vomit-In's and Feces-In's and Die-In's don't work, they're going to win us over with flag waving?

[Adder]

ooooo...All of 300 people? Thats it then. The war is finished and we lost. How could we have been so blind as to ignore the VOICES of 300 people. Stop the madness.[sarcasm]

The antiwar rallies are pathetic husks and any media attention they receive now is media bias for their point of view.

Heck, 300 people showed up for slurpees at the local minimart...I don't think it made the news.

[Behind Liberal Lines]

What a sick bunch of lying freaks, trying to pass themselves off as patriotic.

I'm sure this display is, in part, an attempt as "damage control" after Ithaca'sProtesters splashed blood on American flag last week.

[logic101.net]

Shouldn't they be flying Iraqi flags?


MARK A SITY
http://www.logic101.net/

[Salman]

Dissent can be patriotic. Supporting a bloodthirty dictator cannot.