Wa. State "Support troops" rally HUGE success!

From the Front | 11/15/03 | JDoutrider

[JDoutrider]

Todays support the Troops rally at Camp Murray (FT Lewis, Washington state) was a resounding success!

I arrived an hour early and the Supporters had already spanned Exit 122 and the surrounding streets!

This show of support was for the largest call up of National Guard in decades. The organization "Not in Our Name" had threatened to protest the arrival of troops of the 81st Armored Brigade, and other detachments reporting for training duty before their deployment to Iraq.

Word got out that the loonies from Seattle were going to show up at exit 122 to make a stink about the war, and our brave men and women soldiers heading there.

Thanks to a heads up from local radio stations KVI 570, and KTTH 770, plans to launch a counter protest were made...and I'm here to tell ya it was a glorious response!

The smile on the troops diving by, and the constant blaring of horns from the freeway passerbys was quite moving. Yet everywhere I looked, I couldn't find the war protestors! Believe me...I looked everywhere...including the garbage cans and grease pit outside of Galloping Gerdies Restaurant...nowhere I tell ya! I wonder if the sight of all those American flags and support the warrior signs held by hundreds, if not thousands of Patriotic Citizens had anything to do with it?

Must admit, had to leave early as old war wounds won't allow me to stand for more than half an hour at a time, but managed to wave Ol Glory for two hours...damn the pain...this was FUN!

On the Way back North I was delighted to see that not only was Exit 122 filled with red, White, and Blue...but the next THREE highway overpasses were burgeoning with Americas Finest! Great going fellow Freepers! Especially Libertina...great to finally meet you!

JD

[JDoutrider]

The smile on the troops diving by,

OOPs! No diving troops showed up, but a helluva lot of smiling troops DROVE, by!

[katnip]

Whoo Hoo! Great Job.

I'm hoping they'll be picture later!

[JDoutrider]

I'm sure the troops of the "570th" will provide...!

[mdittmar]

A big, way to go westsiders, bump!!

[netmilsmom]

God bless you and our troops.
Guess those unwashed slimes were scared to show up. Good!

[katnip]

Ping to post 6.

I sure wish I had been there, but I'm on the other coast.

[cake_crumb]

"I looked everywhere...including the garbage cans and grease pit outside of Galloping Gerdies Restaurant...nowhere I tell ya!"

LOL! Great job. Hope you got some media attention.

[basil]

Maybe the hippies got detoured to Texas--I was just tied up in traffic for over an hour due to two very old Volkswagon buses colliding and overturning. I don't know how many were injured (or killed), but both sides of the highway were lined with the scariest, dirty hippy types that I have seen in a long time. Maybe they're having a convention in these parts, as I haven't seen that many old psychedelic painted Volkswagons in one place since the 60's.

Way to go with the Red, White, and Blue rally, Washington Freepers!

[JDoutrider]

How many "WOW MAN" did you hear when you went by???

LOL!

[anniegetyourgun]

Congrats!

[noexcuses]

Great job all!! You say none of the anti-war types showed up? Better yet!!

[Angelwood]

Awesome! I can picture the overpasses and street lined with enthusiastic people waving flags, holding signs, and cheering our troops on their way. Thank you all for being there and sharing the experience with the rest of us. FReep On!

[deadhead]

Thank You all for being there.

[netmilsmom]

Oh shoot! I replied to the wrong person. Oh well, all of us could use a little blessing once in a while, right?

[SW6906]

Way to go! Thanks!

[armymarinemom]

WTG!!!! Bless you guys and our troops!

[katnip]

I'll take all the blessings I can get. Thanks.

[hoagy62]

Just to let y'all know...there WERE some anti's that showed up...really! About 12-18 of them stood by the entrance to Camp Murray. Some of them were waving blue flags with a picture of the Earth on them. However, they were a little hard to spot....

..because they were SURROUNDED by US flag-waving patriots!! These fine people were infiltrating among the scum, standing in front of them, and generally covering up their anti-American message so our brave troops reporting for duty wouldn't have to see their filth! They finally left at about 2pm, marching in line away from the gate, and being followed the whole way by flag-waving Americans. It was inspiring, I tell you!

Something that wasn't mentioned was the driving rainstorm that happened at about 11am. Do you think it stopped us? HAH! The prevailing thought was "If these troops can stand 12 months in desert heat defending our freedom, by golly, we can stand up to a little rain!"

Thanks to all who attended. I'm quite sure the troops got the message: "We support you 100%!"

[Libertina]

Wonderful post JDoutrider!
Yeah Washington Patirots!

BTTT This rally was aweseom- several thousand people on our bridge alone. Pictures will be coming in courtesy of SleavelessinSeattle who has reappeared finally~! (LOL) I'd like to give a hand to the FReepers I saw; In Veno Veritas; MarMema and family; American Sovereignty Defender; Libre ou Mort; Hoagy62; Travimoto; Redwood71; SleavelessinSeattle... Please forgive me if there were any left off. We were well spoken of by many people who saw our thread and keep watch over us :) (Hi David Traveler!)

When the bad, dirty, smelly people arrived an hour late (about 12 of them) they were immediately surrounded by a sea of American flags. We kept them to a small out of the way corner where no troops could see them. (The media flocked to them right away, though. LOL We just waved our flags in front of them ;)

When the "Viva le France" crowd walked away in a line, American flags trailed them all the way out to their cars. ROTFLOL. It was AWESOME - "Hey Toto, we're not in Seattle anymore!"

Pictures will arrive soon and be posted. Let us know if you want a ping :) FRee Republic rocks, Libertina.
Jim Rob & FR, we did you proud!