Big Crowd at Military School Protest Gets Earful of Patriotic Music From Army

tbo.com ^ | Nov 22, 2003 | AP

[xzins]

Big Crowd at Military School Protest Gets Earful of Patriotic Music From Army The Associated Press Published: Nov 22, 2003

COLUMBUS, Ga. (AP) - Demonstrators gathered outside Fort Benning to protest a military school were hit with a sonic barrage Saturday: patriotic music Army officials had blaring from the main gate. A crowd estimated by Columbus police at 8,000 gathered to protest the school once known as the School of the Americas, which they blame for Latin American human rights abuses. It appeared to be the largest first-day gathering in the 14-year history of the protest.

The Army's loudspeakers, playing "The Army Song" and "God Bless the U.S.A.," were 50 yards away from where protesters were speaking to the crowd.

Leaders of School of Americas Watch, which has protested at Fort Benning every year since the early 1990s, said they planned to sue over the noise tactic and accused the Army of a "psychological operation."

"There's a lot of ill will being caused that's not necessary," said the Rev. Ray Bourgeois, SOA Watch founder. "The closer we get to closing that school down, the meaner they get."

"We figure if they can play their music, we can play ours," post spokesman Rich McDowell said. The Army said the music came from a tape made by the wife of a Fort Benning soldier currently serving in Iraq.

School of the Americas Watch holds the demonstrations every November to mark the killings of six Jesuit priests, their housekeeper and her daughter in El Salvador on Nov. 19, 1989.

Some of the killers had attended the school, which moved to Fort Benning from Panama in 1984 and is now under the jurisdiction of the Defense Department as the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation.

On Saturday, four protesters were stopped by the post's security for attempting to enter the fort's Highway 27 entrance. They were arrested for trespassing and taken by U.S. Marshals to the Muscogee County Jail, McDowell said.

McDowell added that officials at the post in west-central Georgia hope organizers of the two-day protest manage crowd control as in past years. Nearly 200 people were arrested in Miami in past week during protests against negotiations for the Free Trade Area of the Americas.

"We're on our side, just keeping an eye on them," McDowell said. "We would like to see this get over with as peacefully as possible. We don't have any reason to think it won't."

About 7,000 attended last year's protest, including 84 who were arrested for trespassing on military property.

McDowell said the post would not play music during Sunday's religious-themed services, including protesters' solemn procession to the post gate.

AP-ES-11-22-03 2305EST

[joesnuffy]

Leaders of School of Americas Watch= Staring Martin Sheen as one of their cronies....

[TSgt]

"The closer we get to closing that school down, the meaner they get."

Playing patriotic music is very mean to a liberal kook.

Too bad they protesters don't realize that the people who give the freedom to protest are the people they are protesting.

Savage is right, Liberalism is a mental illness.

[xzins]

It says that some of those who killed Jesuit priests in Latin America went through the school at Ft Benning.

I'd bet that some also went to various colleges in the U.S.

Anyone protesting today at those colleges?

[Madcelt]

Bump!

[Libertina]

Going to sue over music from the "killers"? Don't ya just love media balance?

[Dan from Michigan]

Leaders of School of Americas Watch, which has protested at Fort Benning every year since the early 1990s, said they planned to sue over the noise tactic and accused the Army of a "psychological operation."

What a candyass stickboy crybaby wuss. Dish it out, but can't take it. Sit down and shut the hell up, ambulance chasers.

[dagnabbit]

Some of the killers had attended the school, which moved to Fort Benning from Panama in 1984 and is now under the jurisdiction of the Defense Department as the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation.

By that logic, we should close Harvard because killers Ted Kaczynski and Ted Kennedy had once attended.

[FreedomCalls]

"We figure if they can play their music, we can play ours," post spokesman Rich McDowell said.

I'd rather they just strap them down and attach a car battery to their testicles -- if they have any.

[Drango]

By that logic, we should close Harvard because killers Ted Kaczynski and Ted Kennedy had once attended.

Hmmmmmmm.... I'd say yes for Kennedy but but no for Kaczynski as he had some redeaming qualities....

[Squantos]

They been protesting for almost 10 years and it's not closed yet ? I say let em protest as it's tying up 8000 of their sorry ass lives for a worthless cause. Seems to be two sorts in this world . Those who fight terrorism and those who support it. We know what kind of trash these "protestors" really are........:o)

Stay Safe !

[Paul Atreides]

Is this a parody?

[DeepDish]

"School of the Americas Watch holds the demonstrations every November to mark the killings of six Jesuit priests, their housekeeper and her daughter in El Salvador on Nov. 19, 1989."

The housekeeper and her daughter may have been innocent but the jesuits had it coming as far as I'm concerned. Before you flame me do consider that I was raised Catholic.

[chudogg]

i agree, they were leading paramilitary training for the commnunists.

I also, am a catholic

[YankeeinOkieville]

My favorite tag line all month - great musical man, true sentiment!

[gcruse]

Anyone protesting today at those colleges?

Well, many of the students are revolting...