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Federal Police Ordered D.C. Chapter Silenced Outside Democrat Fundraiser 3/25/04
D.C. Chapter ^ | Thursday, March 25, 2004 | Kristinn

Posted on 03/25/2004 10:06:57 PM PST by kristinn

Honor Roll for tonight: Staytrue, BillF, Angelwood, tgslTakoma, GunsareOK, BufordP, Trueblackman, sauropod and kristinn.

An officer with the Federal Protective Service ordered the D.C. Chapter of Free Republic to stop addressing Democrats waiting across the street to enter the Democratic Party's Unity Dinner in Washington, D.C. tonight.

Members of the D.C. Chapter had been peaceably assembled for two hours exercising their First Amendment rights with protest signs and their unaided voices. Apparently the litany of Democrat 'sins' grew too much for this officer to bear so he walked across the street to give a cease and desist order to the FReepers.

I had arrived somewhat late, getting there around 6:15 p.m. Most of the others had been there for at least an hour. I took the Metro there and got out in back of the National Building Museum where the fundraiser was being held. Secret Service agents and officers were everywhere. The rear entrance was where their protectees would be brought. I was told that former President Jimmy Carter had already arrived. I stuck around there for a few minutes hoping Bill and Hillary Clinton, John Kerry or Al Gore might pull up. I spoke with a young Dean supporter for awhile as I waited. There were dozens of Deaniacs milling about holding Dean for President signs. No one showed up so I went around the front to join the rest of the chapter.

I paused at the edge of the crowd waiting to go through the security checkpoint to get in the building and checked how well our signs could be read from across the street in front of the GSA Building where we were set up.

They could be read very easily--especially the one that said, "IF OSAMA WAS A PIECE OF ASS, CLINTON WOULD HAVE NAILED HIM." The one that said, "I'M NOT FONDA HANOI JOHN KERRY," was also quite visible.

I joined the others who had been lightheartedly razzing the crowd with things like, "Dean supporters go to the west side of the building for a Howard Dean scream contest!"

Sauropod and tgslTakoma were working the crowd over, but I'll have to let them report what they were saying.

Angelwood had her Bill Clinton "Crime Wave" poster from YAF. Staytrue made a great John Kerry 'Waffles' sign. BillF was videotaping some of the action when not holding one of the several dozen signs we had brought. I'm not sure who held what other signs, but one of them said, "CLINTON-GORE PARDONED TERRORISTS, GEORGE BUSH KILLS THEM."

After I got settled in, I raised my voice to the Democrats across the street. I asked them many questions, starting with, "How can you nominate a man who took part in a debate about whether to assassinate U.S. senators? Thank God, he voted no, but he didn't tell anyone his group was talking about doing it. When asked about it later he lied and said he wasn't there. When confronted with evidence he was there he now says it wasn't a big deal, just a historical footnote."

I then asked them how they could nominate a man who went to Paris, met with the North Vietnamese and signed on to their peace plan against his brothers in arms still fighting.

I asked how they could nominate a man who went to Congress and lobbied in favor of the North Vietnamese.

"Where is your patriotism, Democrats?" I loudly asked, "Where the hell did it go?"

I then turned to the subject of the 9/11 commission hearings. I mentioned how they spoke about the "urgency" of the terrorist threat. I reminded them of Bill Clinton's record on national security. How the first time Monica Lewinsky did her thing on him, he was on the phone with a congressman who was concerned about the safety of our troops headed to Bosnia. I reminded them that Monica had sense enough to stop, but that Bill Clinton urged her to continue while he was on the phone with the congressman. "That was Bill Clinton's urgency," I told them.

I also brought up other remembrances of Bill Clinton's time in office. Such as Bill having phone sex with Monica on an unsecured phone line, knowing and not caring that he could be taped and subjected to blackmail by a foreign power.

Just to prove it wasn't all about sex, I brought up the Chinese money Bill took and the contributions from Loral and Hughes that greased his betrayal of our national security.

I then pointed out to the crowd of Democrats that in 1993 hardly anyone had heard of Al Qaeda, and that after eight years of Bill Clinton's presidency they were able to attack us here in the United States.

I noted Tom Daschle's concern for Richard Clarke and asked where his concern was for Clinton-era whistleblowers like Linda Tripp, Gary Aldrich and Notra Trulock.

I saw a woman in a bright blue outfit get out of a car across the street with a group of people and called out a friendly warning to her, "Be careful around Bill Clinton in that blue dress, he might have a flashback!"

One of our group brought up the Democrats' obstruction of President Bush's judicial nominees, so I spoke about how they had mistreated Miguel Estrada. I pointed out how the Democrats blocked a Hispanic man because they were afraid he would be the first Hispanic nominated to the Supreme Court. I told them they were "keeping the brown man down because he was the "wrong kind of brown man."

Senator Ted Kennedy came waddling out of the fundraiser accompanied by a staffer and went to his car which was waiting close to where we were standing. Everyone had something to say to Teddy. He waved us off and hustled into the passenger seat of the car. I asked him how Mary Jo Kopechne was doing.

As he was driven away, I called out to the crowd that Ted Kennedy had left Mary Jo to die underwater, left her there for ten hours while he tried to save his political career. "He did it, aren't you proud of him?" I asked, "He's your senator."

I then asked if their Klansman senator, Robert Byrd, was there. I reminded them that Byrd had been a Grand Kleagle in the Klan. I told them that even in the 21st century, Byrd was still using the 'n' word. I also reminded them that Byrd was the only senator to vote against both black Supreme Court nominees.

It was at this point that the police officer approached me. I looked hard at his uniform to see if he was actually a policeman or a just a security guard because he had on a sweater like the guards wear. I saw he had a badge that said Federal Protective Service--he was a cop, a federal cop.

His first words to me were, "There's a whole lot of love here tonight." I just looked at him and thought, "Oh geez, here it comes."

BillF stepped up to listen in and the cop tried to get him to back off, asking him, "Does this conversation concern you?" BillF said it did and stayed there.

The cop was right in my face and told me I had to stop speaking to the crowd across the street. I argued back saying I wasn't using a bull horn, just my voice and that we had done this for years at the White House and elsewhere without incident.

The cop wouldn't hear it and told me I had to shut up because I might provoke an incident. I told him no one from across the street had come over to argue with us for the two hours we had been here. I told him this was a First Amendment issue. He denied that.

He mentioned the woman in the blue dress I had warned about Bill Clinton, saying she talked about coming over to confront us. I told him she hadn't and no one else had. He said it didn't matter.

He told us if we said anything else, he would move us down the street and around the corner.

I told him, "Fine, you're the law and you own this street. We'll do what you say." I figured one cop with a bad attitude over what we were doing was not worth going to jail for.

So we kept quiet, but Angelwood made a new sign that said, "WE'RE NOT ALLOWED TO TALK TO YOU BECAUSE YOU MIGHT BECOME VIOLENT."

Trueblackman came to the rescue and lightened the mood with a sign of his own that mocked John Kerry's statement that he wanted to be 'America's second black President' after Bill Clinton.

Trueblackman's sign said "I WANT TO BE AMERICA'S 44TH WHITE PRESIDENT."

That was a controversial sign. Folks either laughed or scowled when they saw him holding it. A Washington Post photographer came over and took several pictures of Trueblackman with his sign.

A while later, an older white man, who looked like a politician but we can't place his face, came out to get in his chauffer driven sedan. He called out to us, "Vote Kerry."

Trueblackman told him, "I'm voting for Bush."

This set the white man off. He sneered at Trueblackman, "What has George Bush ever done for you?" The racist way that sounded stunned us all, I think. I don't remember what if anything, any of us said in response to that.

Baghdad Jim McDermott came out after that. Trueblackman asked him a question about Iraq that he didn't answer.

Sen. Tom Harkin came out to leave, also. As he walked with a staffer to his waiting car, I violated the cop's order and shouted out to him, "Hey Tom, are you proud that John Kerry voted against assassinating U.S. senators? Are you proud Kerry went to Paris and took the side of the North Vietnamese? Are you proud Kerry lobbied Congress in favor of the North Vietnamese?" Harkin turned around to listen for a few seconds before he got in his car, but I didn't hear a reply.

As he drove off I asked, "When is the Democrat Party going to nominate a patriotic American for President?"

The cop who had ordered me to be quiet came down the steps of the building across the street to the curb and stopped. I was prepared to tell him that no order of his would stop me from exercising my First Amendment right to criticize a U.S. senator.

But instead of crossing the street to us, he turned and walked down the street to his patrol car. He started it up and drove off into the night.

We wrapped it up at 8 p.m. and most of us went for dinner downtown. It should be noted that a few Ralph Nader supporters stood near us holding a banner that said, "DEBATE NADER."

Also, a bunch of LaRouchies were leafletting cars while other LaRouchies repeatedly drove around the block with 'Blues Brothers' speakers on the roof of their car blaring Lyndon LaRouche speeches.

Everyone in the D.C. Chapter did great tonight. I hope they add their experiences on this thread, as this write up ended up being mostly about my experience there.

At least we didn't get arrested.


TOPICS: Activism/Chapters; News/Current Events; US: District of Columbia; US: Maryland; US: Virginia
KEYWORDS: aar; activismrocks; dcchapter; democratunitydinner; dud; notanetworkchapter
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To: GeronL
Thank God Freepers have a sense of humor!

Just think how awful it would be if we had to take this stuff SERIOUSLY. (second spelling).

101 posted on 03/26/2004 7:54:58 AM PST by doberville (Angels can fly when they take themselves lightly)
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To: kristinn
Sounds like a fun time! Good job!
102 posted on 03/26/2004 8:00:05 AM PST by FourtySeven (47)
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To: kristinn
This set the white man off. He sneered at Trueblackman, "What has George Bush ever done for you?" The racist way that sounded stunned us all, I think. I don't remember what if anything, any of us said in response to that.

He's kept us ALIVE!!!!

Good job, you guys! We are very proud of all of you.

103 posted on 03/26/2004 8:01:51 AM PST by RightWingMama
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To: FairOpinion
We'll see if the cop will tell the demonstrators to shut up, who plan to demonstrate in front of the Republican Convention.

Will they be federal cops like the ones in D.C.? Or, NYPD officers?

104 posted on 03/26/2004 8:03:58 AM PST by JimRed (Fight election fraud! Volunteer as a local poll watcher, challenger or district official.)
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To: DollyCali; All
Wesley Clarke was brave enough to go through the mob at the door so we saw him as the crowds parted to let him pass. He was treated to hand shakes, pats on the back and friendly greetings along the way.

I've never seen so many limos and really big stretch limos in my life. But with a $1,000 minimum to get into the all-they-could-eat barbecue democrat-unity bash, it was to be expected. The valet parking attendants were kept very busy all evening and parking was hard to find for blocks around the event. They were even bringing in groups of these monied democrats by bus.

Our permit was really for the south side of the street for the sidewalk from one end of the block to the other. Unfortunately, we did not realize that a large tent would be erected at the front of the building and the lines of people waiting to get in would be so wide and so long. The tent had tables set up for registration (to check off their name on the list of attendees and to find out what table they had for the dinner) and also contained security checkpoints. Because it was so crowded in front of the building, we opted not to be at the corner on the same side and set up our signs across the street directly opposite the front door. It was a very good location.

The building behind us housed the GAO and also housed the Army Corps of Engineers. Many people leaving the building stopped to talk to us and look at our signs. Several men, some in uniform, stopped to see what was going on and discuss some of their recent experiences in Iraq. It was extremely interesting to talk to people who were on the ground in Iraq and hear about actual conditions and what they had to deal with in the reconstruction of basic services that we in America take for granted.

105 posted on 03/26/2004 8:04:32 AM PST by Angelwood (FReepers are Everywhere! We Support Our Troops! (Hillary's Vast Rt Wg Conspiracy))
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To: kristinn
Wonderful work. Very inspiring.
106 posted on 03/26/2004 8:04:38 AM PST by syriacus (2001: The Daschle-Schumer Gang obstructed Bush's attempts to organize his administration -->9/11)
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To: JohnHuang2
Bump for the FReepers that are talking the talk and walking the walk!

We are winning ~ the bad guys are losing ~ trolls, terrorists, democrats and the mainstream media are sad ~ very sad!

~~ Bush/Cheney 2004 ~~

107 posted on 03/26/2004 8:10:09 AM PST by blackie (Be Well~Be Armed~Be Safe~Molon Labe!)
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To: Angelwood
speaking to the GIs was very special...

the pix of the head rats smiling & holding hands of "unity" were hard to look at for me.. I have so little respect for any of them & the lies they tell & the evil they produce & the hypocrisy in general.

At our FReep in Cleveland of Hitlery, we had good cop support & the although we had some hecklers (and one spitter) , the funniest thing was when one of the agitators went across our line screaming obscenities at us.. my dog,normally docile/gentle went crazy to protect me...Had I let him go, the man would be hurting (and I would prolly be STILL in jail)

You all did a fine job & sounds like you have good memories & lots of fun.

Do you/anyone have pix? maybe you guys do so many FReeps that you don't do pix anymore...
108 posted on 03/26/2004 8:13:47 AM PST by DollyCali ("Trying to keep the Freepers pulling in the same direction is like trying to herd cats." Richard Poe)
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To: Grampa Dave
thanks Dave... sounds about right
109 posted on 03/26/2004 8:14:58 AM PST by DollyCali ("Trying to keep the Freepers pulling in the same direction is like trying to herd cats." Richard Poe)
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To: MindBender26; kristinn
MindBender26, this a whole lot of excellent advice. Many thanks.

Kristinn, thanks for being out there. I wish I could contribute more. It is really frustrating to have to deal with people who operate out of bounds like this officer. Same with the RATS who lie and cheat as standard operating procedure.
110 posted on 03/26/2004 8:18:54 AM PST by ironman
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To: DollyCali
tgslTakoma and BillF have photos from last night. It was pretty late when we all arrived at home. I'm sure that they will have some pictures to post this evening.

Unlike one well-dressed gentleman who stopped to insult us with a remark equating us to the homeless or idiots, we all have jobs and a life outside of freeping and it's sometimes difficult to balance everything out.

111 posted on 03/26/2004 8:27:28 AM PST by Angelwood (FReepers are Everywhere! We Support Our Troops! (Hillary's Vast Rt Wg Conspiracy))
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To: kristinn
As usual you guys are the best. It sounds like some sour grapes with the Dems and they were trying to make the Fed do something to you.
112 posted on 03/26/2004 9:17:01 AM PST by freekitty
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To: kristinn; Trueblackman; ATOMIC_PUNK; firebrand; Tabi Katz; Libertina; Dog Gone; h.a. cherev; ...
Trueblackman's sign said "I WANT TO BE AMERICA'S 44TH WHITE PRESIDENT." That was a controversial sign. Folks either laughed or scowled when they saw him holding it. A Washington Post photographer came over and took several pictures of Trueblackman with his sign.

Trueblackman - that has to be the mother of all protest signs. This is absolutely priceless! LOL!!!!

113 posted on 03/26/2004 9:21:47 AM PST by AlwaysFree (Mountaineers Are Always Free!!! [WV State Motto])
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To: kristinn; Angelwood
"Angelwood made a new sign that said, "WE'RE NOT ALLOWED TO TALK TO YOU BECAUSE YOU MIGHT BECOME VIOLENT."

EXCELLENT!!! Y'all continue to be an inspiration!!

FReegards...MUD

114 posted on 03/26/2004 9:27:57 AM PST by Mudboy Slim (RE-IMPEACH Osama bil Clinton!!)
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To: kristinn
"...the litany of Democrat 'sins' grew too much for this officer to bear so he walked across the street to give a cease and desist order to the FReepers."

Since when do police officers have instant judicial powers to issue cease-and-desist orders?

115 posted on 03/26/2004 9:30:24 AM PST by Middle Man
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To: MindBender26; kristinn
kristinn

Considering the political "climate" where you were and where you WILL BE doing future rallies (and doing un-believable work I might add!!) the suggestions from MindBender are excellent!

Not only for legal reasons, but from reading this post you could make a documentary from this day alone!

What you said to those entering and exiting was the truth. How you said it was un-believable. BRAVO!! What "TrueBlackman" said about "I WANT TO BE AMERICA'S 44TH WHITE PRESIDENT." was excellent!

I've always thought it was an INSULT to Black people everywhere to accept Bill Clinton as their first Black President! How ignorant is that? I can think of a few people that would make excellent Presidents!

Dr. Rice comes to mind! Colin Powell is another excellent choice. But to suggest Bill Clinton or John Kerry is an insult to all black people! Certainly TrueBlackman is more worthy than either of them!

One only has to look at the current administration vs. the last administration to see who "walks the walk". President Bush is the REAL thing when it comes to an equal opportunity employer. Clinton for 8 years was just hot air!

How sad people won't take off their rose colored glasses and "see" the light! It's the epitome of brainwashing! I'm not sure how it will ever change. Pretty frustrating to be quite honest.
116 posted on 03/26/2004 9:37:36 AM PST by Vets_Husband_and_Wife
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To: kristinn
Looks like we need to work on a catchy comeback for, "What has George Bush done for YOU" replies!!

If somebody comes up with something - let us all know!
117 posted on 03/26/2004 9:49:14 AM PST by CyberAnt (The 2004 Election is for the SOUL of AMERICA)
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To: kristinn
I couldn't be there, but I am glad you were. Thanks for the report.
118 posted on 03/26/2004 10:11:31 AM PST by yikes
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To: kristinn
..Well what else could said?..."DARN!..I coulda'/woulda'/shoulda' been there!"...after drivin' 11 hours. EAGLE UP!..a most excellent time!
119 posted on 03/26/2004 10:27:21 AM PST by skinkinthegrass (Just because you're paranoid, doesn't mean they aren't out to get you :)
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To: kristinn
Photos?
120 posted on 03/26/2004 10:32:54 AM PST by cinFLA
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