(Photos) International ANSWER Protests War in DC April 10, 2004

indcjournal ^ | April 10, 2004

[dennisw]

http://www.indcjournal.com/archives/000248.html

Great photos and commentary

[dawn53]

Great photos and commentary.

Looks like not many folks showed up to protest, what do you estimate the number to be?

[dennisw]

Others have also commented how the numbers were pathetic. Kind of a surprise since the war has hit a bumpy road. Maybe low because it's spring and it was a nice day.

[Dallas59]

These people are extremly paranoid. Of course you'd have to be living as a pretend Marxist.

[RonDog]

The BEST part of your WONDERFUL report is the way the a small number of "GOOD GUYS" (i.e. patriotic Americans with Iraqi heritage) were able to completely disrupt this otherwise rather forgetable gathering of the "Hate America First" (aka "cancer from A.N.S.W.E.R.") gang.

From www.indcjournal.com:

The speakers were really hitting their stride, when all of a sudden some men started shouting from the right side of the stage. The cavalry had arrived, four Iraqi counter-protestors that decided to offer a different perspective:


"They are liars! These people don't know what they are talking about! They don't know what they are talking about!"


The media swarms the Iraqis.

I'm not sure that I've ever seen people move so quickly; there was literally a sucking sound as the entire horde of reporters mobbed the Iraqi counter-protestors. The International Answer folks were not pleased, and they immediately started shouting into the microphone: "These are CIA operatives! CIA operatives!" It did little good; the Iraqis effectively stole the spotlight...

CLICK HERE for the rest of that MARVELOUS report

[RonDog]

See also THIS related thread:

Andrew Sullivan: Iraq is like Vietnam replayed in reverse
Sunday Times | April 11, 2004 | Andrew Sullivan
Posted on 04/11/2004 2:34:18 AM PDT by ejdrapes

Comment: Andrew Sullivan:
Iraq is like Vietnam replayed in reverse

There’s no question that the violence in Iraq this past week has rattled Washington — and indeed ordinary Americans. A war that seems to pit US marines against the people they are supposed to be liberating is not a narrative that most Americans want to follow. Senator Ted Kennedy used the V-word: “We’re facing a quagmire in Iraq, just as we faced a quagmire in Vietnam.” Even Bill O’Reilly, the conservative television host, opined of the silent majority of Shi’ites: “If these people won’t help us, we need to get out in an orderly matter.”

So is this indeed Vietnam? Has the script already been written? In one sense, yes it has. The Vietnam analogy is precisely and entirely the point of the recent uprisings by displaced Sunnis and the Iranian-backed militia of Moqtada al-Sadr.

Everything the insurgents in Iraq are doing hinges on what they believe the American response will be...

CLICK HERE for the rest of that thread

[sauropod]

I didn't know this was going on yesterday. Would love to have crashed it.

Notice Mara Verheyden-Hillyard (sp?) trying to shout down one of the Iraqis. Also notice Brownshirt Brian Becker honchoing the proceedings.

One of the Iraqis is the fellow that spoke at our October Freedom Rally. Thank God for him and his compatriots.

Shame on that Channel 7 (?) Infobabe/Reporterette

I have argued with the "dude" on the bike w/ the long hair before.

Missed opportunity.... damn, damn, damn...

[kristinn]

I went down there yesterday. The news reports of about 200 commies at the rally are accurate.

When I arrived, Nofel was already mixing it up the with Palestinians and American commies, along with the other Iraqi. The two had never met, but they both gave similar descriptions of how things were better in Iraq than what the media is reporting, even with the troublemakers this week.

Nofel did an interview with WTTG-5 which ran last night. The WRC-4 reporter did not want to interview him. She said she had already talked with the other Iraqi.

I didn't get close enough to the action to see Herr Becker and Frau Mara, but Victor/Victoria did a recon on me.

[kristinn]

It was great that the Iraqis showed up to give the truthful version of what's been going on in Iraq. But the media did not report the psychotic reaction to them by noted civil rights lawyer Mara Verheyden-Hilliard.

Even though their numbers were small (about 200) they got great play in the media in D.C. It was a victory for them, thanks to the press.

[Angelwood]

That "dude" on the bike is a professional at these rallies. He has been approaching us as we counter-protest for years. He usually rides close on his bike and tries to engage us in questions to distract us from what we are doing and change the subject so that we are put on the spot, he thinks, by his questions. A compatriot of his is off at an angle filming the encounter.

He showed up last month when the anti-American, anti-war groups marched from Dover to Walter Reed Army Hospital to LaFayette Park supposedly to honor the dead and wounded, support our troops and bring them home. We were at the outskirts of Lafayette Park in a designated place that Park Police gave us. We had also just been told not to engage any of the anti-war protesters because they might become violent. So, when this "dud" (sorry, "dude") arrived to shout his questions and bash Bush, we told him we were not allowed to talk to him. He and his videographer slunk away.

Kudos to Nafel and the other Iraqis who routed the ANSWER rally yesterday. And kudos to the fellow who documented the event so well. He wrote a great report. If only the Washington Post or CBS would report on the rally like this -- sigh.

[maica]

Fantastic photos and story of the day!

Where are Medea and Ramsay?

I would not be surprised if they are en route to Iraq to stand in solidarity with (and advise) alSadr.

[katz]

Oh, a million.

[sauropod]

I actually have footage of this dude from (i think) the DAWN counterprotest we did a couple January's back. I argued w/ him a fair piece at that one. He was real big on stating over and over again that he was a bi-sexual (who cares?).

[Doctor Raoul]

He was real big on stating over and over again that he was a bi-sexual (who cares?).

When you're that ugly, you have to do something to increase your odds at getting date...

[risk]

ping for your ping lists - brave Iraqis stand up to the media here in America and take questions on camera at their own risk at an ANSWER event over the weekend.

This public support for democracy by Iraqis for Iraqis encourages Americans to support a free Iraq more than successful acts of revenge for the Falluja incident ever will.

[AGreatPer]

"This public support for democracy by Iraqis for Iraqis encourages Americans to support a free Iraq more than successful acts of revenge for the Falluja incident ever will."

Unfortunately, these demonstrations are few and far between.

Where is the Detroit contingent from Dearborne, Mich. ?

These people want to work and play here, they better start getting more visible.

[Jorge]

Great photos and commentary

Yes! I would love to print it out for my conservative friends at work.

[armymarinemom]

God Bless them!

[Flora McDonald]

Now that was a great report!

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

...brave Iraqis stand up to the media here in America and take questions on camera at their own risk at an ANSWER event over the weekend.

....public support for democracy by Iraqis for Iraqis...

Wow. This is great news.

If only our free press used their power for good...

If ANSWER / DU members find their way here, maybe they'll learn something about real freedom-fighters, real courage, real compassion from our mighty, honorable military:

---

In Baghdad, an Army tank burns after being attacked
on the Baghdad-Fallujah highway.
Incredibly, valiant American heroes take the time to protect the Iraqi children during this.

 

                            =================      =================

 GOTTA SEE THIS-WarEndur.Freedom 4/12/04-Abu Ghraib,Fallujah,Mosul ~ Diogenesis