Heck, I can't decide. I'll just take one of each, an extra AR-15 and super size the magazines when the AWB sunsets.
(looks better with the picture)
Posted on 05/09/2004 5:19:34 PM PDT by kristinn
The Second Amendment Sisters, some of whom here may remember were born on Free Republic, held their second national rally to counter the Million Mom March in Washington, D.C. today.
While both gatherings had fewer participants than expected, the turnout for the anti-gun MMMs had to be disappointing.
Four years ago, with a White House send off by President and Mr. Clinton, the MMMs claimed 750,000 people attended their Mothers Day rally in D.C. A year later, a few hundred returned to the nation's capital for the MMMs. This year, only 2,000 people made the Mothers Day trek to call for more gun control laws.
With the pro-choice march two weeks ago having drawn hundreds of thousands of supporters, it would seem that the liberal body politic has chosen abortion as its do-or-die issue this year, leaving the fight for more anti-gun laws on the back burner.
The Second Amendment Sisters also saw a sharp dropoff in attendance figures from four years ago. In 2000, about 5,000 people attended their pro-gun rights Mothers Day counter-rally in D.C. This year, about 300 supporters attended their SAFER Rally (Second Amendment Freedoms for Everyone Rally.)
In a strange twist, both organizations had their rally headquarters in the same hotel: The J.W. Marriott. Yesterday afternoon, dueling merchandise and information tables were set up forty feet apart in the lobby.
With the exception of a MMM t-shirt wearing woman who got on an elevator with a SASter and told her she wished she had a gun so she could shoot the SASter, things were pretty calm between the two camps.
MMM leader Donna Dees Thomases later apologized on behalf of MMM to SAS for the death threat.
The weather was perfect for rallies and marches in D.C. The SASters started setting up at Freedom Plaza, located at 14th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, around 6 a.m.
The MMMs started their set up at the West Lawn of the Capitol around midnight.
By 11 a.m., it was apparent to the SASters that they would be drawing a small crowd. They had planned for up to 5,000, the same as four years ago, but that was not to be.
However, the 300 or so people there stayed until the rally ended around 2:30 p.m. The speakers were excellent--the kind who don't make you want to start looking for a museum to escape to.
Shemane Nugent, Kay Daly, Niger Innis, John Lott, Jr., Re-Joyce Smith, and Sarah Roush (Miss Teen New Mexico, 2003) were among the many interesting and passionate speakers.
The rally was emceed by the very funny comedienne, Julie Gorin, from New York City.
Media interest was about what one could expect: The Washington Post and New York Times were there, as were WTOP-AM, WRC-TV, CNN, NRA-TV and ABC News.
There about two dozen FReepers in attendance, along with a few LPers.
FReepers I can remember seeing there include (chime in if I miss you): Angelwood, tgslTakoma, daughterofTgsl, Doctor Raoul, rabidralph, Scholastic, leadpenny, BufordP, stand watie, Badray, basil, pistolpknmama, dbwz, Pro2Amom, BruceFromMtVernon, Exit148, SaundraDuffy, gunsareOK and a few more whose screen names I can't recall.
LPers there were Fred Mertz and Cal.
Besides the rally, the SASters had meetings with their state coordinators and an awards reception the night before. Monday, they have a meeting scheduled on Capitol Hill.
The SASters would of course have liked to see more people attend their rally, but they still consider the entire effort a success. They got their name and message out in the media, their organizational meetings went well and they're primed to expand this year.
The MMMs, on the other hand, have been in freefall since after their first rally and are being propped up by liberal politicians, a sympathetic media and the Brady Campaign.
The SASters have been doing this on their own. The fact that a true grassroots group started on FR by five lady FReepers is still alive and kicking four years later is great news.
free dixie,sw
Heck, I can't decide. I'll just take one of each, an extra AR-15 and super size the magazines when the AWB sunsets.
Heck, I can't decide. I'll just take one of each, an extra AR-15 and super size the magazines when the AWB sunsets.
(looks better with the picture)
Still proud to have been part of the first one, though. Still have my 'Algore demonstrates his knowledge of firearms safety' sign, signed by John Lott, Suzanna Hupp and Larry Klayman.
And yes, during our march to the Capitol, someone actually did tell me if he had a gun he'd shoot me.
What is it with the anti-gunners and their violent tendencies?
Reporterette: A little girl was shot and killed here the other day. What do you have to say to the family and people at the other rally protesting against gun violence?
Interviewee: I'm sorry to hear that but people should have the right to ...
After he finished answering the question I piped up and asked the reporter, "Was the little girl killed in D.C.?"
Now try to picture this. She turns to the right and looks at me, tilting her head a little to the left, puts her left hand on her hip while holding the microphone all in one motion and says "Yes."
I then asked, "Don't they have gun control in D.C.?"
Interview over and she left the scene.
Interview over and she left the scene.
Direct hit.
free dixie,sw
free dixie,sw
All we need is 1% of gun owners to show up just one time and that will be the end of the debate. The mall will be overflowing with gun owners more so than it was during the King speech. It will also stop the disillusionment perpetuated by the anti's that "most" americans want more gun control.
I'll be flat out honest. I'm tired of taking time out of my life to stand up for our rights when all these lazy excuse making wannabe's refuse to do it. They'll wait until it's too late then panic and come begging for help.
I mean hell, I would have loved to have spent the day with my mother last weekend celebrating mothers day. Instead, I took my mother out on Saturday and then went to the rally on Sunday. This does bring up a point though. The SAS is doing a great job. They should be proud. But they need to go on the offensive and make the mommies respond to them. A rally at the 1 year anniversary of the death of the AW ban would be ideal. IF and I mean IF we could get the bunch of lazy whiny gun owners to get off their asses and actually show up for once. Imagine if just 100,000 gun owners showed up instead of a "few hundred".
If the SAS became proactive and mobilized hard, they could really put a dent in the MMM. The SAS should hit hard on national CCW or a repeal of a ban or law that effects women. Make it a target and a reason to not only force the MMM on the defensive but to open the door for repealing a lot of the crap on the books today.
But it all goes back to getting the gun owners out for a rally. If you can't tell, I'm REALLY pissed about the poor turn out. It is inexcusable and frankly, I'm tired of being one of the people that carries the weight of all the whiners.
Mike
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