Posted on 08/30/2004 12:00:26 AM PDT by NewRomeTacitus
Sunday at noon Wolicy Ponk, Wardaddy and I dropped in on the Nashville Coalition for Peace and Justice as they waged a demonstration just south of downtown Nashville. These activists busy themselves with a variety of projects for our mutual benefit.
Some of those projects include: returning voting rights to convicted felons, overturning Tennessee’s death penalty, opposing the marriage amendment, preventing law enforcement from using racial profiling (“He looked a like a man”), and promoting everyone’s favorite street performers, The Women in Black. They also wish to involve the U.S. (under UN supervision) in Africa’s ethnic cleansing problems.
Last week they had a fine time at the movies (from their site): Aug 24: Panel Discussion – “The Corporation”, Time: After the 6:30 pm showing, Featuring illuminating interviews with Noam Chomsky, Michael Moore, Howard Zinn and many others.
This day they converged before Tennessee’s Republican Headquarters on West End Avenue for a “Peace Rally United for America “, described as “a call for all people, of all Political Affiliations - Republicans, Democrats, Greens, Libertarian, Independents; of all Faiths; to stand together on August 29th to call for peace.” Local liberal organizers Matt Leber and Christina Van Regenmorter had approximately 100 people from various groups standing on both sides of the street waving signs at passing traffic and generally behaving themselves.
The always-present Middle Tennessee Veterans For Peace were joined by the newer Veterans For Kerry on this outing. One of those fellows told me the troop morale in Iraq was very bad when he left a few months ago due to unexpected extensions of service. I wanted to tell him that we understood that could happen during a war footing back in my day, but I figured he already knew that.
Another new group named “Billionaires for Bush” roamed around passing out flyers while dressed in their finest apparel. They enjoyed putting on little verbal skits like those irritating anti-smoking “Truth” commercials. Their web site describes them as an independent 527 organization “using humor, street theater, and creative media to show how the Bush administration has favored the corporate elite at the expense of everyday Americans.”
The Protest Warriors were out in force! At least twelve of them were scattered through the crowd holding up their still-growing array of signs. A new one had a picture of Bin Laden captioned “Vote Kerry in 2004 So I Can Kill Your Family”, another cried “Help! I’m Surrounded By America-Hating Idiots!” Four Young Republicans were also present waving U.S. flags and pro-Bush cards. Boo-yah!
Even with no police presence everyone was very civilized for the two hours the event lasted. Wardaddy had to depart early but Wolicy Ponk more than made up for the loss with his handy stock of flags and signs. We were surprised and grateful for the excellent turnout from the other conservative groups, and decided we should try to coordinate with them whenever possible. Everyone’s departure was so civil I couldn’t help but be reminded of those Warner Bro. cartoons about Wile E. Coyote vs. Sam the Sheepdog. They’d go at it tooth and nail until the workday whistle blew, at which point they’d stop and wish each other a good night.
Signs of the Left:
“America Knows Bush Lied” (huge sheet)
“Bush Lies So 1,000s Die”
“Blood for Oil”
“Enough – Bring the Troops Home”
“Occupation Is Not Liberation”
“Bush Selected, Not Elected”
“Malice in Blunderland”
“God Told Me Bush is a Liar”
“’W’ Stands for War”
“Mission Nothing Accomplished”
and one that actually reflected the demonstration’s advertised purpose:
“We Stand in Witness to the Suffering Victims of Violence all Over the World”
Billionaires For Bush signs:
“Clean Air Can’t Sell It”
“Leave No Billionaire Behind”
“Widen the Income Gap”
“War is Peace”
“How Many Species Do You Need?”
Protest Warrior signs:
“Except for Ending Slavery, Fascism, Nazism and Communism, War Has Never Solved Anything”
“Protect Islamic Property Rights Against Western Imperialism. Say No To War” (pic of burka-clad woman on leash)
“Believe in America, Support George Bush” (pic of Ronald Reagan)
“Saddam Only Kills His Own People, It’s None of Our Business”
“Hollywood Activism, Now That’s Entertainment” (with pics of Garafolo, Clooney & Sheen)
“Communism Has Only Killed 100 Million People. Lets Give It Another Chance!”
Free Republic member/Protest Warrior Dark Elf was there. ”Nashville PW thanks Freepers”
As the old saying goes, be careful what you wish for... ; )
Generally, I agree with you.
What can I say? Umbrella restoration of voting rights is definitely the wrong way to go (just like umbrella amnesty for illegal aliens is wrong). If I didn't personally know two people who truly paid for their mistakes, and have truly turned their lives around, I wouldn't advocate the restoration of voting rights. Murderers? No. A stupid young-adult who steals a car to go for a joy ride with his "bad influence" friends? Well... I guess it depends on whether or not that person has really come around, doesn't it?
Nice one.
Thanks for the ping, and good show!
(Is that the old Fuddruckers building y'all were in front of? It looks to be in the area of 21st to 24th.)
Ah so! Almost foglet! Pletty belly-girl! Sappos I takee her homeside! She makee numbah one wife-pigeon! Pleacher-man he say, Can do? No can do? Sappos she say `can do', then
Belly nice!
as a libertarian who believes ones rights are endowed by their creator, no one is entitled to deny those rights of which, the right to keep and bear arms is one.
if a violent felon is allowed to be released into society haing paid his debt, all rights are included...
if there is a question of his violent nature, than perhaps a rethinking of sentencing should be instituted, if i am a rhabilitated felon i will carry to protect myself... it should not be a crime, using the gun in a crime should carry severe jail time...
just my thoughts
teeman
No, that's another block further down directly across from Vanderbilt's far corner, across from the Pizza Hut. That was a restaurant but I forgot which.
“a call for all people, of all Political Affiliations - Republicans, Democrats, Greens, Libertarian, Independents; of all Faiths; to stand together on August 29th to call for peace.”These leftist demagogues should be holding their so-called peace rally in Mecca.
George W. Bush will be reelected by a margin of at least ten per cent
Well, what you say is true, but by current law a convicted felon is prohibited from even touching a firearm, so by carrying, you would be "using the gun in a crime [which] should carry severe jail time" ;)
Mind you, if the Miller case was about the sawed off shotgun not being a militia weapon, then the AWB is doubly unconstitutional - but there hangs a tale for another day...
Sorry I got here so late to enjoy the after-action report. A storm blew in last night before I got to it. Just now getting a chance to catch up a little.
Sure wish we could've been there with y'all. Don't know if I could've maintained my composure.....good gawd, what a freak show! LOL!! Looks like it was a cleaner crowd than we dealt with last time, at least.
With luck, we'll be able to make the next one.
with government falling just shy of making breathing a crime, one needs to evaluate who sets standards and the constitution seems to be the last place judges look these days... with the opinion polls of major urban areas and european courts being first and second.
i am for stricter penalties for committing crimes, but having one's rights eliminated forever is severe and unconstitutional... if one is allowed "out" then restoration is due... my humblest of opinions...
and yes i concur the awb was doubly unconstitutional...
teeman
Is the guy in black Wolicy Ponk?
No, that guy is myself. I write taller than I look.
Im wearing the 'God Bless America' t-shirt.
That's right. He's impersonating Buford Pusser (big stick) and I'm talking like Bob Dole (note the pen). "Bob Dole doesn't like liberals. That's not what Bob Dole's about."
Great job. Thanks!
I'm with you law--that one was hilarious.
Just wondering, I live over here by Priest Lake on Anderson Dr.; I don't do downtown.
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