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”
From Lawgirl: "The "I'm Surrounded by American Hating Idiots" RULES!!!! Did they even notice what the sign actually said?"
As the holder of that particular sign, yes, they say it and ignored the sign for the most part. The customers of the resturaunt behind me loved the sign when I showed it to them.
If they are out of prison they should have the right to vote. If they are in prison...they should not have that right.
** Some of those projects include: returning voting rights to convicted felons **
When I was in high school civics class, it was stressed that convicted felons lost their right to vote.
I guess they wanted us all to be good citizens.
I don't look at convicted felons losing their right to vote as a punitive measure, but as a safeguard to the process.
The system is already rife with voter fraud. Opening the process up to convicted felons just invites more.
Jeez, not too far from where I live, if convicted felons could vote, the Mexican Mafia would probably get all their favorite candidates elected.
Felons who've served their complete sentence should have their voting rights restored. They've paid their debt to society and this helps reintegrate them to useful citizenship.
Do you also recommend that felons who've done their time also have their 2nd Amendment rights restored? If so, why? And -- more importantly -- if not, why?
Sorry...I don't believe that prison rehabilitates. And I'm not about to leave the future of this nation in the hands of people who have demonstrated that they cannot behave responsibly in a civilized society.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.