Posted on 09/17/2004 7:39:16 AM PDT by Xaviore
Three-year-old Sophia Parlock cries while seated on the shoulders of her father, Phil Parlock, after having their Bush-Cheney sign torn up by Kerry-Edwards supporters on Thursday, Sept. 16, 2004, at the Tri-State Airport in Huntington, W.Va. Democratic vice presidential candidate John Edwards (news - web sites) made a brief stop at the airport as he concluded his two-day bus tour to locations in West Virginia and Ohio. (AP Photo/Randy Snyder)
Not with a three-year-old in tow. You can't get into an altercation like that. If he had done it your way, he would have got stomped into the ground by all the union thugs around him and his children would have been left unattended for whatever abuse the union thugs would have then wanted to dish out.
Me? I would have had a fall back position planned for the kids and I would have moved them there or had them move there as soon as it started getting ugly. I would have had big brother at the gate by personal radio or cell phone move in and take the kids. I would have found the closest police officer and made a statement and pointed out the thug. I would have got his license off of his vehicle and turned that into the police as well. There is no excuse for the treatment that this father and family received. Sure, he does this at rallies for liberals - more power to him. On Free Republic, we call that FReeping or have so many people here forgotten that?
Mower power to you and your family and a big prayer for Sophia. Heavenly Father hold this young girl and let her feel your love and protect her as she grows up and becomes a supporter of all that is good and righteous.
You are right--as citizens we should be able to show up anywhere, particularly a campaign event for whatever party, and demonstrate peacefully for our candidate. That said, knowing from previous reported stories the proclivities of the Left, especially the union types, maybe your dad would have been wiser to leave your little sister and brother at home.
An after action report for the youngest family members probably would have been a good move.
I am all for introducing the entire family to the ways of our political system and sharing mom and dad's views with them, just don't want to see any young innocents hurt.
Thank you for posting and clearing up who is who in the pictures.
So the guy on his left is the guy who did it? Seems like they got a pretty identifiable picture of him. Laws have been broken.
Nicely done! Welcome to the forum. For what it's worth, I wrote to the union president and asked for a public apology. And to his credit the union prez did post an apology on the website. I hope the goon is dismissed from the union (essentially fired).
Thanks for clarifying this. Du loses again.
Over at DU, they are stating that the father has had two other similar incidents.
the father has been involved in similar incidents for the last two election cycles.
they are covered in the media each time:
Charleston (WV) Daily Mail, August 27, 1996, Page 3C
Phil Parlock's experience was less calm.
The Huntington man said he was knocked to the ground by a Clinton supporter when he tried to display a sign that read "Remember Vince Foster," the deputy White House counsel who committed suicide in a Washington, D.C., park. His death has become the subject of much debate among Clinton opponents.
"It must have been a strict Democrat who did this," Parlock said, feeling the red abrasions on his face. "Everyone with the exception of him was real peaceful about our protest."
Parlock said some of the crowd tried to make other anti-Clinton demonstrators feel unwelcome. He estimated that about 150 Dole supporters attended the rally, but their signs couldn't be seen for most of the rally.
Charleston (WV) Daily Mail, October 28, 2000, pg. 1A:
Phil Parlock didn't expect to need all 12 of the Bush-Cheney signs he and his son Louis smuggled in their socks and pockets into the rally for Vice President Al Gore.
But each time they raised a sign, someone would grab it out of their hands, the two Huntington residents said. And sometimes it got physical.
"I expected some people to take our signs," said Louis, 12. "But I did not expect people to practically attack us."
The two said they didn't go to the Friday morning rally to start trouble.
"I came to support Bush and try to change some people's minds," Louis said.
I can believe it. Still doesn't give these putzes any right to assault and taunt a little girl.
Yup, thats it. I don't care if this guy went to 100 rallies, people need to respect each other's space. Freedom to assemble, freedom to dissent. Those freedoms obviously only apply to liberals.
So I was mistaken? You sounded like an apologist for the scumbag union workers. Labor unions are the last refuge for layabouts and drunks. Nothing positive has ever come out of labor unions. Nothing.
Dear Big Sis:
I'm from Michigan, was born and raised here, and both my grandfathers and father were auto workers conscripted by the UAW.
I know just how THUGGISH union bosses can be! The ones that show up for the rallies all decked out in union tees and jackets are the muscle that intimidates the average workers to vote union...or else!
I've camped on GMC's lawn to greet Bush when he was campaigning in the summer of 2000, with my huge UAW MOM FOR BUSH sign. Hohoho, they didn't like that one!
The assault on your little sister was disgusting. I can assure you that the rank-and-file union members aren't at fault for this - the bosses know their army is on the decline and depend on the muscleheads to keep things in line. That they would sink so low as to attack a little girl is no big surprise.
Hang in there! If there's a silver lining, its getting out the word that we've always known -- liberals are THUGS!
Wow! Well said. All you can ask for.
Definitely not an apologist for the unions... I just called this one flat out wrong.
You can't say that loud enough to suit me. Think twice next time. Or maybe three times in your case.
Wow! This is all very new to me (free republic). Thanks so much, all of you. I understand there are still many skeptics out there and that is understandable considering how many people have access to a computer these days. I wish I had a better family picture to post. Unfortunately I don't have a scanner. I will try to get Dad to perhaps post a better picture so that all of you will be able to see that there IS NO RESEMBLANCE between the thug and my brother. They are both white and that's about it. The picture that has been put up was from two years ago when I got deployed. Hopefully sometime soon we will get a better picture up. Once again thank you for your support.
BTW, yes Dad has gone to other rallies in the past, but if you notice he never goes with intent to antagonize, only to try to peacefully change minds by passively holding up signs in support of his conservative ideals. In my opinion it is easy to show support when surrounded by supporters, but much braver to passively show support in the face of opposition. No matter how you feel about Dad and him taking his family with him to political rallies, I hope you agree that it is unfortunate this incident happened. It is even more unfortunate we have people out there like the union man who can't find someone his own size to pick on!!!!
I didn't see any other union members coming to the aid of the man and his children. If there are decent folks that have been 'conscripted' into the unions and they despise what it stands for, maybe they should put their job on the line and say so. Acquiesence in the face of such thuggery is unacceptable no matter the cost.
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