Posted on 10/24/2004 2:48:03 PM PDT by vj2004
This morning at the Martinsville Speedway, myself and a fellow Bush supporter held a pro-Bush demonstration near the entrance of today's Nextel Cup race. Thousands of vehicles and hundreds of pedestrians passed by on their way to the racetrack. We were well received for the most part as 90% of the comments were positive. Over 300 Bush-Cheney bumper stickers and 100-200 lapel stickers were given out to Bush supporters. A few yard signs were given to those who made donations to our local Republican organization.
I arrived at the rally venue around 7:30 am to set things up. My partner, Brenda Campbell of Ridgeway, Virginia, joined me soon after with many bumper stickers and other materials she obtained at the Republican National Convention (she was a Virginia delegate). The owners of the Red Birch Citgo gave us excellent treatment as they allowed us to park in their facilities free of charge (race fans were charged $20 per vehicle). The store owners also allowed us to stand on their property along US 220 and post numerous Bush-Cheney signs along with a B-C '04 4' X 8' banner. Needless to say, they will be getting all of my VA gas business in the future.
As mentioned earlier, we received positive feedback from most of the hundreds of race fans we interacted with. Many were enthusiastic Bush supporters who were glad to take home a bumper sticker or yard sign. We received some encouraging news from a Pennsylvania union worker, who stated that half of his 2000 co-workers were supporting Bush, in spite of the endorsement of their union of John Kerry. We also spoke with Bush supporters from West Virginia, Ohio, Massachusetts, and Connecticutt who expressed optimism over Bush's chances in the upcoming election. Two Marines who passed by gave us the "thumbs up" and they "barked" their approval of their commander-in-chief. We also received a similar salute from a motorist with 82nd Airbourne stickers on his truck.
We did receive some negative comments from some Kerry partisans, but most were civil and good-natured. However, a few were quite nasty, particularly one from a passing bicyclist, who shouted "you should be shot" (for supporting Bush). Funny, he didn't seem to have the fortitude to engage me face-to-face with this comment, but opted for the hit-and-run remark as he sped by. Plus, he looked as if he had just been paroled from prison (no doubt, a white-trash Democrat). Well, you can't take some of these Kerry thugs too seriously, as I have learned to thicken my skin whenever I have to deal with them. Undeterred, I decided to brush off this comment and double my efforts for President Bush.
We finished our demonstration shortly after 1:00 pm, leaving with the satisfaction that we were present in support of our President. I left the 4' X 8' Bush-Cheney banner in front of the Red Birch Citgo on US 220 as the owner of the store requested the sign. It was the least I could do for his courtesy, and I knew that thousands of others will see the sign in the next few hours (race traffic) and coming days. MISSION ACCOMPLISHED.
In closing, I have heard of a plane from the Hendrick Motorsports team listed as "missing" after disappearing this morning from radar. Please say a prayer for those involved and their family and friends.
vj2004
Thanks for your help in organizing this FReep...I truly appreciate it. Thanks also for the teaching Republican voters about the "straight ticket" rule. The ballot is down right confusing and I hear comments about it all the time. I'm not sure that we made any impact in Martinsville as the NASCAR vote was already in Bush's corner, but our aim was to target some of the fans from "swing states" such as Ohio, Pennsylvania, and others. I didn't know how accessible Bush-Cheney stickers were in other states, as I have heard the complaints of lack of B-C '04 bumper stickers. I hope today's distribution helped some in that department as well. Thanks again for your help and I feel, together, we did make an impact.
Thanks a bunch. I'm sure we have many FReeps ahead to organize and take part in. All FReepers were with me today in spirit, as FR has inspired me to take a more activist role when it comes to Republican/conservative causes. What a cool website!
Thanks for your comments. I believe Virgil Goode is running in the Martinsville area and Triplett may be around the Roanoke area (I'm not positive on that).
Super effort and report!
Prayers for all those lost in the plane crash and their families and friends.
Try any NASCAR events in Ohio?
many thanks!
I believe it was a major run-in with the IRS.
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