Posted on 03/19/2005 5:03:49 PM PST by Constitution Day
Today we met in Fayetteville, NC to Freep a motley rabble of socialists, anarchists, Code Pink-os, and other throwbacks to the 60's! As usual, we were well outnumbered by their hordes of college students, aging hippies and other bused-in protestors, but we held our own as always.
Please post any reports and observations on this thread only.
ping
Well done!! Thanks for the flag.
Awesome report, Bill!
It was bmwcyle that started that.
nutmeg & zelig
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You must have been shouting that at our main location, while others of us were yelling it at the intersection when the leftists walked by.
lol!!
The Molasses Miasma of Niceness Generator is a running gag on the NC board and the Undead Thread. Anoreth is spreading it (and also the ZOT) to the fantasy websites she visits. My little bit of cyber-immortality ...
This is excellent, Bill -- comprehensive and well done. It was very nice to meet you. And to all DCFreepers -- thanks for coming down to the Ole South.
lol! Bless her heart: Have fingers, will travel.. :)
Hey, I had fun, though it was a bit too-too to have to actually hear what liberals say. I'd say that suggesting that the rhetoric is just a bit rehearsed might be the most politic way of saying they're becoming mind-numbed robots.
But that would be profiling and that's wronnnnggggg. :P
We missed the face-painter, but will catch you the next time.
I Shall Face-Paint again on 7 April 2005...MUD
It wasn't a work of art, but as scheduled disruptions go, Saturday's war protest and counter-protest were a success.
First, and most important, everyone stayed safe. America has a long history of protest marches gone awry. That didn't happen here, thanks, in no small measure, to the Fayetteville Police Department's and other law officers' big turnout at the march and especially around Rowan Park, where the marchers rallied.
While more than a few protesters and counter-protesters were rankled by the almost overwhelming police presence, we suspect it was the key to a demonstration that made its point as effectively and respectfully as possible. Security entrances, complete with metal detectors, at Rowan Park were a surprise for many. But in this era of terror, it's hard to overdo preventive medicine if it doesn't render free speech and movement impossible.
The other significant success was the more obvious one: Both sides made their point. Thousands of protesters made a strong, symbolic antiwar statement in the home of the 82nd Airborne. Hundreds more stood up for the military.
To the protesters on both sides, and to the police who helped keep the order - congratulations. You all did your jobs well.
Phoop! WE weren't rankled by the police! Pat is still enthusing over their cars and horses.
As president of Rolling Thunder Chapter One, I would like to set some things straight.
We are a veterans organization, not a bunch of bikers. There is no requirement to ride a bike to be a member of Rolling Thunder.
Also, we were denied parking where everyone else was at the March 19 rally. I was told by an officer to park at the health center across from the Airborne & Special Operations Museum. This was after I had called the Fayetteville Police Department and was assured that there was bike parking near the top of the hill.
We did not argue, as we were there to support the troops. But several members who are disabled from military service were forced to walk a long distance to get up the hill, when parking was a few feet away.
When we tried to enter the area where the demonstrators were - as we felt that was our right, as they felt it was their right to be there to voice their opinion - the group was turned away as we were on the other side. At no time did we give the police officers a hard time; we respect the job they were there to do. But in our area, where they had the counterdemonstrators located, the other side was allowed to come over to our side and at no time were they stopped by police. Rules should be enforced on both sides.
I have been away from my desk most of the week, but plan to read & respond to this thread tomorrow.
(I'm off for Good Friday)
EVERYONE:
THANKS FOR YOUR HARD WORK AND ALL YOUR GREAT COMMENTS AND PHOTOS!
Heh Heh Heh. Look at what poor Lou Plummer had to say about it. BARF ALERT!!
Fayetteville Observer Op-Ed 24 March 2005
This small but obnoxiously vocal group perched unmolested on a grassy knoll overlooking the park
I guess Bert getting whacked on the head doesn't count as molestation. Getting searched for your protection, now that's molestation. Sheesh.
We were checked when we went into the park to use the bathroom. I made it a point to greet the police with a big smile and "No problem, officer!"
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