The local paper estimates over 400 showed up on the first day of registration. Chris Simcox announced over 100 walk-ups alone - that is people who showed up who had not pre-registered. I personally registered well over 100. I saw this with my own eyes. Most media reports - the low estimates - are pure fabrications designed to discredit this worthy effort.
No one expected 1000 to show up the first day. Not the organizers, not the volunteers, and not the media. However, the biased media certainly planned to make a big deal out of the fact that 1000 weren't there on day one. 1000 people were NOT scheduled to be there on day one. Most people can only show up for a weekend or maybe a week at a time. Some come early, some will come later. The bottom line is that the effort has received over 1000 volunteer registrations and expects over 1000 people to participate over the month long period.
I just got back from the "We Support the Border Patrol" rallies in front of the Naco, AZ and Douglas, AZ Border Patrol stations and these events were awesome. Hundreds of people lined the road with their cars, flags, signs, and bodies. The media was out, but in far less force than yesterday. They expected sheet-wearing vigilantes and instead they saw a bunch of normal, patriotic Americans who were law-abiding, peaceful, and concerned about border security and our laws being enforced.
I had my bullhorn and lead the rally crowd in such chants as "Hey, Hey! Ho, Ho! Illegal Aliens have Got to Go!", "What do we want? Border Security! When do we want it? NOW!", "Article Four! Section Four! Borders Secure!", "Viva La Migra!", "Mr. Bush, Read our lips! Seal the Border NOW!" and others. We cheered for Border Patrol and expressed our support. Several gathered to serenade the Border Patrol Agents with a ditty I wrote "We love you Border Patrol, Oh yes we do...We love the Agents and all they do...When our borders are not secure, we're blue...Oh Border Patrol, we love you." Silly, but the ladies liked singing it to the agents.
Ping to Post#138, another first-hand report from FReeper Spiff.
We ought to get a CD of Doug from Upland's parody/ditty and play it for them....
Don't be put off by silly chants, or songs. They may sound silly from the bleachers, but when you're out there on the playing field, they are very motivating and inspiring. Keep it up.
Thanks for the report.
Wonderful, glad to hear of the awesome turnout and the fun-loving "musical interlude." Were the percussionists from yesterday there to accompany your song? LOL.
UM, isn't the local paper run/owned by the very kook organizing this fiasco? Talk about credibility issues.
What? With over 10,000 page views on that MMK threat I expected at least enough people to field a baseball team. Come on Booty, Travis, lets get busy with the bumps.