March for Justice II After Action Report and Photo Thread

Saturday, April 9, 2005 | Kristinn

[kristinn]

First, I want to thank all the FReepers who were able to attend and to all who contributed to the March for Justice II. It wouldn't have happened without you. I also want to thank our cosponsor, the Coalition for a Fair Judiciary. Our speakers were excellent and I thank them for standing with us. Most of all, thanks to Jim Robinson for all he does.

The March for Justice II was a success, even though we didn't accomplish our goal for attendance. We thought 100 to 200 people would attend, in fact there were between 40 and 50--almost all of them FReepers.

The purpose of the rally was to urge the Senate to employ the constitutional option with regard to the filibusters of judicial nominees and to call on the judiciary to respect the Constitution.

We had four goals for the day: hold a modest sized rally on Capitol Hill on a work day, get other like-minded conservative leaders and groups involved, lobby senators to support the constitutional option and to get media coverage of our efforts.

We had varying degrees of success for each goal. As I said, we wish more people were able to attend but we don't have the financial resources to bus people in like the left. However, everyone I spoke to afterward who attended was very enthusiastic about the day.

The Coalition for a Fair Judiciary helped with getting other like-minded conservative groups to send speakers. Most of our speakers came through their efforts. Hopefully we can build on relationships founded and renewed to help with our efforts on the judiciary and other areas where we have common ground.

All of our announced speakers appeared at the rally, except for Roy Innis who was unable to attend due to illness.

The speakers all gave great speeches. The prepared text of Congressman Billybob's speech was posted on FR Thursday night. Most of the other speakers, if I recall correctly, spoke extemporaneously.

After the rally, Niger Innis led a delegation to three senators' offices to lobby in support of the constitutional option. The offices were those of Sen. Warner, Sen. McCain and Sen. Allen.

FReepers also visited their home state senators' offices. At least one was able to speak to a senator in person as they walked down a hallway. I stayed behind at the rally site to supervise the loadout of equipment, so I hope those FReepers will tell the stories of their adventures.

The response from the media was modest, but we did as well as could be expected. There were four news cameras and one documentary crew that covered the rally (Fox News, WBAL-TV and a West Virginia station); one domestic print reporter (Roll Call); and one reporter from the Ukraine were present. A reporter for Family News in Focus called to get information on the rally and ran a story mentioning it.

I did two radio interviews that afternoon. One was Blanquita Cullum's show on Radio America where the main subject was the rally. The other was on WWRL-AM 1600 in New York City on a different topic where I got in a mention of the rally.

An unintended bonus for us was that the liberals were so scared about our little gathering they sent a group of counter-protesters over to march and chant on the perimeter of the rally. The counter-protesters outnumbered us by a few dozen, but we weren't bothered. We were standing up for the Constitution while they were supporting rule by judicial fiat.

I'll close by thanking and listing the speakers who gave impassioned and very informative speeches at the rally. In order of scheduled appearance, they were:

Ken Connor, Chairman, Center for a Just Society
The Honorable Tom Parker, Justice, Alabama Supreme Court
Gary Marx, Executive Director, Judicial Confirmation Network
Dr. Gary Cass, Center for Reclaiming America
Manuel Miranda, National Coalition to End Judicial Filibusters
Jeff Ballabon, Center for Jewish Values
William Greene, Founder and President, RightMarch.com
John Armor, Esq.
George Landrith, President, Frontiers of Freedom
Kay Daly, President, Coalition for a Fair Judiciary
Niger Innis, National Spokesman, Congress of Racial Equality
Roy Innis, National Chairman and CEO, Congress of Racial Equality (canceled due to illness)
Rep. Steve King (Iowa)

[kristinn]

Those who were there, please share your experiences and photos here.

Thanks again to all who helped make this effort a success.

EAGLES UP !!!

[Txsleuth]

Unfortunately, I haven't seen any footage of the march, but I did watch a press conference on c-span with Manuel Miranda and Kay Daly---THEY were quite impressive---

Also, Fox DID show the dems in front of the Supreme Court, I guess because there were senators in that protest--

I hate to say this, but after reading here on FR this morning that the GOP senators are thinking of backing off of the personal accounts in Soc. Security reform, I don't see how we can count on them for implementing the "constitutional option" regarding judicial nominees.

I seems they are more interested in appeasing and compromising than taking advantage of the "majority status" that WE the voters worked so hard to give them!

I am looking forward to pics of the march, though and I read Congressman Billybob's speech and it was a keeper!, very, very good!

[queenkathy]

bump

[NautiNurse]

ping

[The Spirit Of Allegiance]

Thanks so much for representing not just Freepers but ALL Conservatives--all Americans!

We must keep the pressure on until we get our worthy judges confirmed! We MUST use the Constitutional Option--and use it NOW!

Thanks again, Kristinn, Congressman Billybob and Jim!

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

PING!

[End Times Sentinel]

Thank YOU Kristinn, for your tireless work on behalf of FR and The Conservative Movement!!!  It was truly a pleasure meeting you.

 

I too wish we had better turn out, but as you stated we don't have George Soros bank rolling a bus full of marijuana addicted, art school drop outs to be on hand.

 

The PA Contingent, as has been mentioned, had a brush with horror as we walked between Rick Santorum and Arlen Specter's office.  Marylander, St. Johan Tetzel, his wife and wonderful children, and I were headed down a hall way when we heard "EXCUSE US!!!  EXCUSE US-EXCUSEUS!!!" barked behind us.

We turned and were appalled to see Hillary Clinton blitzing down the hallway with a staff member and two Secret Service Agents.

To my untrained eye, she appeared to have taken some botox recently if I compare how I saw her with the cover of The Real Hillary Clinton, but that's conjecture.  What clearly is not conjecture is her extremely large butt.  I'd never noticed or heard about that feature, but she must be extremely comfortable sitting down.

FReeper Interesting Times later asked if we'd taken a picture, but of course we all know, Hillary doesn't show up on film.

It was an honor and a privilege to break bread later with Jim Rob and so many other FReepers including Dr. Raoul, TabiCats, Firebrand, Proud2beconservativeinNJ, Shetland and her daughters, synchro, and countless others.

 

A wonderful time was had by all and I truly look forward to attending the next FReep!

 Owl_Eagle

(If what I just wrote makes you sad or angry,

 it was probably sarcasm)

[kristinn]

That's why we've got to keep after them.

There were several public events on both sides of the judiciary issue in D.C. this week. With all the proper attention being paid to the passing of the Pope, following on the two week frenzy over Terri Schiavo's fate, our effort got overshadowed--even on FR.

However, the effort was far from neglible or unimportant. Good things came from it, and if we follow through more good will flow from our work.

[E.G.C.]

BTTT!!!!!

[conservatism_IS_compassion]

I too wish we had better turn out

I shoulda gone, I guess. It's not nearly as convenient as it was when I was working down in Maryland at the time of the March for Justice I, but I really could have done it. Back then, I was only lurking, and the March got me out of my shell. Those were serious times, with a president who had no respect for the rights of Republicans.

[Txsleuth]

Oh, please don't confuse my disgust with the media or the GOP with a lack of appreciation for what ya'll did in the March for Justice---I think you guys did great, and I am sure there are hundreds of Freepers like myself that would have loved to have been able to go and march---

I have seen/heard Byron York on several shows this week advestising his new book about the LEFT-WING conspiracy, which states just how much money is behind the dems right now---the amount available to Reid, Pelosi and friends is staggering!!!

I mean, just look on TV--the have national commercials about the filibuster problem AND personal accounts on Soc. Security (BTW, being financed by AARP which is sickening!)

SO, I guess that means we have to me more imaginative and persistent, I guess---count me in!!!

[John Lenin]

Wow, some big names in that list.

[Alamo-Girl]

Buuuump!

[JDoutrider]

Ya'll done good...

Thanks for the report!

[Mo1]

Bump for a later read

[CyberAnt]

That story was from the Boston Globe - and if you posted to that thread - you will have a post from me exposing what the Globe is attempting to do - it's a pattern we have seen before.

[kristinn]

I didn't take it that way at all.

Byron York is a good investigative reporter--one of the best in D.C. I look forward to reading his book.

[kristinn]

It was a good lineup. None of them dogged it just because there under 50 people there. They all spoke as if addressing thousands.

[John Lenin]

If you had a candle for everyone there in spirit lit, the temperature would have raised 5 degrees.

[kristinn]

Next time we'll bring a truckload of candles :-)