Posted on 08/27/2005 10:02:40 AM PDT by TXBubba
Just talked to Basil on site in Crawford, Texas. Currently there are about 100 folks there helping to set up. They have not received word about the caravan arrival in Waco yet. JimRob is riding with the caravan. She thinks it might get to Crawford around 1:00 p.m.
Basil says the stage is set up, the sound system is excellent and they have hung the most beautiful banners overnighted by W04Man on the stage. A big thanks for the banners, they are much appreciated!
Someone arrived early and hung yellow ribbons everywhere.
They have an American flag that is about 50 feet by 40 feet. Children of military personnel serving in the Middle East have written notes to their parents on the stripes of this flag. A very touching thing to behold.
The HOT Chapter booth is being unloaded right now. The will sell buttons made by Angelwood to help off set costs.
Someone rented the Community Center for our use so there is access to AC. However, they also have 10 tents set up. And there is a Moonwalk for the kiddos.
To top everything else there is BBQ on the grill! Basil is the official taster and says it is great!
That is all the news I have at the moment. It is hard to get a cell phone connection to Crawford but when I hear more I will try to update everyone.
Troll in the wire.
Zot needed.
Yikes! I have to wait a long time to get lippy. It'll be worth it!
Cute name. Creedence. Nice Touch.
I second that.
I just got done listening to an interview with Joan Baez
She was reliving her protest days and saying this protest reminded her of those days
Thanks so much for posting those pictures - you chose your subjects really well. Feels so good to see them!
SuzyQue is tried and true. She must stay.
Sorry Suzy, been a long day.
Oh yes indeed, there was a steady stream of folks coming up to shake his hand. Including this old Cat.
Here's a picture of the back of his head, my buddy and I were sitting right behind him. He was as close to the stage as you could get but still be under the tent.
The stage was slightly to the left of this photo, under the POW and unit flags. The big flag, made by soldiers' children, is shown on the left. Most of the crowd is behind the point from which the picture was taken. The gentleman in black, with salt and pepper beard, was the driver of the Big Rig which lead the convoy into the venue. He had a Doberman in the cab with him. :)
"I drove across Texas from Texarkana to El Paso in a day..."
hmmm - don't look now, but those aren't bubble gum machines in your rear view mirror, LOL.
:^D
I read last night that the Skin Heads were gonna be there in support of Camp Cindy, do you know if they showed up?
Amazing. (chena shakes her head). The news on Fox today was ALL ABOUT THE HURRICANE. Can't believe some folks thought they were being ignored. LOL And those hurricane watchers say, "there are hundreds of thousands of people at risk"? Well, duh, maybe there are, but there's alot more people at risk, including our military, in Iraq. Sheesh!, is right!
You deserve your rest, FRiend! Can't wait to see your pictures!! Please Ping if you think of it!
Before arriving in the small town of Crawford there was an elderly man on the right of the road with a huge sign in the back of his pickup truck. It was surrounded by large waving flags, and said Support the Troops! The man was in new overalls, a nice long sleeved shirt, a new-looking straw hat with bandanas around his hat and neck. But most noticeable was his oxygen tank and tubes in use. He explained that he was suffering from heart trouble, but was going to do what he could to help our troops and our country. About four hours later (in 110 degree heat index sweltering heat) the man was still there, except on the other side of the road, so people leaving Crawford could see his sign.
I entered Crawford about 11:45 Central Time, and a man (Kevin) and his wife joined me as we went to Camp Qualls. Kevin looked right smart in his green beret and his Camp Gitmo orange shirt.
There were quite a few people walking with smiles and with pro-Bush signs, but I did not see any signs that were hateful or against the mission. During the whole afternoon I encountered no more than two pro-Cindy people, and they must have been somewhat awed by the numbers of people who kept coming, many with signs to carry as well as signs on their vehicles. It was a real grass-roots happening. (No, I did not go to Camp Cindy.)
Camp Qualls right in the middle of downtown Crawford, had an impressive ceremony of speeches and honoring those who paid the ultimate sacrifice. Bill Johnson gave a fine speech while sitting on a well-behaved horse. George Lucas was there, a fervent black preacher, who expressed disappointment with Al Sharpton. A number of parents who lost sons spoke during the afternoon, not wanting to cut short the mission.
Tom Burnett's wife, Deena, spoke about receiving 3 cell phone calls from her husband on 9-11-01, before his plane crashed in the Pennsylvania field. She told him about the WTC happenings, and he told her, We are Going to DO Something. He and others instantly turned into citizen soldiers.
It is hard to estimate the crowds. I saw a helicopter probably trying to do so when the bulk of the crowd was assembled in the field near the Crawford Community Center, but people just kept arriving. Even when I was leaving about 3pm, cars were just then arriving. At one point we were informed the line of cars coming to Crawford stretched for 40 miles. So my best estimate is that there were well over 3500 people in the Pro-Bush Rally.
Sorry, have to retire as I am happily Bushed (pun okay?). Feel free to FReepmail me if you have questions. It was just a wonderful experience, and thank you to all of you who were truly there in spirit!!
I haven't heard .. but then, I haven't really looked for that info
Yes, and many of their camera's had antenna's, mealing they could up link to a nearby satellite truck, or since Waco is only 20 miles away, possibly use a microwave link to stations in Waco.
God Bless You for supporting our Troops and our Commander-in-Chief
I guess the only bright side is Al Jazeera and the terrorists have been following a woman for a couple weeks.
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