Posted on 10/30/2005 4:10:30 AM PST by Valin
Outside Walter Reed on Friday Nights, Two Camps Stand Their Ground
Every Friday night, Gael Murphy and Kristinn Taylor meet in Northwest Washington, separated by a bustling four-lane road -- and a whole lot more.
Since spring, the two have stood firmly on opposite sides of Georgia Avenue NW in front of Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Murphy leading a coalition of war protesters, Taylor marshaling supporters of the Iraq war.
Both sides say they are there to support the troops. Beyond that, there's little common ground.
"They start yelling, 'Murderer!' 'Traitor!' They call me by name," said Murphy, a co-founder of the women's antiwar group Code Pink. "It's aimed at disrupting our vigil."
To Taylor, a spokesman for the local chapter of FreeRepublic.com, a politically conservative Web site, disruption is an honorable goal.
"It's galling for us to see them across the street," he said. "They've endorsed the terrorists."
The Friday night gatherings near the District's northern tip, about six miles north of the White House, have become one of the most visible reminders in Washington of a war that has claimed the lives of more than 2,000 U.S. troops. That they are being staged outside a military hospital that treats the war's wounded makes the standoffs all the more pointed -- and controversial.
The war supporters, many of them known as "Freepers" because of their devotion to FreeRepublic.com, insist it is unpatriotic and demoralizing to protest the war in clear view of wounded soldiers. They started congregating along Georgia Avenue on Fridays after learning that the protesters were out there delivering a "despicable" message.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
Kewl.
I didn't even know we had spokesmen.
While I'm sure we'll have some nits to pick with the article, overall it's better than one could expect from The Post.
Isn't it amazing how the supposed "Journalists" just censor out all the really despicable, vile things the Anti-War protesters say or put on their signs. If you did not know better, you would think from reading this that the Antis were a bunch of peaceful old Grannies and the Freepers a bunch of fanatical thugs. What despicable scum modern day "Journalists" are.
John Kerry is an ultra right winger compared to code pink.
Thanks for all your hard work, kristinn. You do us all proud.
Keep up the great work! Expose these slime for what they are.
D.C. Chapter mega-ping!
okey dokey!
I second that. Thanks Kristinn!
A very good point. The Protest Freepers and doing very good work. They keep the stories from being all about the Antis.
Thanks. The members of the D.C. Chapter have done a great job of showing up every Friday night for seven months--consistently outnumbering the Pinkos.
We've been honored to be joined by Freepers from all around the country in this effort, including Freeper number one, JimRob.
Well done! Thank you!
This reporter could have spoken to military families and the families visiting their loved ones at WRAMC.
ping
Dustin, read this.
Thanks kristinn. If there's a Freeper Hall of Fame (and there should be) you've got my induction vote!
It appears the Post has a DU lurker working for them.
We have only been there for over 25 weeks. They sleep so well at news under their nose.
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