Posted on 01/06/2006 9:03:29 PM PST by kristinn
Edited on 01/07/2006 9:23:21 AM PST by Lead Moderator. [history]
A sign posted tonight at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C. by the parents of a U.S. Marine asking antiwar protesters to not protest at the hospital was taken down and stolen by members of Code Pink and Kevin McCarron, of Veterans for Peace.
The sign, which read: No Protest Zone, Soldiers Healing, was placed by Marine Corps parents Mr. and Mrs. Trooprally with the assistance of tgslTakoma on the wrought iron fence at the edge of Walter Reed facing Georgia Avenue at the hospital's main entrance where leftist so-called antiwar groups Code Pink and Veterans for Peace have held protests targeting wounded soldiers and their families every Friday night for the past nine months.
The D.C. Chapter of FreeRepublic.com has been holding patriotic counter-protests in support of the troops and their mission fighting the war on terrorism also every Friday night across the street from the leftist groups.
Many soldiers recuperating from their war wounds at Walter Reed, as well as their families, have expressed their hurt and anger at having to see so-called antiwar protesters right outside the hospital. However, the D.C. government has granted the leftist groups demonstration permits without regard to the anguish it causes those trying to heal from traumatic wounds and war experiences.
The Marine Corps parents taped a brief note to the sign that said: This sign posted by the Proud Parents of a Marine, who support the troops and their sacrifices. (signed) P.W. (and) K.W."
The five foot by two-and-a-half foot foam board sign was attached high up on the fence with tie wraps around 6 p.m.
The Code Pink and Veterans for Peace members arrived at their usual 7 p.m. starting time and parked on "their" side of Georgia Avenue near the hospital entrance. Bruce Wolf walked up and studied the sign, then went back to his car to start retrieving the collection Code Pink signs and banners he carries around.
Kevin McCarron and "Stealth Badger" took their turns studying the sign. Princess (the poor sap in the kilt and punky hair) tried to use his addled brain to figure what to do about the sign.
The Pinkos brought over one of their banners and sized up whether they could cover the offending sign with it.
That didn't look like it was going to work so Stealth Badger handed McCarron a knife, which McCarron then used to cut the tie wraps.
McCarron took the sign down, folded it up and then walked it over to Bruce Wolf's car. Bruce unlocked his car and put the sign in the back seat. Bruce then locked his car.
The leftists then replaced the Marine Corps parents' sign with one of their own banners on the fence.
After having seen the sign being stolen, a call was placed to Washington D.C.'s Metropolitan Police Department to report the theft. Amazingly, an officer was promptly dispatched and arrived within minutes to the scene.
After talking with tgslTakoma and Mr. Trooprally, the officer brought the two sign owners across the street to inquire with the leftists about the sign.
The leftists told the officer they had no idea what he was talking about. They didn't know anything about the sign.
The officer asked them several times about it each time they denied knowing anything about the sign.
Frustrated, the officer asked tgslTakoma, "You have the video?"
tgslTakoma replied, "Yes."
the officer said, "Let me see the video."
So, in front of Kevin McCarron, Princess, Matthew, Bruce Wolf's wife (Bruce was hiding up the street), the officer watched tglsTakoma's video shot from across the street with a zoom lense that showed McCarron, Princess, Stealh Badger and Bruce checking out the sign.
The officer then told the leftists, "Okay, cough up the sign. If you don't, this is going to get serious."
They hemmed and hawed for a minute. Princess spoke out, "Well, it was abandoned."
Bruce Wolf's wife said to tgslTakoma, "You said the sign was put up by Marine Corps parents. Where are they? Who's the parent of the Marine?"
Mr. Trooprally, who was standing behind tgslTakoma, spoke up and said, "I am. My wife and I both put the note on the sign."
Then the large floppy hat wearing Code Pink woman who was hanging back said, "We have a permit. You have no right coming over to our corner."
tgslTakoma responded by pointing out that their permit was issued by the D.C. government and the Marine Corps parents' sign was on federal government property. She told them, "Your permit ends at the edge of the sidewalk. And the fence is federal property."
Matthew then whined, "You guys sent a motorcycle gang over to our side once!" (That would be the veterans group, Rolling Thunder.)
The officer told the leftists that he was focusing only on the stolen sign.
The leftists still were not owning up to their possession of the sign.
The officer asked tgslTakoma which car it was in. She pointed out the dark 4-door parked a few feet from where everyone was standing.
They all walked up to the back of the vehicle and the officer asked whose car it was. tgslTakoma said it was Bruce's car and that he was standing up at the corner.
McCarron stepped away and returned with the keys. He opened the car and took the sign out, saying, "Take this sign and go back to your side. Stay off our corner!"
The officer said to tgslTakoma nd Mr. Trooprally, "Okay, you got your sign. I'll walk you back to your corner."
tgslTakoma said she wanted to hang the sign back up where it was.
Hearing that, the leftists had a fit and whined that they had a permit for their corner.
tgslTakoma reminded them that their permit was for the sidewalk and not the fence--which is federal property.
The officer was getting frustrated again and told everyone, "I'm trying to keep peace around here."
He looked at the large floppy hat Code Pink woman and told her, "I'd like you to take your sign off of the fence."
She replied, "We'd be happy to take it down for the evening."
The officer said, "That would be good. Thank you." He then turned to tgslTakoma and Mr. Trooprally and said, "You've got your sign, let me get you both across the street safely."
The officer stayed back and spoke with the leftists for a few minutes and then came over to our side where he had parked. I briefly spoke with him about the recent noise complaint imbroglio.
He then got in his car and observed the situation for awhile before leaving.
Bump and thanks.
Comrade Bruce has a wife? Who knew? Who would have believed it?
Was she dressed in all blue?
BTTT! Outstanding report. Can't wait to see the video :)
Leo, it was great to meet you, your lovely wife, and your father-in-law!
You literally went the extra mile for the troops!
Hope to see you again at a FReep.
I've got to give up the ghost and lay me down to sleep.
I hope you're not tearing your hair out trying to get that video up. You've got to be pooped.
Sweet dreams.
Yes, we do. Way, way, more than alot : )
goodnight.............
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...........
What a great story!!
I read the file size wrong. Duh! It's two minutes of video, but 48megs. My computer ace kid isn't at home right now. I'm still trying...
I had to set my alarm for 2:30 and try again...now I guess I will have to wait until morning...
Maybe you should leave it and get some sleep too. ??
Thanks for trying and, of course, all the wonderful photo work you do to keep us all informed.
ping
Code Pink lied.
Good job to all involved. Excellent read.
Brilliant!
lol....
ping
It was nice to meet you and your family. God Bless you and all.
That was a good story...Thank you for posting it. I wish I could be there to help support them.
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