Posted on 03/18/2006 8:47:50 AM PST by Huber
Live thread from Fayetteville, NC.
About 50 early arrivals in support of the troops have gathered ahead of the leftist "anti-war" rally in Rowan Park.
This is the third year that FreeRepublic, in conjunction with Rolling Thunder, the veteran's motor cycle club, has organized a Support the Troops Rally to counter the Leftist Demonstrations here in the home town of Fort Bragg and Pope Airforce Base. This is the home of 82nd airborne division and 18 airborne corps, and we are proud and grateful for all they do to defend freedom!
I am posting from a handheld, so those of you with better high speed access are invited to post additional information on the leftist speakers on the thread.
I will provide on-site real time commentary and post photos this evening.
Duh! It's been my tagline for too long -- I didn't realize whom you were referring to! Here is a page of pithy Omar Bradley quotes: Cybernation.
Tanks!
Thank you all so much!!
Just to let you know, we FReeped the leftists real good in Fort Collins, Colorado this afternoon. I'll put up a post and pictures just as soon as I get done doing "honey-do's".
All the Best!
My family thanks you
OFFICIAL CONFIRMATION FROM AP
War protesters turn out in smaller group on Iraq anniversary
ESTES THOMPSON Associated Press
FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. - Marchers chanted anti-war slogans and carried "Get Out of Iraq" signs Saturday in the city next door to the Army's Fort Bragg installation, but even the most ardent protester was disappointed by the small turnout.
No more than 1,000 people came to a rally at a city park this year on the anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Iraq. Last year, more than 4,000 jammed the same space, said Police Chief T.D. McCarthy.
"This is pitiful," Raleigh lawyer Brian Upchurch said as he waited at a staging point with about 300 people before the march. By the time protesters got moving, several hundred more had joined the route under the eye of local police.
"Part of it is lack of media attention. If you're not in the peace and justice community, you're not going to know about it. That, plus typical American apathy - many want to be home cutting their lawns," he said.
Upchurch, his wife, two daughters and two Yorkshire terriers joined the march. Kim Upchurch said she was marching to show displeasure with the Bush administration's handling of the war. "I'm here to support the troops and bring them home," she said.
Claudia Swartz, a Fayetteville musician, said she was protesting because she believed the war wasn't necessary with Iraq.
"We invaded a country that had nothing to do with 9-11," she said as she straightened items in her harmonica case. "If they really wanted to wage a war against terrorism, they should spend more time trying to catch Osama bin Laden. That was justified."
But counter-protesters said the anti-war marchers weren't focusing on the right target. Members of a demonstration organized by the Rolling Thunder veterans organization said troops shouldn't feel like no one supports them.
"I want to support our troops and their mission," said Rob Laualler, a member of the group. "None of us likes war. I don't think they understand that we're at war and it's a world war. The Islamic extremists don't want to fight us, they want us all dead."
Army wife Jennifer Battaglia came to the protest with her 2-year-old son to show support for her husband, an airborne engineer now in Afghanistan.
Battaglia said she supported President Bush because she believes he has a plan to fight terrorists wherever they are found.
"As far as the Democrats and the left are concerned, they have no plan," she said. "They want to run. If we do that, the terrorists will bring the war over here."
Former paratrooper Blake Callens addressed the crowd about his experiences in Iraq and Afghanistan as a member of in the 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 82nd Airborne Division.
The 28-year-old former sergeant, now a guitar instructor, said troops were allowed to help people in Afghanistan. But the attitude toward civilians is more hostile in Iraq, and civilians there have similar feelings in return toward the U.S. military, he said.
"We are dooming ourselves to rapidly losing an already unwinnable war," he said.
Thanks for the mini-Olney report! 17 is good!
(Or maybe most of last year's attendees just didn't want to come back and hear more "True Facts from the Hill")
Thanks for countering the commies in Colorado!
Went to my very first FREEP today! HOOOAH! Glad to meet all of the NC Freepers and the Rolling Thunder members. Sgt at Arms Fuzzy is my new best buddy. Poor stoopid pinkos, they threw a party and almost nobody whowed up. Hell they were so lame they souldn't even work up the intelligence to curse at us. I was glad to meet the WWII vet who showed up, 2 Purple Hearts and I think the Bronze star. 80 years old and a REAL MAN! Unlike the whining libs in the park. I think we actually were more effective and more enthusiastic than them. What happend after 2:00 PM I had to skee-daddle. We stopmed a mud-hole in them and walked it dry!!!!
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
Glad this guy is a "former" troop. Also, what he said about civilians in Iraq is in direct opposition to the troops that are there and recently returned.
Thanks for being there!
My first FReep was one year ago tomorrow, right there in Fayetteville. How time has flown! Now I FReep weekly!
Hi Tax-chick! Congratulations on the new baby! I remember you and your brood fondly. Great pics on your homepage!
Brag - Brag - Brag - That's all you southern FReepers can do!! :-))
It was windy and cold again up here. One support for the new red JR MOAB broke about 15 minutes before we broke up. Thanks for being there.
[Mr] T
On ABC news tonight the infamous Tom Hayden said the dismal turnouts nationwide were due to the fact that most people are now against the war and don't need to come out and protest!!!
Ha! What a spin!
Their numbers were so much less than other years. We chased them away!
"If anyone is out of step, those folks are," Chuck Fager said of the counterdemonstrators. (Tuesday in the Fayetteville Observer).
C h u c k i e w a s w r o n g. (snicker)
The official police count for their side was 300. (I saw the official report.) The chief is just being nice to Chuckie. :-)
Hint to Chuck: Gallup poll data is useless!
Are there really people out there that think Osama is the only terrorist? Gee.
BwaaaHaaaa! Spin? That is a full fledged tornado velocity spin!
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