Posted on 02/16/2007 4:53:57 AM PST by Albion Wilde
Edited on 02/22/2007 9:26:09 AM PST by Admin Moderator. [history]
Washington, DC, February 9, 2007— The DC Chapter of Free Republic has lately added an Australian flag to its array of troop-honoring Coalition colors at our Friday evening rally at the gates of Walter Reed Army Medical Center. The Aussie flag joins the British Union Jack in honor of two of our loyal partner nations in the War on Terror. Australian flags were given by two FReepers, Dinah Lord and Jimmy Valentine's Brother, who read of a donation to our Walter Reed rally by a supportive Australian passerby a few weeks ago.
We like those windy Friday evenings, even the cold ones like this one, the better to hear that pleasant flapping behind the MOAB. Kristinn (center) and Cindy-True-Supporter (right).
Passing federal consultants decry Pinko "bigotry"
Tonight's FReep was visited by two well-dressed men from the Southwest who were in DC on business with a cabinet-level agency. They had seen on the Internet that protestors were at Walter Reed on Friday nights, and had strolled by the Pinko Zone down the street to check them out. They soon saw us up at the main gates, as well, and came up to look around.
Their manner was a bit hesitant, a reaction we perceive in visitors from time to time – wariness about any demonstration outside a military hospital. I asked them for their impression of our pro-troops display. "Well, it's better than the point of view of those people down the street," said one of them.
"What about the point of view of those people down the street?" I asked the businessmen.
"I guess you could say it's misguided," he continued, as the other one nodded in agreement. "Hateful. People who don't support this effort," he continued, referring to the War on Terror, "in some ways it's a bigoted point of view."
"Bigoted?" I asked, never having heard that word before to describe the anti-war protestors. "How so?"
"You've got mass graves over there," he went on. "Millions of them. Some of them mothers holding babies in their arms, with bullet holes through the babies' heads. It's as if to say that Iraqi lives are not as valuable as American lives."
Now that he had declared their negative opinion of the anti-war position, I explained, "In some ways the demonstrators are a blessing. Yeah, they should be at the Capitol or the White House, not harassing the wounded. But if they hadn't come here, we might not have come here to show our appreciation for the troops for the past 95 weeks. And the soldiers love seeing us – they need to hear that Americans support them." I explained that CodePink had started a "vigil" directly at the gates for the first 40 weeks, with disgusting anti-military signs, until the DC Chapter expelled them. We have occupied all four corners ever since, to shield the main gates, and the pressure from us has made them tame their signs to the tepid appeasement stance of bringing the troops home without bothering to win the peace they so desperately claim to want.
"It's not enough," the businessman replied, "for the families to have a loved one wounded. But then to have to pass this," he concluded, nodding down the street to the handful of die-hards, again this week mostly men – the Pinko womyn, since we ousted them, having abandoned being there to look like the losers they truly are. We sent the two visitors off with thanks, and recommendations for some good Italian restaurants.
Bus! Buuuuuussss!
Searching oncoming traffic for the bus bringing troops back from a dinner downtown is a familiar routine, although we sometimes get a cellphone call from one of the families on the bus to let us know it's en route back to Walter Reed, and this night was no exception. The excitement builds and everyone grabs a sign, a flag and a good position to wave to them as they arrive. As soon as someone spots the bus in the distance, the shout goes up, "Bus! Bus! Bus!" across the six lanes of Georgia Avenue until all four corners of FReepers are alerted.
Tonight's Honor Roll included FReepers BufordP, Cindy-True-Supporter, Fraxinus, Jimmy Valentine's Brother, Just A Nobody, Kristinn, PleaDeal, Sensei Ern, TFroatz, Tolerance Sucks Rocks, Tom the Redhunter, [Mr & Mrs] Trooprally, VAFlagWaver and myself, Albion Wilde. Lurkers included Bill from MD, Freedom Advocate, and George & Ethel.
Join us tonight
...or any Friday night for flag waving, sign holding, coffee, tea, hot chocolate (we order pizza when temperatures are above 30) and good company, at Georgia Avenue and Elder Streets NW. Parking in the northeast corner lot. The troops need us now more than ever.
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Amen to that!
Bump!
Someone please note THe Army flag above Kristen in the second photo.
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