I remember. My dad was one of them.
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Posted on 09/30/2001 5:06:34 PM PDT by kristinn
For the first time since their campaign of roving city-to-city terrorism began in Seattle several years ago, Communist/anarchist, America-hating 'anti-globalization' protesters were met by citizens determined to stand up against their violence and intimidation. Led by the D.C. Chapter of Free Republic, a total of about two hundred Americans drew a 'line in the sand' at the Navy Memorial on Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C. today, where nine months earlier the Communist/anarchists had assaulted the memorial by trying to tear down the flags and signals on the masts there during the inaugural parade of President George W. Bush.
With America going to war as a result of the terrorist attacks on September 11 which destroyed the World Trade Center towers and damaged the Pentagon, killing approximately 7,000 people through the suicide hijackings of four airliners (one plane crashed without hitting its still-unknown target because the passengers fought back successfully), the counter-demonstrators did not want to see the Navy Memorial assaulted again.
They started gathering before 8 a.m., as news of anarchists planning to roam the city filled the airwaves. As the numbers of counter-demonstrators grew to about 40 by 10 a.m., small groups of the anarchists walked by peacefully.
Reporters from print and broadcast media soon swarmed around the counter-demonstrators, attracted by the many large American flags flying crisply in the strong morning breeze. The demonstrators faced the American flag atop the 50-foot high flagpole in the front of the memorial and said the Pledge of Allegiance. Given the circumstances, it was a very moving moment for all.
The demonstrators continued to prepare more signs declaring their support of America's armed forces, President Bush, the families and victims of those killed and injured in the terrorist attacks on September 11 and the country as a whole as it prepares to fight terrorism, while they waited for the anticipated several thousand 'antiwar, anti-racism' Communists and anarchists to march by on their way to a rally at the Capitol.
Former New York Senator Pat Moynihan (D), who lives in the neighborhood, came out to greet the patriotic demonstrators and give his support to them. The surprised demonstrators and media gathered around him as he spoke for a few minutes and shook hands with them. Along with his encouragement, he reminded the demonstrators of the violent nature of the protesters they would soon be facing and asked them to remain peaceful and let law enforcement handle them.
He was pleased to hear that that was their plan. He walked back to his home, shadowed by a few anarchists and some of the media. Before he left, the demonstrators thanked him for the work he is doing on President Bush's Social Security committee to partially privatize the retirement program.
Law enforcement officers from various federal agencies, along with D.C. Metropolitan Police, began to arrive at the memorial in large numbers and spoke with the demonstrators about their plans to counter the protesters. The LEOs explained to the counter-demonstrators that their goal of staying at the memorial to protect the flag was possible, but untenable because the protesters had obtained a permit for the memorial. At best, they would be allowed to stay close to the main flagpole in a small group of less than twenty-five while the rest would have to move across the street to the National Archives.
The demonstrators readily obeyed the orders of the LEOs and split up. As word spread of violence at the starting point of the protestors' march at Freedom Plaza four block away, the LEOs ordered the remaining demonstrators to go across the street and join the others at the Archives for their own protection.
The LEOs informed the demonstrators that they were under orders to not let the the protesters take the flags down like they tried to do on Inauguration Day. Confident that the flags would be protected, the demonstrators joined their compatriots across the street. By this time, around 11:30 a.m., their numbers had swelled to around 100--with the media hanging on in anticpation of a violent clash between the groups.
The protesters' rally at Freedom Plaza dragged as speaker after speaker basked in the glory of the C-Span cameras providing live coverage of the rally.
The demonstrators waited patiently for several hours for the protesters to begin their march. The demonstrators assured every reporter they spoke with that they intended to remain peaceful and let law enforcement handle any disturbance caused by the protesters. The demonstrators went so far as to pass around 'rules for protesting' to ensure the civil nature of their gathering.
Finally, the protesters started marching down Pennsylvania Avenue, led by a procession of police vehicles. A lead crew working for the protesters stopped and assembled a small stage and P.A. in front of the Navy Memorial. The moment finally arrived for the two groups to meet. The several thousand mostly young Communists and anarchists were stunned to see what by then were about two hundred flag waving patriotic Americans packed on the sidewalk in front of the Archives, standing up against their anti-American protest.
Around one hundred LEOs on foot and horseback, dressed in full riot gear (including the horses which wore clear eye-protecting face masks) formed a line between the two groups--a line which was unbroken despite repeated attempts by anarchists to break through. To their credit, the protesters had their own marshalls who also worked to hold back the anarchists.
The demonstrators and protesters faced off across the thin blue line, hurling insults and chants at each other--but not rocks and bottles.
While the protesters chanted "war is not the answer" to the terrorist attacks, the demonstrators responded by parodying a 1960s peace song by loudly singing, "All we are saying, is give war a chance". This brought shocked, perplexed looks to faces of the self-styled peace protesters.
The protesters' chants became disorganized and dispirited as the demonstrators launched a continuous barrage of counter chants that ranged from serious rebuttal to outright ridicule: "Peace through love" was answered with "Peace through superior firepower".
The demonstrators turned an old tactic of the left against them, pointing to signs they carried featuring photos of the World Trade Center attacks while chanting, "Shame, shame, shame", and, "No justice, no peace", as the protesters demanded no retaliation for the heinous attacks.
Many of the Communist/anarchist protesters were reduced to swearing at the demonstrators as they continued to mock them with chants of, "We don't care what you say, we're going to bomb them anyway"; and were repeatedly invited to "swim to Cuba" if life in the United States was so bad (none of them accepted the offer).
Out-protested and out-foxed by the patriotic demonstrators, the Communist/anarchist protesters surrendered, leaving the memorial without giving any speeches from the stage they had set-up at that sacred site and sullenly marched off to finish their protest at Senators Park on Capitol Hill.
As the demoralized stragglers quietly brought up the rear carrying anti-meat, pro-vegetarian banners, they were rhetorically given a parting kick in the ass with mocking cries of "Gardening is murder! Weeds have rights, too!" from the demonstrators, which brought howls of laughter from the LEOs--who could finally relax now that trouble had passed.
The LEOs expressed gratitude for the presence of the patriotic Americans. For once, they had citizens present standing with them in the face of violent, avowed enemies of the United States.
The presence of the demonstrators threw a monkey-wrench in the plans of the Communist/anarchist protesters, a blow from which they did not recover. Less than an hour later, they were seen departing Senators Park with no trace of joy or victory on their faces. They had been beaten at their own game--and they knew it.
The adults had finally spoken up and said, 'NO', to these insolent, indulged brats, and it broke their spirit. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Now, to break their will. Honor Roll for today: Angelwood, Doctor Raoul,Dave Dilegge, tgslTakoma, Taxman (+2), The Glaswegian(+1), ELS, Jimmy Valentine's brother, Gore_War_Vet, viadexter, FreeTheHostages (+1), testforecho, Scholastic, endzt, Federal Farmer, rabidralph, Clay more, GunsareOK, stand watie, sauropod, leadpenny, Hail Caesar, Ravens Warlord, maica, Freedame, tomkat (+1), TBP, and El Negro (should be a new FReeper as of tonight). I'm sure I missed a few of you, so please chime in. We also had several lurkers come out. In addition, we were joined by a bunch of tourists who agreed with our stand. We didn't see any tourists go out and join the other side :-) Thanks go out to: the Maryland TRT for 'plan B'; James Parmalee of NorthernVirgianiaGOP.com for helping to get the word out about today; and special thanks to Sean Hannity, whose mention of our demonstration on his newly syndicated radio show yesterday brought out dozens of people from up and down the East Coast. I left out many details, such as signs and conversations, so please add your observations and comments. EAGLES UP !!!
Those commie creeps (and the leftists in general) are so used to having no opposition, they don't know what to do when opposed. Good Show!
Either way, another response to it might have been to suggest that the guy sign up for remedial English, and to pay attention in class!
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October being halloween month sends chills up my spine. I know that the devil in hell loves halloween for the children who dress up for his satanic holiday, but it also presents a problem with these terroists who are still at large! Halloween month can be a significant try for them to hit targets they have in the U.S. here and that worries me. The devil would just love to see them terrorists take more souls away from God. We have to be aware of October!
Other than my worries, you gutsy freepers are the best and I'm proud that my wife and I freeped with you all when ole klintoon was in our house doing those awful things he done, him and his ole woman hildebeast!
Besides, those damm peace protestors was so full of communistic loving hate for America, they made me so mad, that if Bland Laden would have tossed a bomb amongst them, it wouldn't had hurt my feelings none, but then more innocent victims would have been collateral damage, and I wouldn't have wanted that, but make no mistake, these peace mongerels need to go to another country if they don't love America! Only my humble opinion!
Now that FR's Operation Infinite FReep for 9/29/01 was both quite successful and widely reported by the news media, I can now comfortably reveal some of the non-confidential, behind-the-scene aspects of the unofficial involvement of the Maryland and DC Tyranny Response Teams (TRT) with FR's DC Chapter in yesterday's mega-FReep. My report is merely a supplement to what others have already posted here.
1. Most TRT members were not wearing TRT gear yesterday. Several of us chose to remain incognito.
2. The TRT had infiltrators in the "anti-war" crowds who continued to provide us with counter-intel information throughout the day.
3. From 10:00 a.m. on, our TRT moles provided eyewitness reports regarding the (few) violent clashes between the police and/or patriots with the "Black Bloc" gang at various downtown locations during the day. We also had undercover patriots mingle with the "anti-war rally" crowd at Freedom Plaza. FR DC Chapter coordinators also heard about similar reports from unidentified LEOs stationed at the Navy Memorial.
4. At around 11:00 a.m., Dave Dilegge of www.ConservaVets.Org, called out for volunteers to protect and defend the flag at the Navy Memorial. Several former military and retired veterans, along with other patriots, then surrounded the main memorial monument and flagpole. Our own impromptu group of modern day FReeper "Minutemen" responded to the call. (Given the well-known street-fighting tactics of the communist/anarchist "Black Bloc", we also that we would have to defend that monument from all flanks).
5. About 45 minutes later, certain LEO liaisons informed FR coordinators that since the "anti-war" protestors had a permit to demonstrate at the Navy Memorial and we did not, we would not be permitted to remain there in a group larger than 24 individuals. At that point, over one hundred and fifty FReepers moved directly across the street to take a stand in front of the National Archives building. Most of them remained there for several hours and, after swelling to a crowd of about 200, finally faced the onslaught of thousands of potentially violent protestors. These FReepers were the modern day (political) equivalent of the "Militia" of colonial times. :-)
6. Due to the spontaneous formation of the volunteer "Minutemen" guard around the American flagpole, I asked a couple of the military veterans present: "where are were supposed to deploy to if we are overrun by the enemy and/or have to retreat." They all solemnly answered, "we're not going anywhere; we're not going to leave the flag undefended."
7. I then asked Dave Dilegge, leader of our impromptu "Minutemen" guard: "what is the tactical withdrawal plan?" He said, "there is none...we will not let them take the flag." After then noticing that none of us had any gas masks, first aid kits, helmets, batons nor weapons of any kind, I began to wonder how we could possibly hold off thousands of protestors "bum rushing" us all at once.
8. More reports of clashes between the protestors and well-equipped police began to come in. Pepper spray and batons had already been used in those reported clashes. Even the Assistant DC Police Chief was reported to have been "caught in the crossfire" of one of those clashes.
9. I personally began to wonder if defending an enduring symbol of America, albeit just a large piece of dyed cloth to some, was worth getting clubbed, maced, gassed, beaten and otherwise seriously assaulted for. Then, I remembered the oath of office I took, as an immigrant, when I became a naturalized citizen of this great country. It is the same oath of office that American soldiers and even politicians take, when accepting the honor of public service. I decided to remain at the flagpole.
10. During the next hour or so, waiting for the protestors to arrive, I made more than one trip to the restroom (btw, I was not the only one who was nervous that day) ;-). The main on-the-scene LEO in-charge then privately addressed the 24 "Minutemen" at the flagpole and asked us to leave and/or disperse to the other side. He assured us that a contingent of LEOs would take over the defense and protection of the Navy Memorial and the flag.
11. Since most of us had previously agreed to abide by the DC Chapter's Rules for Peaceful Protesting (regarding cooperation with LEOs), we reluctantly re-deployed to join the FR "militia" across the street. However, one Navy veteran refused to leave and remained standing in front of the flagpole throughout the day. I believe that since he did not have his own flag or signs with him, the police could not have legally made him leave. Shortly after we left, a squad of well-armored riot police arrived and took position in between the biggest flagpoles at the Navy Memorial.
12. From 10:00 a.m. up until, and during, the 3:00 p.m. (about one hour) onslaught of thousands of anti-war protestors arriving to face us off at the Navy Memorial, we were constantly infiltrated and monitored by moles for the other side. At the height of the "battle", legal reps and other monitors from the other side even stood among (actually physically behind) our patriots, especially near TRT members. I guess they were concerned that, if "push came to shove," some of us may just exercise our right to self-defense. ;-)
13. A contingent of riot-geared Park Police marched right behind the FReepers right before the "battle" actually started. I guess they were there to back up their colleagues on horseback and to (hopefully) help protect the rights of our demonstrators, too.
14. To the best of my knowledge, despite some initial reports to the contrary, no TRT members nor other fellow patriots were physically injured during yesterday's very tense operation.
15. Thanks and kudos to the D.C. Police and U.S. Park Police who, despite my worst fears and past experiences with them, fairly and justly enforced the law at the scene. They played a key role in minimizing the amount of violence that occurred in the Nation's Capitol yesterday. They did an excellent job protecting the rights of both the protestors and our counter-protestors, patriot demonstrators.
16. Thanks to Dave Dilegge, kristinn and others for their leadership yesterday. Also, special thanks to the military veterans, Clay More, Ravens Warlord, endZT, other TRT members, plus the other patriots who stood with us at the flagpole, then later, on the front lines when the thousands of protestors faced us off across the street, later that day.
I am so proud to be an American and to have stood shoulder-to-shoulder with you all yesterday, especially in what could have been, a (metaphorically speaking) similar stand taken by 300 Spartans against over 20,000 Persians centuries ago. We were also there to defend freedom yesterday, and that we did.
Molon Labe!
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