[Bob J]

Thousands! Cool!

[mykdsmom]

Thousands.....WHOA!

It's time to see the tide turn.

The silent majority will be silent NO MORE!!!

MKM

[OldFriend]

Thank you from the not so silent majority!!!! USA USA USA USA

[Damocles]

Look for more to come. Next week San Antonio is anticipating a big rally, as well as Orlando - FL, Tulsa-OK, CLeveland-OH, and others. If you can find one near you please go and support our troops!

[mykdsmom]

Hey guys, check this out.

MKM

[TUX]

May the sweet breath of freedom blow through this dark and oppressed corner of the world.........

[Wait4Truth]

Bump and pride for our patriots! This is good to hear!

[firebrand]

How did they get all these people? Radio? Can anyone find out, for the benefit of other states?

Great going, Indiana!

[amom]

Good News Bump! :-)

[GailA]

We were visiting our son and granson over Thurs & Fri and the mayor of Vincennes, IN is running a commercial on TV in support of our troops Yellow Ribbon and all.

[Valin]

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LiberateIraq/

A Minnesota based, grass-roots organization to support our troops in protecting Americans and liberating the people of Iraq.
Your support is needed NOW! Show your support by printing and displaying the Car Window Sign from the files section of this site.

Please check out the streaming video

[Bigg Red]

Go, Hoosier Freepers!

[TheJollyRoger]

Eagle's wings
Swift ships
Iron men
Let's Roll!

May God bless America.

[agincourt1415]

Great Work, Ohio!

Here's the Link for the "American Rally in ORLANDO, Florida today. I'm going to estimate the crowd at 2000 at least.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/849595/posts?page=16

[RonDog]

Ya just made the BIG TIME, from Yahoo! News:

	Marine Corps. veteran Brian Coss of Greenwood, Ind., left, salutes the singing of "The Star Spangled Banner," while holding his son Jake Saturday, Feb. 22, 2003, in Indianapolis, during a rally to show support for United States soldiers preparing for a possible war with Iraq. An estimated 600 people took part in the rally which was held on Monument Circle. (AP Photo/John Harrell) - Feb 22 2:03 PM ET
	Kevin Steele, left, of Indianapolis, holds a Statue of Liberty sign during a rally to show support for United States soldiers preparing for a possible war with Iraq, Saturday, Feb. 22, 2003, in Indianapolis. An estimated 600 people took part in the rally which was held on Monument Circle. (AP Photo/John Harrell) - Feb 22 2:01 PM ET
	A crowd gathers on Monument Circle during a rally to show support for United States soldiers preparing for a possible war with Iraq, Saturday, Feb. 22, 2003 in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/John Harrell) - Feb 22 2:01 PM ET

(Click the smaller thumbnail images to see a LARGER image.)

Do you recognize any of these folks?

Way to go, Hoosier FReepers!!!

[hoosiermama]

GREAT JOB! SORRY I COULDN'T BE THERE! Next time!

[RonDog]

See also the OTHER thread:

Indianapolis Supports our troops and George W. Bush.
Self ^ | Mike Miessen

Posted on 02/22/2003 11:33 AM PST by Khepera
Pictures of the rally in Indianapolis

 

God Bless America...

CLICK HERE for more

[freepersup]

Sat Feb 22, 2:03 PM ET Marine Corps. veteran Brian Coss of Greenwood, Ind., left, salutes the singing of 'The Star Spangled Banner,' while holding his son Jake Saturday, Feb. 22, 2003, in Indianapolis, during a rally to show support for United States soldiers preparing for a possible war with Iraq. An estimated 600 people took part in the rally which was held on Monument Circle. (AP Photo/John Harrell)

Sat Feb 22, 2:01 PM ET Kevin Steele, left, of Indianapolis, holds a Statue of Liberty sign during a rally to show support for United States soldiers preparing for a possible war with Iraq, Saturday, Feb. 22, 2003, in Indianapolis. An estimated 600 people took part in the rally which was held on Monument Circle. (AP Photo/John Harrell)

Sat Feb 22, 2:01 PM ET A crowd gathers on Monument Circle during a rally to show support for United States soldiers preparing for a possible war with Iraq, Saturday, Feb. 22, 2003 in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/John Harrell)

[freepersup]

Stories about Hoosiers and preparations for possible war

Gathering to show support for U.S. troops

Nonpartisan event at Monument Circle is designed to counter recent antiwar rallies.

By John Tuohy

john.tuohy@indystar.com

February 21, 2003

A rally to show support for U.S. soldiers preparing for war with Iraq will be held at Monument Circle on Saturday.

Bob Greene, the father of rally organizer Robb Greene, a political science student at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, said the rally is intended to boost morale of the troops and is not a statement in support of military action.


"We are supporting the men and women who lay down their lives for this country and want to show them we are behind them," Greene said. "People want us to get political, but we won't go there. This is nonpartisan."

E-mails of gratitude to his son have been pouring in from soldiers overseas and from residents all over Indiana, Greene said.

"They say how happy they are that Indianapolis is finally stepping up to show support," Greene said.

There have been three antiwar protests on Monument Circle in recent months that Greene said have hurt morale of the troops.

"I don't see how it couldn't hurt," he said. "They are protesting against their livelihood. I think it has a negative impact."

Harold Donle, who organized the antiwar rallies, called that assertion ridiculous.

"I wholeheartedly support our troops, and I support their rally," said Donle, a former Marine who was wounded twice in Vietnam.

Donle said soldiers know the antiwar protests are against the country's policies and not its soldiers.

"I think our soldiers are smart enough to know the difference," he said.

"They can look at a picture and see we oppose the administration and want it to bring our boys home."

The support rally will start at noon.

---

Call Star reporter John Tuohy at 1-317-444-6418.

[freepersup]

1,000-strong crowd cheers U.S. troops

Morale-boosting rally on the Circle ends with heckling of veterans peace group.

By John Tuohy

john.tuohy@indystar.com

February 23, 2003

Waving American flags and chanting slogans, about 1,000 wet and boisterous people rallied Saturday on Monument Circle in support of American soldiers.

The rally was mostly upbeat with singing and speeches, but a heated exchange at the end pitted a handful of hecklers against Vietnam veterans opposed to war.

"Mainstream America loves and supports our troops," rally organizer Robb Greene told the crowd, as many huddled under red, white and blue umbrellas.

The purpose of the rally was to boost the morale of U.S. troops overseas, said Greene, a political science student at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis. He said he got the word out through e-mail, on campus and through the media.

He read an e-mail from soldiers based at Camp Virginia in Kuwait thanking the supporters.

Things got contentious at the end of the less-than-hourlong demonstration when some at the rally confronted a group calling itself Vietnam Veterans for Peace.

"Go home and eat your wine and cheese, you sissies," William G. Rice, 40, yelled at the group of about 20 people as they walked away. "Cowards."

Rice, a laborer, said that although he had no military experience, he thought he understood the political situation better than the veterans.

"I seem to have a better understanding of the price of freedom than they do," he said.

Noah Merrill, 23, who came with the peace group, said he attended last week's peace rally.

"You can love the warrior and hate the war," said Merrill, a teacher with Indianapolis Public Schools. "The best way to show support for the troops is to avoid war."

Though the event was billed as nonpartisan, many attendees said they backed the Bush administration's intention to invade Iraq.

"Action in Iraq is long overdue," said Del Schraeder, a 48-year-old construction supervisor from Greencastle who went to the rally with his wife, Gayla, 48.

Among the signs were those that read "George W. is the man," "Go Bush" and "Support our troops and President Bush." The master of ceremonies, radio talk show host Greg Garrison, told the crowd that an invasion was the right course of action.

Greene said the partisan sentiment was unavoidable.

"This is a big tent. Everybody supports the troops. You are going to get different opinions," he said.

Indianapolis police blocked off traffic around the Circle because the crowd was so large. "The people were backed up to the street, and we didn't want any cars hitting them," said Indianapolis Police Department officer Scott Chandler, who estimated that 1,000 people were there.

The crowd was more than twice as large as the antiwar rally held last weekend at the Circle.

Among the speakers were state Sen. Luke Kenley, R-Noblesville, former Republican U.S. Rep. David McIntosh of Muncie and retired Army Sgt. Sammy L. Davis, a Hoosier who received the Medal of Honor for action in Vietnam.

"Never is it acceptable to blame the war on the warrior," Davis said.

"The antiwar protesters must be careful not to let our troops down," McIntosh said. "We must remember how our soldiers in Vietnam were shunned."

---

Call Star reporter John Tuohy at 1-317-444-6418