My Experience at the Proud to be an American Rally at Lake Eola, Orlando, Florida (Vanity)

myself | 02/33/03 | Agincourt 1415

[agincourt1415]

I found out about the planned Saturday Orlando Pro America Rally during the week.

A local Radio Station, W540 and local Radio Talk Host Shannon Burke organized and promoted the Rally. The Band Shell of Lake Eola Park in Downtown Orlando, Florida was the site of the Rally.

I was baby sitting my Granddaughters Amanda (8) and Bridget (5), so they were excited to come along with their tiny American Flags, Red, White, and Blue Pompoms, and their Flag T-shirts.

Just after we parked the truck and were crossing the street roughly a block from the Lake Eola Band Shell a nice looking girl came up to me and my granddaughters and introduced herself.

Turned out she was a Reporter with the local newspaper the Orlando Sentinel.

She interviewed me and the girls the whole way up the block to the band shell.

I just told her about how I felt about the need to support the President and the Troops, and that I thought the Peace Protestors were a little misguided (I was being too nice LOL).

So we got to the Band Shell and the they had a Singer on Stage, as I finished with the reporter, that started singing the Lee Greenwood song "I'm proud to be an American", I had to stop the interview because that song always chokes me up. The reporter got choked too.

There must have been about 2000 people there, the Band Shell Seating was full, and people were standing in the back and on the sides.

There were several great speeches by decorated veterans.

We had one Medal of Honor Winner (Korea Vet) and a World War II Vet that was with the Airborne Division Screaming Eagles, among others that spoke at the Rally.

I walked over to the side of the Band Shell toward the end of the Rally and their was another Veteran standing with two American Flags one with the names of all the Police and Firemen on it (in the Red and Blue Stripes) and the other with all the Civilians that lost their lives in the Twin Towers.

We both commented on how we wished we were young enough to volunteer to go back in the service, to be with our brothers.

The Singer called all the kids to the stage again to stand with some of the Veterans as he sang another patriotic Song.

I was relieved to see such support for this event and virtually no counter demonstrators visible.

There were a couple on the sidelines standing around with anti-shirts but they were REAL QUITE, around us VETS.

Unfortunately, the crowd was so big I did not have a chance to talk to any Freepers.

If anybody else was there please post your comments.

[agincourt1415]

The Patriotic Amercians showed the colors in ORLANDO today, BIG TIME! Let's ROLL!

[BossLady]

Zing for Orlando Freeper!

[agincourt1415]

Hey all you Central Florida Freepers check in!

[perfect stranger]

Thank you for your example. May God bless you.

[Capitalism2003]

great job...thank you

[Alice in Wonderland]

The local NBC station ran a piece about the rally on the 6:00pm news. Looks like there was a great turnout ... and luckily, the rain stayed away.

[agincourt1415]

I'll try and catch that at 11pm. Keep your eye on the Orlando Sentinel tomorrow.

[Auntie Mame]

This is great! Thank you for being there. Did you grandkids get to go on stage?

[agincourt1415]

The grandkids never miss a chance to get on stage, LOL!

[agincourt1415]

If anybody got pictures please post them.

[4integrity]

I was there too! My husband and I drove from St. Petersburg and the drive was well worth it. Wasn't it WONDERFUL to see so many flags and the unabashed love for our great country. The singer pumped up the crowd with his patriotic songs. The young man who spoke last was outstanding. If only our "seasoned" politicians had such good common sense. We should all email Shannon Burke/WFLA to thank them for sponsoring this rally. We NEED to keep these going...maybe liberal politicians will begin to listen to the voices of mainstream America rather than to leftist "celebrities".

[livius]

That's wonderful! I live in Gainesville, but I was unable to find out about anything going on here (or organize it - communications are not good here), so I wanted to go to the Orlando event. I couldn't make it, unfortuntely, for family reasons, but I'm really glad to hear that it went well. Thanks for being there!

[agincourt1415]

I'm going to try and call Shannon Monday Morning on his show and talk to him. Sometimes you can get through on the first call. He's a great Talk Show Host.

[agincourt1415]

On the Singing; the Black Guy singing LEE GREENWOOD songs, I could have sworn, he sounds exactly like LEE GREENWOOD in "Proud to be an American".

I love going to these Rallies, it just pumps me up for weeks.

[agincourt1415]

Speaking of the Young guy that spoke last, I agree, and I believe that a lot of these peace protestors (not the nut cases) but some could be turned around too, if exposed to some down to earth LOGIC on the situation.

[Exit148]

How nice for the Grandkiddies to see the patriotic spirit!!

They will go back to their schools and tell where they went. Hopefully their enthusiasm will be taken up by the other kids, and hopefully their teachers will keep their mouths shut ----unless, of course, they are of like mind.

SO glad you went and represented both FR and Patriotic America!

[agincourt1415]

I spend a lot of time with them and they are already very patriotic, they really absorb all this, and I think they will talk at school about this.

[4integrity]

It really does help to be with other patriotic Americans. I respect others having a different point of view but it drives me nuts to hear people make derogatory comments about our country and our President. It's much better to celebrate with others, like we did today, than to sit home and scream at my TV...LOL.

[Flyer]

Texas bumps Florida!

We own the streets!

---

Support Your Houston FReeper Chapter!

---

[Luke FReeman]

If anybody got pictures please post them.

The Florida FReepers were there in full force!

Pictures will be posted here soon!

Great crowd, Great Americans!!