Posted on 03/22/2003 3:35:37 PM PST by JulieRNR21
What a fabulous day in Sarasota! I am so proud to be an American and a FReeper!
Over 17 Florida Freepers(including their families attended: Minute Gal, Nauti Nurse, perfect stranger, blue highway, M Kehoe & his wife, I still care and her son, 4integrity & her husband, Tunehead54 & his wife & three children, JulieRNR21 & her husband. Some were local but many had driven from Tampa, St. Pete, Palmetto, etc.
Darling husband & I arrived about 10:15AM so we could get a parking place close to Island Park. Yesterday we had purchased a 'car flag' and I tied a yellow ribbon to Old Glory to show our support for the troops.
Within just a few minutes we saw Minute Gal who had driven down from New Port Richey. She already had two prospective Freepers she had just met. She gave them her 'FreeRepublic.com' business card. They were thrilled to meet kindred spirits and promised to check us out.
Soon people began gathering & we decided to do a Pre-Rally FREEP on Rte 41. Some had their own signs or used ones the Young GOP Clubs had provided which said: 'Free Iraq', 'Support Our Troops' and 'Support the President'. Some people had even brought their 2000 Bush/Cheney signs!
The immediate response from the motorists was fantastic. Beeping, yelling support, cheers & thumbs up! These people were clearly eager to show that they supported our troops and were proud to be Americans!
Soon reporters & photographers from the Sarasota Herald Tribune arrived and began to take pictures & interview the gathering crowd. As we got to be too many for one corner; I asked people to cross 41 and gather at the 4 corners. Soon there were American flags waving, many signs, and a throng of Red, White & Blue spread on the 4 corners of Ringling Blvd. and it was still an hour before the Rally was scheduled to start!
The response from the passing motorists was amazing.....I didn't see one middle finger the whole time! The cheers & horns were constant!
I was asked by one of the Young Republican organizers who were setting up the platform stage to get the crowds to march inside the Park at 11:45 so the Rally could begin promptly at Noon. Getting them to leave was no small task. I finally got the corner nearest the Park to leave & then kept waving to the other corners to break off 'Freeping'. They were reluctant....these people were 'natural born Freepers'....LOL.
Inside the Park there was a platform stage set up with a sound system. Promptly at Noon....the Rally began with an Invocation Prayer given by a local Pastor; the National Anthem song by his wife (I noticed a gentleman in a wheelchir struggle & succeed in raising himself to stand for the National Anthem and my eyes filled with tears)(I also saw photographer take his picture); the the Mayor of Sarasota, Carolyn Mason led us in the Pledge of Allegiance and it seemed to me that the words UNDER GOD were louder than the others.
There were a few short stirring speeches by Sarasota County GOP Chairman Tramm Hudson, State representaive Donna Clarke; County Commissioner Paul Mercier and finally State Senator Mike Bennett who reminded us that it is the soldier, not the reporter, who gives us our free press, it is the soldier, not the poet, who insures us our right of free speech and that it is the soldier who serves under our flag, and is buried with the flag draped on his coffin, not the protester who burns the flag, who protects the freedoms we all cherish!
During the Rally we made contact with more Freepers who recognized us due to FreeRepublic.com on our signs. We estimated the crowd at between 400-500 people including those who happen to be in the Park who came over to hear & cheer the speakers!
After thanking all for coming to show our troops that we support them, we were directed to march back to the 4 corners to demonstrate. This time the excitement was even stronger.....the 4 corners were filled to overflowing & the lines of signs & waving flags stretched a good distance along 41! The same enthusiastic response prevailed.....horns, cheers, waves & motorists yelling support!
The crowd was a great mixture of parents with young children & seasoned citizens, teenagers, Marine veterans with their Marine flags, many other Military Veterans wearing their hats & jackets and Freepers spread among the throng.
It seemed like everyone I asked; "Are you on the Internet?" responded; "Leni has already talked to us and we have the FR card". I walked around with stickers that said 'Support Our President And Our Troops' which sold out very quickly! Now wish I'd ordered 200 instead of 100.....but I'll place another order this week.
I'd made a sign for Leni that said: 'We're With W' and had a picture of Registered's poster 'Free Iraqi Women'. My sign had 'USA Land of the FREE thanks to our BRAVE TRPOOPS'on one side and 'HAVE YOU FORGOTTEN' with a drawing of the burning WTC on the other! That sign seemed to get the most response from the passing motorists....many yelled...."NO....We Remember!" as they drove by me. One even mentioned the song by the same title.
It was a glorious star splangled day to be in Sarasota!....After a cloudy start & threat of rain (I had prayed during the pre-Rally FREEP when I felt a drop....Dear God, please give us good weather for this Rally). Soon after the sun broke through and a gentle breese to flutter our flags came off the beautiful Sarasota Bay!
Thanks to all the Freepers who came from near & far to help make this Rally a huge success! It was a joy to be with such a fine gathering of EAGLES!
Also I ask all Freepers who came to share some of their thoughts and experiences!
And I want to express our mutual appreciation to MinuteGal who generously treated us all to a delicious (air conditions) lunch at Marina Jack after the Rally!
THANK YOU DEAR LENI! You are the greatest! THANK YOU FL FREEPERS! You are all PATRIOTS!
WWSB (Channel 40) just gave fantastic! coverage of the rally this afternoon. Very positive!!!
Estimated the crowd at 500!
M Kehoe, Tunehead54, and "First Lady"
Note to "First Lady": Please become a real FR member!
Perfect Stranger, JulieRNR21, and Blue Highway
The Lovely, Gracious, and Generous MinuteGal!
Hey! Good to see you all!
We had a small, but loud and spirited turn out in SW Miami, lots of horns honking and one walk-on Marine in dress uniform.
But being Banana Republicans all, we had an extra added feature...our very own "Support the Troops Wet T-shirt Contest"!!!
It poured on us, and we stood fast.
I'll get pictures up as soon as possible.
My sign drew quite a few thumbs up (different digit from the anti-America crowd).
They thank you.
Out of all the hours we spent on the corner, and in all that traffic, we saw only three cars of appeasement enthusiasts, one a bunch of strange pink ladies, and another a woman with a ring in her nose. Also one car of leftover hippies. But everyone else was yelling and giving the "thumbs up". Some enthusiastic truck drivers, too!
We carried our "Don't Tread on Me" Flag and a marine came over and showed me his tattoo of the same flag on his arm. He was obviously psyched by the support. One of the speakers gave a talk on how important it is to support the families of the troops, they are undergoing such stress and difficulties right now. The Young Republicans raised some money for them. What an excellent day. It was great meeting so many fantastic freepers. Many of the attendees had never heard of FR before, just out supporting America and the troops.
There is another troop support Freep in Venice tomorrow, for those who can make it.
Julie's WTC sign got lots of attention!
Florida Freepers, there's going to be another rally in Clearwater the first week in April. Julie will post all the details soon, so watch for it.
These pics are worth a thousand words, but NOTHING can convey the spirit, the enthusiasm, the camaraderie we experience on these freeps.
If you haven't freeped for country and troops, you haven't lived!
Leni
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