DALLAS RALLY A SUCCESS (PHOTOS)

Texas Freepers ^ | 3/22/03 | SerpentDove; Ms. AntiFeminazi

[SerpentDove]

The Dallas Pro-America Rally was a success, despite a substantial amount of rain and chilly temperatures.

The Associated Press estimated approximately 3,000 in attendance, which was commendable considering the inclement weather.

For photos, scroll down.

FReepers confirmed in attendance were: Clinger (Charles Lingerfelt, the rally’s organizer), SerpentDove (me- the photographer), Ms. AntiFeminazi, who helped Clinger tremendously in pulling this together, LurkerNoMore! RonH, PetroniDE, MeeknMing, Conservative, littlebit (rally organizer), cowgirlcutie, erkyl, Slyfox, Strela, Concerned, Swake, Stultis, Houmatt, ANTI-LEFT, "Tony" Aguilar (rally organizer), HHFi, Ben Chad, TaqueriaFanatic, eBay Artist, and Shooter 2.5.

Any other FReepers who attended, please respond.

Ms. AntiFeminazi:

Okay, I know there are lots of complaints about the sound system, but the only way to guarantee one in rainy conditions like today would be to buy it myself. lol. We had a powerful sound system planned. The guy with the platform and speakers showed up, but the guy with the electronic components chickened out because of the rain. He was afraid of ruining his equipment. We would have let them set up on the porch, but he couldn't be convinced.

The media that I know of there with cameras and reporters were:
ABC
NBC
CBS
CNN
FOX
The Associated Press
Univision
WB33 (Warner Bros.)
KRLD AM 1080
KLIF AM 570
WBAP AM 820

ALL of our scheduled speakers showed up, including the congressmen and few other elected officials, and all did a fine job of speaking, even if they were a bit hard to hear over the PRO-AMERICA honks from passerbys and responding yells from the crowd! :)

FReepers to the left of me, FReepers to the right.

L to R: Strela, Ron H, Tony Aguilar, Stultis, Houmatt, SerpentDove, Ms. AntiFeminazi, MeeknMing, PetroniDE

PetroniDE has already informed me that he is going to publicly accuse, in this very thread me of giving lousy directions to the rally.
You must not listen to him. Between me and you, he is a *very* confused man. He's from H-O-U-S-T-O-N.

(Now that's what I call a "pre-emptive strike.")

;-)

>

These Cub Scouts were actually passersby who did not aprticipate in the rally.
I (SerpentDove) was holding a large flag on an 8-foot pole, when the boys saw the flag flying from across the street.
Spontaneously, they all jumped up on the little cement cylinders, put their hands over their hearts, and started saying the Pledge of Allegiance.
It was really something. I had to run over for a photo. I said "Okay, boys, the Pledge of Allegiance!"
Then I snapped this picture.

This is a shot of the hippy-dippy peacnik protestors.
No, your eyes are not playing tricks on you. Do not adjust your monitor. There are only two of them.
I think later in the rally, the number skyrocketed to seven. Maybe it was six.
I was never good with numbers.

This is a little Kurdish girl.
There were very many Kurdish citizens in attendance, who were all exrtemely passionate
and extremely vocal about ousting Saddam Hussein. Many carried photos of the atrocities committed by the Iraqi regime.
The emotion they expressed was palpable.

Elm Street. The JFK Memorial is in the background.

Kurdish citizens.

These are the peace protestors again. I mean, protestor. Maybe the other one went for a bite to eat.
Thankfully the barricades were there to keep the huge, bloodthirsty mobs of peacniks from attacking us.

ASSORTED RALLY PHOTOS:

I had to censor that one for the kiddies.

FReeper Strela

Charles Lingerfelt, rally coordinator.

President Bush and two of his friends made a surprise appearance. Oh, and I'm diggin' that poster.

Kurdish children take the platform.

I like this guy. His shirt says, "God Bless Harry Truman."
I asked him about it, and he said, "Harry Truman saved my life. I was about to be sent into Japan when he dropped the bomb and ended the war."
Come to think of it, he saved MY life, and I wasn't even born yet.

U.S. Representative Pete Sessions, Tx.
His father is former FBI Director William Sessions.

One of the most moving things in the whole rally was the constant honking of horns in support of
our responsibilities in Iraq. The noise was incessant, the cheers were breathtaking.
There must be about eleven peaceniks back there now. Okay, so I lied.
I told you I was never good with numbers.

[Ron H.]

Thank you for all the nice pics ! . . .

You're welcome. I apparently failed to mention that one needs to place their mouse pointer over an image to read the picture fotnotes and to click on the image to see the original full size image.

[Ms. AntiFeminazi]

cowgirlcutie, freepmail or e-mail Clinger about your packages. He may not see the ping here. He is packaging them to deliver on Monday.

[Mind-numbed Robot]

I was there. I met Strela and he said we were to meet later by the sign for pictures. I stood around with him afterward for about 15 minutes but then decided to get out of the rain and left. I saw a group taking pictues at the sign but I didn't think is was freepers as Strela was standing behind them about 10 ft. with his sign. Sorry I didn't meet more of you.

[PetroniDE]

If it is the black one with the red strap, YES. I usually bring it, just in case. The sound system people backed out at the last second, so they didn't have a true sound system. While the bullhorn wasn't perfect, at least a larger portion of the crowd was able to hear the speeches.

[MeekOneGOP]

Thanks. I noticed that. I have sent some of those off in an e-mail report to some of my non-FReeper buddies ! . . .

[SerpentDove]

Nice pics, Ron.

Great crowd shots.

I will try to make it to the rally in Austin.

SEE YA!

SD

[Stultis]

Thanks. For what I subsequently (and more calmy) told them about Kuwait, which they had also trashed, look here.

[Happy2BMe]

Freedom Is Not Free

How many anti-war, anti-Bush, anti-military, anti-matter protestors have come out coast-to-coast - breaking, looting, trashing, supporting terrorism, and tresspassing?

A million? Two Million?

How many other United States citizens abided by the law, respected their President, were thankful for the freedoms they have in America, and quietly and reverntly support and pray for our troops defending their freedom?

Two-Hundred Million?

Two-Hundred and Forty Million?

[strela]

I'm sorry I missed meeting you strela. I saw you, but I didn't know who you were. Next time we'll have to meet!

Its hard to hook up at intimate little gatherings of 3000 people like that, isn't it? ;) Sorry I missed you as well.

I'm taking 3 (really 2 half and one whole) cameras to get pics developed this afternoon.

I'm beginning to think that just taking a disposable and taking snaps is the way to go. I've taken digital cameras to rainy Freeps four or five times, and each time the pictures didn't come out or there were other technical failures.

[strela]

It was a pleasure to talk to you! With the snarky weather, I was pleasantly amazed that we had the turnout that we did. The hat made all the difference - I can hang a lot longer if I can keep my face dry than if I can't.

[strela]

The bullhorn was the logical choice for the conditions. However, speaking strictly for myself, I couldn't hear it (I was in the back of the knot of people).

I read in a previous response that the electrician refused to connect a 120VAC power source because of all the rain. I think its time that I research, devise, and construct some sort of light, portable PA system that has enough oomph to be heard in a large group like this, safely, in any weather conditions.

[strela]

Have you ever wondered if those poor slobs were actually just the "bought and paid for homeless bums" we've been hearing about?

Yessir. And, the federales sure seemed to know them as well - didya notice that all the police cars, barricades, and general police presence was on the OTHER side of the street, right next to our comic relief? I think I saw 2 cops in yellow slickers in the crowd on our side all day.

[esoteric]

Thank you for the great pictures.

I LOVE the "This is your president, this is your president on drugs" poster.

The little Kurdish girl with the flag draped over her shoulders is a powerful picture. Fantastic job.

[Ms. AntiFeminazi]

Got my pics back! We're in a few pictures together too! Sheesh! Which one of us is too shy? lol I'll work on loading them. It may be a couple of hours before I get them done.

I love disposables. There's sort of a running joke about me and disposables though because I tend to set them down and leave them places. People I probably don't even know probably have pictures of me (and Jim, and Alan Keyes, and etc, etc, etc) lol. I'm sorry I lost the pics I had of Jim.

[strela]

Great - I look forward to seeing 'em!

Which one of us is too shy?

That would be me. And yes, I still have traces of agoraphobia. It took me a long time to get to where I could be in a crowd of more than 10 people without retreating in blind terror.

[Ms. AntiFeminazi]

I'm sorry I missed you too! Okay, lesson learned for next time - ALWAYS plan a freepmeet for food and drinks immediately after an event! My bad.

[nhoward14]

Wonderful pics...

I missed the actual getting out on the sidewalk and being a participant due to necessary errands, but I did get to drive past the rally about 4PM and honk for the cause. I found it hilarious as my personal bet came true:

RAIN = NO PEACENIKS

[Ms. AntiFeminazi]

Okay, so this isn't related to the Rally, but I had to post this pic of good friends having dinner after the TX GOP convention in Dallas last summer. :)

Seeking the Truth, MAF, LurkerNoMore! and spouses

Back to the rally! Here are the only protestors I saw. I know there were a FEW more, but they didn't stick around long!

Two "lesbian, atheist, socialist" protestors. LOL!

The next few pics were taken about half an hour to an hour BEFORE the rally.

Clinger and "Tony" Aguilar test the sound equipment bullhorn :)

The Rally begins!

Media Trucks

People still arriving

I posted these pictures because they are NOT the same crowd that you see lined up along the street. It was very difficult to get a good picture to show the depth of the crowd behind the street, but there were many more people than those street shots show.

More pics to come...

[LurkerNoMore!]

Hey LNM! Why didn't you tell me strela was there?!

I thought he 'wasn't supposed to be there". Wait... that was someone else! Sorry 'bout that, Maf.

Strela is a treat to meet. And has a matching hat.

[Mind-numbed Robot]

I hope your camera is better than SerpentDove's. I am young, tall, and trim but in the only picture I am in that he took I look like an antigue teapot - old, short, and stout. :-) Got to be the camera.