Ashland, Oregon Rally Report

Sir_Ed

[Sir_Ed]

Ashland, Oregon Rally Report

We had a great rally in Ashland, Oregon this past Saturday, with around 60 people showing up to support us. Not as many people as have been showing up in Medford, which is only 10 miles away but worlds apart culturally. Ashland is a liberal, artsy-fartsy college town and Medford a blue-collar industrial town, just a few scant years removed from its logging and mining roots.

The anti-war people stood right next to us, on the same side of the street. They didn't really give us a bad time, other than the incessant drone of their ever-present drum. They also didn't have any creepy papier-mache giant puppets, thank God! The fact that it's Spring Break may have contributed to this, as the kids might've been boozing it up in Cancun!

We sang a bunch of patriotic songs, waved a bunch of signs and flags and cheered every car driving by that gave us a thumbs-up. (But...were the thumbs-up good or bad?!) Half of the cars driving by were neutral, with maybe 25% of the cars honking and waving at us.

Roughly 25% of the cars driving by us were anti-war, with a few people giving us the finger and the majority just flashing a two-fingered peace sign. We co-opted their peace signs, however, by flashing the same two fingers back at them and yelling "V for Victory!" It really pissed a lot of people off when their peace signs came back to them as V for Victory signs! Heh heh heh! A few people registered their feelings by changing the two upheld fingers to one upheld finger!

Below are some of the peaceniks that showed up. There was no real discord between the two sides, other than a series of heated arguments.

Here's the Palestinian flag.

 

What's with the drums???

 

Rastafarians? Yeah, mon!

 

V for Victory or peace?! You decide!

 

Beautiful Ashland hills in the background!

 

The next "Are You Hot" contestants?

 

 

Below are some pictures of the sane side! (I think!)

Here's me holding my friend Augusta's Twin Towers picture, and her brother John.

 

My friend Augusta holding the picture she took of the Twin Towers.
Her brother John is to her left, and my sister Nikki is to her right.

 

My sister Nikki holding her "We Gave Peace A Chance" sign,
and her friends to her left. Both of their husbands were Navy vets.

 

Here are some random pictures.

Peaceful co-existence between the two sides.
(None of the really hard-core Peaceninnies showed up,
they were either in Cancun, or couldn't Cancome to the rally!)

 

The Peacenik part of the rally, right next to us...no one knew why the cops didn't separate us.

 

He drove around the block repeatedly, honking his horn!
It was kind of a counterpoint to their irritating drum!

 

Lithia Plaza, off of Lithia Park. If you're ever in Ashland, be sure and visit.
Its Shakespeare Festival is renowned throughout the world.
The park will be filled with swans, jugglers, lesbians and Thespians asking,
"Wherefore art thou, Romeo?"!

 

These guys show up whenever the Women In White show up and hold their
"Are You Commies Lost?" sign. He usually has a map of Red China next to it,
with an arrow pointing towards it!

 

 

[x1stcav]

I can't believe you folks rally'd this much support in the people's republic.

Good on ya!

[milagro]

A huge HOOAH from Rogue River for supporting our troops. I know my son who is serving with a Patriot Missile battery in Israel would be encouraged by your demonstration. Heck--I am encouraged. Thank you so much!

[anymouse]

Way to go Oregon FReepers. Eagles up!

[Mr. Silverback]

About that photo of the "War is Terrorism" banner...Next week, have someone stand next to it with a sign that reads "I'm With Stupid." Certainly, it is deserving. Eagles up and good work, folks!

“Now that’s some funky freepin’!”

[Mr. Silverback]

"Peace In Our Time" ROTFLMBO!!

[Mr. Silverback]

These guys show up whenever the Women In White show up and hold their "Are You Commies Lost?" sign. He usually has a map of Red China next to it, with an arrow pointing towards it!

Oooohh! I have a new sign! Thanks, bet the local peaceniks will love that!

[maranatha]

Bless you and your son. Great photos of a great rally you Oregon Freepers.

[Archie Bunker on steroids]

I've been yelling "Kent State" to every war protestor I've seen in the area.

[tubebender]

These guys show up whenever the Women In White show up and hold their "Are You Commies Lost?" sign

In Humboldt County it's the woMEN in Black doing some kind of witch craft...

Ashland is a neat little town but I felt out of place there. We stay in Medford when we visit.

[ARepublicanForAllReasons]

Really great pics! I especially like the 'rastafarians' with the sign that reads, 'Peace in Our Time.'
I just returned from a drive through California, and what I encountered was basically the same, though I avoided large cities (and large demonstrations). I saw only a few scaggly hippy types, walking or lurking along route 101, in one's, two's, and three's. One chick in the supermarket parking lot was approximating Brownian motion, holding a protest sign. She waved it in my direction in desultory fashion, but I refused to read it, instead turning my head away while throwing her a 'Please put a lid on that garbage' look.
The N Cal coast seems to be the cutting edge in hypocritical elitist posturing these days. Harsh intrustions into their 'good life' are not welcomed. They drive SUVs, but their SUVs carry bumperstickers that say 'BUll $Hit', and 'No War for Oil'(how do they feel when they pull into a service station?)

[Sir_Ed]

I screwed up. You're right. It IS the Women in Black that are the commies! The Women in White are the counservative counter protesters. My apologies to the Women in White!

Ed

[SakoL61R]

Thanks! Nice to hear some Freeper news from my hometown.... grew up out by Emigrant Lake in the hills.
Sako

[Sir_Ed]

Thanks! The ones in Medford are much bigger! Grants Pass, unfortunately, hasn't been able to muster anything other than a paltry few Peaceninnies in fron of the Post Office.

ed

[Sir_Ed]

Hey...you're in Rogue River? Cool! I actually live in Grants Pass, but GP hasn't had any rallies other than the Pro-Israel rally we had.

Freep me if there's ever one in RR...I really love your town, BTW!

Ed

[Sir_Ed]

I love that sign! They are so pretentious and pompous, the Women In Black...

Ed

[fire_eye]

They drive SUVs, but their SUVs carry bumperstickers that say 'BUll $Hit', and 'No War for Oil'(how do they feel when they pull into a service station?)

My favorite of *all* time, I saw in Ashland.

It was an SUV - and an expensive one - with a bumpersticker that said "Live Simply - That Others May Simply Live".

(yeah, I know... nobody ever accused a Lieberal of having a brain...).

And... I'm sorry to say this, but Ashland could solve a lot of its problems by getting rid of the Shakesqueerian festival.

I like Shakespeare as much as anyone, but that kind of thing attracts fruitcakes like Schumer attracts flies...

[Sir_Ed]

Nice! Why'd ya' leave? Although, I left Alaska, Montan and North Idaho, so I can relate to leaving beautiful areas!

Ed

[Sir_Ed]

Shakesqueerian...heh heh heh!

Ed

[SakoL61R]

The flying bug bit me at an early age (got my private at Ashland) and I'm still seeing the world. The Mrs. and I have been back many times to visit the Rogue Valley. A move back could be in our future as well.
BTW, great pix. Brought back some memories... Kinda surprised at not seeing more groovy-granola-tree-huggin'-stupid-sign-havin'-peace-preachin'-diversified types attempting a "counter rally". Then again, it was probably a good day to be skiing on the Big A.
Sako