[DrewsDad]

From the Austin [un]American [mis]Statesman Article

Show of support for Bush, troops

By Jeffrey Gilbert

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Monday, March 31, 2003

Some painted their faces red, white and blue. Others held up signs that showed their support for President Bush. One woman even dressed as the Statue of Liberty. But almost everyone at the south steps of the Texas Capitol on Sunday afternoon came for a single reason: to show their support of the troops overseas and the war in Iraq.

Organizers and state troopers said that 1,500 to 2,000 people attended the "Rally for America" sponsored by the Young Conservatives of Texas at the University of Texas.

The turnout made it the largest pro-troops rally in Austin in recent months.

"The goal here is to show the men and women who are fighting that we support them and that we think they are right," said Brian Bodine, spokesman for the group.

Alan Sager, chairman of the Travis County Republican Party and a lecturer at UT, was the emcee.

"What a great day in Austin, Texas," he said with cheers of "U.S.A." in the background.

The rally lasted about 75 minutes and included five speeches from people supporting the war. Rick Green, a former state representative from Dripping Springs, encouraged everyone to be patriotic all the time, not only after events like the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

"We need more than renewed patriotism; we need informed patriotism," he said. "People need to come out here because it's the right thing to do, not because it is fashionable."

Law enforcement officials said it was a peaceful rally with no arrests. About 10 war protesters stood at the entrance to the Capitol with signs against the war and for peace.

"These are a bunch of mindless people, led by other mindless people," peace protester Dave Neff said, referring to people at the main rally. "I think we should be giving peace a chance by helping with love and not fear."

Jaughn Jackson, who attended the rally and served in the U.S. Army for 20 years, said he thinks the peace protesters need to move on.

"Most people like me have jobs and don't have time to lay in the streets," Jackson said. "These people need to understand how they got their freedom."

Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson said he was expecting to see more demonstrators against the war at the rally.

"I don't know if I am qualified to be here," Patterson said. "I don't have orange hair. I don't have body piercings. I'm not laying on Congress or beating a drum."

Patterson spent most of his time complimenting Bush and the decisions he has made.

"This is not about popularity, and this is not about polls," he said. "We hired a commander in chief to make tough decisions, which sometimes are not popular. That's what we have in George W. Bush."

Sager concluded the rally by thanking the Young Conservatives of Texas, who he said are part of what makes teaching worthwhile.

He also criticized college students who rally against the war.

"They don't have a moral education," Sager said. "They think that Saddam Hussein is like you and me. They can't imagine someone using children as human shields; they think we made it all up. Your job is to educate the children around your home. Some of the kids just don't get this."

jgilbert@statesman.com; 445-3658

[TXBubba]

Thanks for that post. Were there any pictures with the article?

[DrewsDad]

Here is a Daily Texan(deadly toxin) Article

Mu-Ming Chen/ Daily Texan Staff

Charles Kastner of Austin waves the American flag in support of the war effort and President Bush during a pro-war rally held at the Capitol Sunday afternoon.

Pro-war rally on Capitol draws 2,500

By Elliott Blackburn (Daily Texan Staff)

March 31, 2003

Pro-war activists rallied under the flutter of American and British flags on the South steps of the Capitol Sunday to hear speakers praise the Bush administration and decry anti-war protesters.

Brian Bodine, the Young Conser-vatives of Texas executive director and event organizer, estimated the crowd at 2,500.

Speakers included U.S. Congress-man John Carter and Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson. All were clear in their support of President Bush and U.S. troops fighting in Iraq.

"You cannot support the troops and not the commander-in-chief," Patterson said.

The rally opened with prayer, the national anthem and the pledge of allegiance. Families with relatives in Iraq and veterans of previous wars were recognized and called to the foot of the Capitol steps.

Former state representative Rick Green said war was a last resort, but the United States was justified.

"We all want peace," Green said. "But [anti-war protesters] are so blinded that they do not see that ... the depravity of [some men] causes us to go to war sometimes."

"You do not get peace through weakness and appeasement. You get peace through strength."

Col. Hugh Shine of the Texas National Guard agreed, stating U.S. military strength carried certain obligations.

"America has the ability and the responsibility to shape world events," Shine said.

Alan Sager, a University of Texas lecturer in the Department of Government, also criticized anti-war protesters.

"A lot of these kids do not have a moral compass," he said.

Sheila Green, 45, said she had also attended a similar, smaller rally last Sunday.

"There are so many protests against the war," she said. "I wanted to say, with my one voice, that I support it."

Green said she believed that the president is waging war for the right reasons and that sometimes sacrifice is necessary.

"A lot of people say that war is a terrible thing, and it is," she continued. "But if there were no people to fight in the Civil War... slavery ended because men and women died on both sides."

Rick Green urged the crowd to not let their voices be reserved for rallies and to continue to educate themselves on the issues.

"We need more than renewed patriotism, we need informed patriotism," Green said.

During and after the rally, customers swarmed around stands selling pro-war yard signs printed by the Travis and Williamson County Republican parties.

Steven Hopkins, president of Hopkins Art Design, handled the busiest table just outside the Capitol gates, selling T-shirts. He began printing the shirts in addition to his usual Longhorn sports fare at the requests of friends, he explained. Business was brisk.

"The main purpose of [these shirts] is not to produce a profit," Hopkins said. "It's to make more of them."