FReeper Million Santa March saves the day for Kensington Town, Montgomery County, Maryland!

HEAR YE, HEAR YE, HEAR YE - Last FReeper call to save Santa for the children of Kensington, Maryland ^ | The 2nd of December the Year of Our Lord 2001 | Hail Caesar, D.C. Chapter FReepers, Tyranny Response Team

[Hail Caesar]

At this point in time, I am just listing the highlights of subjects that those of you who were there and/or saw this on the news should comment on. I will post more detail later as verified information comes in. Thanks to everyone for your support and especially to those who showed up today. Also, may God Bless Free Republic for helping us communicate this way.

1. Kensington Town Kouncil "Taliban" were nowhere in sight today.

2. Mayor Raufaste spun this event out to the press as a "patriotic tribute" rather than a Christmas tree lighting.

3. Santa was NOT allowed to light the tree. The mayor used a wall of firefighters and rescue personnel to hide that fact.

4. All the major networks and news wires were there.

5. FReeper Santas dominated the event and made it very enjoyable for the children of Kensington. The oohs and ahhs from the kids were plentiful!

Much more to be posted, soon...

Honor Roll: Doctor Raoul, Gore_War_Vet, lurkette & son, kristinn, marylander, viadexter & sister, tgslTakoma, IMSAMBO, leadpenny, Jimmy Valentine's Brother, spaceman spiff, TBP & wife, drZ, lurker John & lurker wife Terri, ToleranceSucksRocks, Mister X, Clay More, Hail Caesar, plus many others whose handles I did not get at the scene (so please post your name/handle on this thread below!).

Fellow FReepers: please make sure to COMPRESS any photos or graphics you post on this thread! Thanks, in advance, for your cooperation.

[deadhead]

Ping

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

Merry Christmas and God Bless you, H.C.!

[RonDog]

MOST HONORABLE MENTION HERE GOES TO THE

KENSINGTON VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT

for defying the Kensington Kouncil and providing dozens of Santas last Sunday!

THEIR pictures are now on-line at www.KVFD.org:

Do you recognize any FReepers?

[Gore_ War_ Vet]

To kewl! Aerial shot from the ladder truck. Thanks.

[Hail Caesar]

Do you recognize any FReepers?

Yes, I do. Especially certain new FReeper and TRT recruits for a modern day "Sons of Liberty II" patriot group. ;-)

[Little Sister]

AND -- My nephew!!!

[Katya]

"This thread was created to document the wonderful things that the TRT/FReepers did in Kensington, Maryland, last Sunday, NOT as a sounding board for you and certain others to bitch about pet peeves or snipe at fellow FReepers who were there on the front lines.

HC you haven't been a freeper long enough to start maligning them. What's it been almost one year for you? TGSLTakoma asked you a legitimate question after you attacked Appy Pappy. You certainly go to great pains to not sound like a gentleman. She asked you to publicly disavow White's actions.
Bill's actions brought negativity to the freep...not people commenting on them.

I refrained from posting on, as you put it "YOUR thread" but now join in the chorus of freepers who would like to know where you stand in regard to the antics of BW?
Unless of course you invited White as a TRT member? Perhaps that explains your paranoia with potential ADL members showing up.

Go ahead and dismiss this as a personal attack by people obsessed, instead of addressing the issue....that's what the dems do.

[nicmarlo]

Notice the pathetic FEW items that the children of Kensington actually posted onto this banner. I wonder who donated this French flag

I'm glad it looks pathetic. What that town is doing is pathetic. And had you not mentioned the French flag, I wouldn't have noticed. The question I have is why a French flag? Were there other flags that were decorated, as well?

[Helix]

They are discussing this on Hannity and Colms in just a few minutes!

[Gore_ War_ Vet]

Ho! Ho! Ho! Welcome aboard Sis.
Remember here it's your job to sort the wheat from the chaff.

Good luck! Don't drink the Cool Aid

The only thing nessacessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.
Edmund Burke

[RonDog]

MORE pictures from the official www.KVFD.org website:

[Little Sister]

Haven't I heard that before??? Mom and Dad are lurking!

[Helix]

Ha Ha! On H&C when Hannity asked Susan Estrich why do you liberals want to ban Santa? Colms interrupted and said,"Shawn, it's not "you liberals", it's "Her". When asked about tolerance, Estrich said it was incumbant on the majority(christians) to be tolerant of the minority.

I guess she was the only one they could got who would stand up for the stupid council.

[kristinn]

I want to go on the record that I thought Bill White's sign and actions in Kensington yesterday were anti-semetic and just plain wrong, especially at a gathering filled with children.

This FReeper thinks Bill White is an a%%#ole.

[Hail Caesar]

Just checked on the Fox News Network channel here (Montgomery County, Maryland) and it appears that the Hannity and Colmes show was shown one hour (at 9:00 p.m. Eastern Time) earlier here. Will look for a repeat after midnight I guess (I hope?). Thanks for the heads up!

[RonDog]

See also:

Slews of Santas crash Kensington lighting

News/Current Events Extended News News
Source: Washington Times
Published: 12/03/01 Author: Jabeen Bhatti
24 comments.

Yes, Kensington, there is a Santa Claus. There are many. And they came to town yesterday despite being disinvited to the official tree-lighting ceremony by the Town Council last month. "They know I'm here," said Ken Forte, a Kensington, Md. volunteer firefighter who has portrayed Santa for 20 years, "and I'm happy to be here." Standing on a firetruck in front of the Kensington town hall, he was greeted with cheers by children, grinches, elves and a sea of Santas. About 1,000 people from far and wide attended the lighting of the red, white and blue Christmas tree and ...

10455775 posted on 12/3/01 5:08 AM pacific by veronica

Kensington Santa Ban

News/Current Events Miscellaneous
Source: Kensington Volunteer Fire Department
Published: 12/03/01 Author: Kensington Volunteer Fire Department
6 comments.

50 Pictures of the Kensington Tree Lighting multiple Santa appearance at their website.

10459307 posted on 12/3/01 8:59 AM pacific by UB355

Town is Aswarm with Protesting Santas

Culture/Society News Keywords: SANTA, PC, MARYLAND
Source: Baltimore Sun
Published: December 3, 2001 Author: Michael Scarcella
24 comments.

Kensington: Fifty Kriss Kringles visit a tree-lighting in a Washington suburb amid a dispute over a holiday symbol KENSINGTON - Santa Claus wasn't on the official guest list. But about 50 of his impersonators showed up as this Washington suburb - whose officials did not invite the bearded guy to its festivities - held its annual holiday tree-lighting yesterday. Hundreds of people, and a few apparent grinches basking in an accompanying media frenzy, turned it all into a raucous and at times un-Christmaslike affair for the 1,700 residents of the Montgomery County town. Santa wasn't invited, thanks to a unanimous ...

10463995 posted on 12/3/01 1:57 PM pacific by Angry Republican

Freeper-led Santa rally makes CNN

Culture/Society News Keywords: SANTA, KENSINGTON
Source: CNN
Published: Dec. 3, 2001
7 comments.

Just saw a video clip of the Kensington Santa rally on CNN, of all places! Way to go MD / DC / VA Freepers and friends!

10461997 posted on 12/3/01 11:35 AM pacific by wai-ming

[RonDog]

And:

Santas Inundate P.C. Town

Crime/Corruption Front Page News
Source: NewsMax
Published: December 3, 2001 Author: Carl Limbacher and NewsMax.com Staff
3 comments.

With Carl Limbacher and NewsMax.com Staff For the story behind the story... Click Here Monday, Dec. 3, 2001 Santas Inundate P.C. Town Ho, ho, ho: The political correct Grinches on the town council of Kensington, Md., couldn't steal Christmas after all. They tried to ban Santa Claus and ended up being the butt of nationwide ridicule and experiencing a flood of Santas. "It was a big mistake," said resident Ken Greaney, one of 21 fathers dressed as Santa. St. Nicks arrived by fire truck and pickup trucks, by car and motorcycles. Hundreds of people gathered Sunday at ...

10464829 posted on 12/3/01 2:37 PM pacific by RMeek

[Hail Caesar]

FReeper Santas to be on "O'Reilly Factor" show on now!

[Hail Caesar]

(somewhat) false alarm - FReeper Santas were NOT on the "O'Reilly Factor" tonight, however, the Kensington VFD's main Santa, Fireman Ken Forti was. Unfortunately, neither host John Kasich or Forti had all the facts straight. So as not to sound too harsh on those two, suffice it to say that at least the point was clearly made that the Santa-banning Kouncil members up for re-election next year will probably NOT win again. I think the fireman may have been intimidated into portraying more of the Mayor's own spin rather than what he really felt like saying. Nonetheless, overall he did well anyway.

[firebrand]

The Santas may not have been on the O'Reilly show, but the item was circulating around the Post/Fox building news zipper last night when I went past.