AFTER ACTION REPORT: Rally for Gen. Tommy Franks & Our Troops Richmond VA 11-13-04

11-15-04 | Flora McDonald

[Flora McDonald]

The Richmond Forum brought a true American Hero, General Tommy Franks, to Richmond, Va. on Saturday, November 13, 2004.

Knowing that a group of socialist anarchists would be there to harass attendees, our local Political Action Team got into gear. FReepers, Protest Warriors and United Conservatives of VA joined ranks to rally for the General and our Troops.

With American flags and signs of support, six of us stood in a line near the entrance and greeted people coming to the event. It was great to see so many veterans, some of them in wheelchairs, many wearing hats or jackets with insignias from their years in service. There were young men and women in uniform who got especially loud whoops and "thank you's" from us. It was a great turnout.

People thanked us, gave us the thumbs up and the victory sign. Some shook our hands, but the best part was their big smiles when they read our signs, saw the flags and realized we were there in support of America's Freedom Fighters.

The expected rabble rousers came late, slinking around in the dark behind a car parked across the street for a long time. It was a breezy night. The bong must have been awfully hard to light.

Their signs were impossible to read that far away so they crossed the street and mashed their bodies in between us and the entrance. GeorgeW23225 bore the brunt of that aromatic assault.

The anarchists formed two lines, forcing event-goers to walk a narrow gauntlet between them. Assaulted by anti-Franks, anti-America adolescent screaming screeds, people tried to navigate the five foot width of the gauntlet.

Two VCU students walked by and watched the proceedings, crossed the street and watched some more. Then they ran across the street towards us and I thought, "Uh-oh, here it comes!" The young man grabbed my hand and sqeezed it so hard I winced. "Thank you, thank you so much for being here." He and his friend went down our line and shook all of our hands. They disappeared for awhile and came back with signs to join us for the duration.

It was just awesome.

God bless General Tommy Franks, God bless our Troops and God bless America!

[Flora McDonald]

The local paper covered General Franks speech. Unfortunately, while part of the article dealt fairly with him, it included two paragraphs about the protesters and what looked suspiciously like material from an anti-Franks pamphlet.

Not a word about the eight of us which made me wonder if the reporter even bothered to come outside or just wrote directly from the protesters press release.

We were pretty hard to miss!

[ConservativeMan55]

A freeper needs our help!!!

[Flora McDonald]

THE GOOD GUYS!


GeorgeW23225 hasn't stopped smiling since Nov. 2nd!"


A Protest Warrior who joined us. He's a 20 yr. Navy vet. Submarines no less!!!


Her first FReep, our young friend is the proud daughter of a Navy man.


Helmut113 and automike hold the line for Tommy.


The young lady's sign says "We apologize for our generation.", the young man's sign says "We support Operation Iraqi Freedom". They are VCU students who were disgusted by the protesters and came to lend a hand.

THE BAD GUYS


Four years of college and $60,000 later he still has nothing to write home about.


I had to post this one because the guy on the left has the biggest mouth I have ever seen in my life!

[Flora McDonald]

RaceBannon is a good FReeper and I'll be sending a contribution for sure!

[ConservativeMan55]

THANKS!

[Gabz]

Ya done good!!!

As usual.

As much as I love where I live - there are times I wish I wasn't quite so far removed ffrom civilization.....i miss all the fun!

[Trteamer]

Outstanding! I hope you got in a few choice words to the leftists for me!

Thanks for the FReep.

[BillF]

Super FReep, report and photos.

Wish I could have been there.

[nw_arizona_granny]

Thank you.

For being there.

For caring enough to be a Freeper.

Thank you for being a good American.

[Flora McDonald]

We had a great time. I wish you could have been there too! Maybe we'll meet up again in Norfolk one of these days.

[Flora McDonald]

Most of the crowd had to walk by us first so we would wish them a good evening, ask them to give our best to Tommy and to hold their noses when they got to the entrance.

One of Richmond's perennial panhandlers was there too, spouting about how Bush masterminded 911 but most of the anarchists were young ones. Fresh meat for the brown shirt brigade who organized them.

[Flora McDonald]

Aw, I'll bet you were busy polishing your dancing shoes for the FReeper Ball!

Seriously, you DC FReepers deserve a long rest, a good party and a commendation from W for all you've done these past months.

[Flora McDonald]

The Dark Side has posted a report on Richmond Indymedia. Here are a few hilarious excerpts.

Quotes from the protesters: "...Hoisting a banner reading, “End the occupations,” the protest was not well-received by attendees of the Franks event...."

"....Many a thumbs-down peppered with a few middle- finger salutes were given to the protesters." (Editorial comment by Flora, they are referrring to people entering the theatre, not FReepers)

..."“Get a job!” “You lost!” “End the occupations of what?” were shouted at the group...."

"One person who was entering the Landmark shouted, “Why don’t you shout in Arabic? It’s what they do over there!”...."

"...A small cluster of 8 counter demonstrators greeted the Landmark patrons. Waving U.S.flags and holding signs of “Straight Girls Heart Men in Uniform,” the group applauded entrants..."


And saving the best quote for last:

" "...As she was about to go into the theater, one woman shouted “Stop this! My son is over there!” at the protests and proceeded to slap two of the protesters."

end of quotes from the Dark Side

IT WAS A GOOD NIGHT TO BE A FREEPER IN VIRGINIA!

[nw_arizona_granny]

" "...As she was about to go into the theater, one
woman shouted “Stop this! My son is over there!” at
the protests and proceeded to slap two of the
protesters."

end of quotes from the Dark Side

IT WAS A GOOD NIGHT TO BE A FREEPER IN VIRGINIA!

Wonderful!

How perfect. Wonder if there are 2 fools out there,
wondering what hit them.

[Chieftain]

Out-FREEPIN-standing FReep! Big Florida FReeper SALUTE to a great bunch of Virginia FReepers - you make us very PROUD to be FReepers!

My only regret is that I wasn't close enough to join you!

I wish you would have had a HUGE copy of this sign with you...

[R. Scott]

Love the balloon! It sounds like something a DI would say!

[tgslTakoma]

Great report on a great job, Flora!

Send my thanks to the Richmond Freepers, for sticking up for the good guys - and standing against the loony left.

[bluesagewoman]

Fantastic report! Sounds like you got under the peacenik's skin. HooHoo! They get so silly when no one pays attention to them.

[Mr. Silverback]

LOL!

[Mr. Silverback]

”Now that’s some funky freepin’!”

And God bless those 2 VCU students! They were great!