Replies

Last year in Fayetteville, Doctor Raoul said: "In my time as an adult, the only times that I've been hit or challenged to fight, it's been a peace protestor hitting or trying to fight. Go figure." Nearby police officers laughed.

I know a police officer who's tangled with the "peace" protestors. He said, "For being peace protestors, they sure aren't very peaceful."

If at all possible, try to counter-protest the leftists in person. It's much more fun than watching them on TV. Here is a thread on that subject:

Global Day of Coordinated Actions (FReep ANSWER et al March 18-20)
International ANSWER ^ | on or before March 3, 2005 | some Stalin fan

Posted on 03/03/2005 3:26:42 PM PST by BillF

[UPDATED FROM AN EARLIER POST. LEFTISTS ARE TIMING THESE TO THE SECOND ANNIVERSARY OF THE START OF OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM. ALL EVENTS ARE ON SATURDAY, MARCH 19 EXCEPT WHERE NOTED. I've reformatted, left out some irrelevant info, and added emphasis. I will post rally info from another leftist group below on this thread. Check relevant leftist websites in case their plans change.]

[snip] =====
WHAT YOU CAN DO: Organize a counter-protest of the anti-war protestors emphasizing support for our country, our troops, and our President. Alternately, organize a "support the troops" rally to take place on the same day and in the same city as the anti-war rally nearest you. Or, attend a counter-protest or support troops rally already being held.*
The troops are fighting over there. Surely, you can give up a day or two of your free time to organize, support, and attend a rally to counter the hate-America first crowd.
HOW: Some suggestions:

Call the local police and ask about requirements for permits, restrictions on protest sign size and materials, and other laws involved in protests. In many locations, no permit is needed if you are going to be under a given number such as 25 people.
Plan an event. If possible, try to get a location across the street from the leftists or otherwise close, but not too close, to them. Try to have some barrier such as a street, hedge, or fence between them and your group IF you think it's necessary to control interaction between the groups and the police are unlikely to be deployed in numbers between the groups.
Publicize the event by starting a thread about your local Rally/Counter-protest. Contact other FReepers in your area by pinging them to the thread and using the state message boards. (Click here, then on an appropriate state message board. From there, you can locate some adjacent FReepers by clicking on the "[New Prototype -- Click for Members List].") Contact local veterans' organizations, GOP groups (especially College Republicans), Young Americans for Freedom, and all other groups (e.g., Second Amendment groups) that are likely to support our side.
Send out press releases to local media and contact local talk show hosts, especially conservative ones, who may be willing to promote, attend or speak at the event.
Make sure that all of your people know that the point is not to interfere with anyone else's rights, but to emphasize support for the troops and their mission. Give out or at least publicize rules for protesting such as DC Chapter's rules for protesting, especially if you have a few who might be overly zealous:

No violence, no threats, no profanity, no racism, no law-breaking.
Law enforcement officers must be treated with respect.
Stay out of the street at all times, except when using a crosswalk with the traffic light.
Do not block the sidewalk to pedestrian traffic. Keep your signs from hanging over into the street.
Do not block the signs of, nor get within 10 feet of, our opponents. Do not interfere with any media coverage of them. Our First Amendment rights are their rights, too.
Any arguments should be at 10 feet away to avoid conflict arising from passions on both sides. If you choose to get close to them physically, do so in friendship as fellow Americans only.
Do not give the middle finger, call people jerks, tell them to go home or get a job.
Take the high road. Be civil, but resolute, when you are cursed at or given the middle finger; point out the rudeness of the leftists by chanting, "Mean spirited arrogant condescending liberal."

Bring lots of American flags.
Have fun.

WHY: What good does a rally or counter-protest do?

Gets out a message to our troops that we support them.
Allows you to peacefully express your point of view. Much better than kicking in your TV when the leftists come on.
Upsets the leftists and demoralizes some of them. Prevents them from getting a free ride in the media.
[snip]
[FROM REPLY #2]
Anti-war events as listed by leftists at UNITED FOR PEACE AND JUSTICE (UFPJ) EVENTS (click here). The links within the following do NOT work. Go to the above UFPJ link and follow links from their pages if necessary.
[snip]

Indianapolis, IN
Midwest Peace Summit
Friday, March 18th 2005 11:00
Recurring Event
SPII, Students for Peace in Iraq, will sponsor the first regional "Midwest Peace Summit" to be held on the urban campus of IUPUI in Indianapolis, Indiana, Friday to Sunday, March 18 to March 20. Renowned author Michael Parenti will be the keynote speaker on Saturday afternoon. Everyone's favorite protest comedian and folksinger, Dave Lippman, will be on hand to perform his antiwar hits and "George Shrub" schtick. The three-day regional event will host a diverse array of progressive workshops, seminars, musicians, artists, scholars, and antiwar and civil libertarian activists. Michael Parenti will speak again on Sunday, March 20, at noon, from Monument Circle, at an "End the War in Iraq NOW!" rally held on Monument Circle, intersection of N. Meridian and Market Streets in downtown Indy. The rally is co-sponsored by Students for Peace In Iraq, the Indiana Peace and Justice Network (IPJN) and the (IPOR) Indiana Pledge of Resistance. Both the rally and a civil disobedience/resistance are being held in solidarity with world-wide protests that weekend on the second anniversary of the Iraq war and US occupation.

Rally at the Midwest Peace Summit: "US Out of Iraq NOW!"
Sunday, March 20th 2005 11:00
The regional "Midwest Peace Summit" on the campus of IUPUI from March 18 - 20 will culminate in an "End the War in Iraq NOW!" rally on Sunday, March 20, on Indianapolis' Monument Circle. The rally will coincide with the national day of protest sponsored by UFPJ and is sponsored by Students for Peace In Iraq (SPII) and the Indiana Peace & Justice Network. The rally will feature keynoter Michael Parenti and other speakers from peace and justice organizations throughout the region. There will be a regional critical mass bike ride to coincide with the rally.

RSVP â€¢ Nonviolent Civil Disobedience to End the War in Iraq NOW!
Sunday, March 20th 2005
There will be a nonviolent civil resistance on Sunday, March 20, following the end of the Midwest Peace Summit, which will be held in Indianapolis from March 18 - 20. Please consider forming affinity groups and join with activists from Indiana, Chicago, Champaine Urbana, Gary, Louisville, Columbus and Cincinnati, Ohio, to say 'END THE OCCUPATION OF IRAQ' 'TROOPS OUT NOW!' A nonviolent CD/CR training workshop will be held at the Midwest Peace Summit on Saturday, March 19. Pre-registration is advised. Action will be held following a rally on Monument Circle, intersection of North Meridian and Market Streets, Indianapolis, IN.

Terre Haute, IN
Bring the Troops Home Now!
Saturday, March 19th 2005 10:00 a.m.
Terre Haute Stop War on Iraq will hold a demonstration against the war from 10 a.m. to noon on March 19, at the Vigo County Courthouse located at 103 S. Third St. (At the corner of Third and Ohio Sts.) Please bring signs and noisemakers.

CLICK HERE FOR THE REST OF THAT THREAD.

Or, if you can't take advantage of this incredible opportunity to counter the leftists in person and have fun in the process (you haven't lived until you've FReeped the leftists in person), you may want to consider another tact.

Please consider writing letters to the editors of your local papers (also copying the reporter likely to cover the protest) both now and after the protest, opposing the protests. For example, you might point out that:

The lead group behind the anti-war protests, International ANSWER are self-admitted traitors. Their website includes the statement that "the anti-war movement here and around the world must give its unconditional support to the Iraqi anti-colonial resistance" (last page of 4 page ANSWER brochure at ANSWER website here: http://www.answerla.org/pdf/iraq/iraqresist.pdf). ANSWER's leaders are not anti-war. They just support the side fighting America. They support the people blowing up our troops in Iraq, intentionally killing innocent Iraqi civilians, and beheading American civilians.