Posted on 02/16/2006 12:02:43 PM PST by tgslTakoma
Last Friday was the fourth week that Freepers, Protest Warriors, friends, lurkers and other supporters of our troops had all four corners of the main entrance at Walter Reed, on which we were able to display our signs, flags and banners of support for the Wounded Warriors healing inside the hospital.
BillF's computers have all suffered major malfunctions in the past two weeks, and he is unable to post his usual fabulous report again this week.
Albion Wilde is working on a TOP SECRET project for this Friday, so she is also unable to post her usual fabulous report.
So, you got me as the official After Action Reporter this week.
I have no list of names for the Honor Roll - it's locked up in BillF's computer. Bill told me this morning that he had a head count of 39 Freepers manning the four corners. The Code PinkOs had a bad turnout; no Code Pink leaders were present on their mid-block location at any point during the evening. At their peak, they had only nine people, and that was for only twenty minutes. Most of the evening they had their core group of radicals; Guitar Man, Weasel, Bruce and his wife Candace, a woman and her very elderly and wheelchair-bound mother (grandmother, in-law??) and one other guy.
Now that we own all four corners, there is no doubt in the minds of passers-by as to what side we are on - and the horn honks and shouts of support for our troops, and thank yous to us for being there, are overwhelming!
And when the cars drive by the new mid-block location for Code Pink? Nary a toot is sent their way.
Word is getting around inside the hospital that the lefties are no longer out front with their demoralizing signs and anti-America attitudes; and the wounded troops are venturing outside the gate nowadays. This week saw even more Walter Reed patients coming out to talk to us and thank us for being there. While standing alongside us out on the sidewalk, they see and hear for themselves what the media won't report - that the majority of Americans do support them and their mission.
It's a lot nicer now to stand on our four corners - we can focus our message solely on support of the troops. It's a little bit more difficult when the pizza arrives though; I have to "deliver" to twice as many locations now. Maybe I need roller skates?
You can view my photos from February 10th HERE. I have video, but haven't had time to do anything with it. Unfortunately I don't have any stills of the Fran O'Brien's bus arriving - I was doing double still/video duty, and only have video of the bus.
The Fran O'Brien's bus arrived very late last Friday night, but the large crowd who had stood on the four corners since 6:30pm weren't about to leave without welcoming them through the gates. And at around 10pm when the bus was spotted coming up Georgia Avenue, the four corners erupted in cheers, applause and a mass of supportive signs and flags a-waving!
Traffic was light, so the bus driver stopped at the intersection and after a few seconds he turned on the interior light before turning into WRAMC, and his passengers waved and smiled at the sight of a four-cornered welcome party, for them!
Again this week, we had several Freepers from out of state join us:
Dinasour (from CT) skipped the Friday night CPAC banquet to stand with Freepers supporting our troops.
Tax Relief, Huber and one of their young tax deductions (up here for CPAC) joined us from NC.
Sisku Hanne and her husband drove down from PA.
Doctor Raoul made a "Hoagies for Heroes" run, and I hear that it was a big hit in all the right places.
Ditto Joy, I just woke up. Or rather, somebody woke me up... our nephew flew in to visit with us this week, having arrived home in January from Iraq. We are having the best time just sitting in the same room : )
He was interviewed by three reporters on his return, and he told them all they're biased as all get out ; ) One apparently actually printed it!
This is a small version of tgslTakoma's MOAB at WRAMC FReep 43. If you want to see a bigger one (about 210 KB) that's easier to read (but takes a little longer to load), click on the small one.
And here's the bus returning - again, WRAMC FReep 43.
You can click on them to see larger versions.
The photos look great. Thanks for posting them, and for attending!
Those pictures are fantastic!
Sisku, my bros say THANKS to your hubby for the drinks.
and everybody, FWIW, I aced my VDOT concrete exam Thursday.
Thanks for all you guys do!
The small bus was not missed this week! Missed your smiling face!
Great photos iMac! Missed you and the Mrs. last night!
Congratulations Bob!
God bless all our FReepers who are faithfully there on Fridays representing us all so very well.
I remain firmly at your side in spirit.
Freepers Rock!!
Great pics - Thanks. We had them up again this week because the wind was blowing too much for the MOAB. Unfortunately too few people Friday (17th) cover ALL FOUR CORNERS and to hold them. We had to attach them to the fences.
It was cold last night to. From mid 60s at noon to wind chill near freezing by 8 PM.
[Mr] T
MR. T, are you sure it wasn't 70 below last night?
New job, new hours, more travel.
great pix, iMacMan! Thanks so much!
Way to go, Bob!
Good for him! I wish I could see that interview!
VDOT.....hooray!!
BTTT while I read on!
Wonderful pictures....I never got to see the bus from the front!! Thanks to concretebob we can now look forward to that!
4 corners bump!
Question to self...how did I get the blank space?
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