Posted on 05/18/2002 4:12:55 PM PDT by FreedomPoster
As discussed on previous threads, Cynthia McKinney held a "Veterans Town Hall Meeting" today in Decatur, GA. Nine FReepers were there to make sure the public and any reporters realized that McKinney has never before been interested in veterans or the military, and it sure is strange that she's starting now. See this thread for the reasons why.
Those present were: Me (FreedomPoster); RobFromGa and his lovely twin freeperette daughters (7? 8? years old); AFVetGal; "Be not afraid!"; dansangel; .45MAN; WhiskeyPapa; Apple Pan Dowdy; and later, Atlantian
Special thanks to vigilantcitizen, who wanted to come, but got called into work at the last minute, and who provided sign materials and one professionally stenciled sign.
Special thanks also to "Be not afraid!"; who got the demonstration permit and then wouldn’t let anyone chip in to help pay for it. Next time, we’ll have to call the Southeastern Legal Foundation and see if we really need such a thing to exercise our free speech rights on public property. It sure didn’t feel right, and was not the battle we were fighting today.
We started arriving in front of the library starting around 11:30. Several of us ate sack lunches, we made signs, etc. Sign slogans included:
"DeKalb Deserves Better - Saudi Arabia Please Take Her!"
(a reference to her radical Muslim support and her begging to the Saudi Prince for the $10 million)
"I’m not Fonda McKinney"
"Hey Cynthia, what planet are you from?"
"Honk if you support veterans" (we got a lot of honks)
Of course, there were many flags in evidence, and I was wearing my flag-motif shirt and hat from the ’96 Olympic Games, so I really stood out.
A Decatur policeman stopped briefly, and we spoke with him, explaining "we’re just a bunch of friendly, law-abiding conservative political protesters." He could pretty easily profile us to see we were a peaceful crew. I commented that "we’re here because Ms. McKinney is such an idiot", and he chuckled and said there were probably a lot of people who thought that.
At around 12:15, we split into a front group and a rear group to cover the entrances. I had brought a pair of Talkabout radios, so we had good comms. We handed out flyers (this is a Word document) to many who were just going to the library, and also to some veterans there for the meeting. We told them we were there to protest Ms. McKinney’s sudden interest in the military and veterans, when she hadn’t cared about them in the ten years she’s been in office, that we thought she was trying to get some favorable publicity involving veterans, and that we were there to set the record straight.
It does appear that Ms. McKinney did send a letter to the national VFW. A very distinguished-looking gray-haired gentleman got out of a car. When asked if he were a veteran, he replied "Yes I am." We told him why were we there and gave him one of our fliers. It turns out he was President of the National VFW last year, and was there to be on her veteran’s panel, and to keep an eye on what was going on. I think he was genuinely glad to see us there. Only one of the local VFW people I spoke with last week had heard of hte event, though we did see several BVA members go in.
Around 12:30, Cynthia’s father, local rep Billy McKinney came and harangued the gathered Freepers. He ending up playing the race card pretty heavily at his closing with us, when he headed into the building. Several of the McKinney supporters played the "you’re just a bunch of rich white people" race/class warfare card. We pointed out that they were bringing up the racial issue, that as far as we were concerned, there was nothing racial about Cynthia’s anti-Americanism. We pointed out that some of us were supporting Cynthia’s black opponent in the primary, and one of us (Apple Pan Dowdy) was involved in the black civil rights movement in Birmingham in the 60’s.
Around 12:40, a late model, shiney Toyota Land Cruiser parked right across from the entrance we were at. Four BIG black guys, all wearing dark 3- and 4-button suits, got out and arrayed them around the upper level back entrance. We gathered most of the Freepers out back, figuring she would come in there. I hope Apple Pan Dowdy got a picture of these heavies. A side note - after having been the recipient of the race/class warfare nastiness of some of the McKinney supporters, I point out that the two nicest vehicles there by far were the heavies’ Land Cruiser, and the Mercedes AMG S55 with the Morehead College plates (local Atlanta black school) that a very nicely dressed black woman arrived in. Yes, we’re just evil rich white folks, and they're all just so poor.
Some of the security guys disappeared inside, a couple were standing next to us at the back upper level entrance, when whoosh, Cynthia snuck in the lower level back entrance. We did get in a couple of chants of:
Hey hey, ho-ho,
Commie McKinney’s got to go!
There had been a local Fox News cameraman around that we had spoken with, and just after McKinney went inside, his reporter sidekick arrived. We think it was Tony D'Astoli, but aren’t sure. In any case, they took some shots of the group en mass chanting with all the signs, and then they interviewed me. We didn’t make the Fox 6PM news, so I’ll have my VCR rolling for the Fox 10PM news.
After taking some more hateful racist vitriol from a McKinney supporter (we suggested she look in a mirror to see a racist), we migrated back out front and handed out more flyers to pedestrian and auto-mobile passers-by. An NBC Channel 11 local news cameraman came by and took some video of us all, and I made a few statements and did a little Q&A. Their evening 6PM local news was pre-empted by the Preakness and the NBA playoffs. He told us to watch the 11PM news. Hopefully we’ll get on there.
After discussing events, and what had occurred, we decided that waiting another 1-1/2 hours for the event to end was a bit much, and we all saddled up and headed home to lawn mowing, grocery trips, time with family, etc.
Even if we don’t get on any of the local news programs, we made more than a few people think, we handed out a small pile of flyers, and we let these anti-Americans know we are watching them closely.
All-in-all, we did some good, it was good to meet some Atlanta FReepers, and there will be more of us next time. Let's do it again soon, Atlantans!
My friend that owns the digital print machine is back in town, and owes me a favor.
I was thinking an overall size of 4x6, and containing the Freerepublic logo somewhere...
Alright, waiting on y'all. I am going on vacation the second week in June, so get those creative cells firing..
Just checking in and still riding the wave of adrenaline from yesterday's FReep.
Wrote a lengthy and detailed e-mail, including the pics Apple Pan Dowdy so graciously included and bulk-mailed my mainly left-leaning family.
LOL! Can't wait for the reaction....heheheheheheh
Heck, I have to support the title of "black sheep of the family!"
PS....didn't .45MAN look great on the news last night? {{{{{{{{{{{HUGS}}}}}}}}}}}}} to you all. Can't wait for the next event that gets us back together!!!
I think Walgreens is who I've seen advertising that they provide this service, but if not -- I know it's a national chain, and you should be able to find them by sifting through the Sunday paper ad inserts. Maybe FReepers could help with which store(s) does this? Maybe a friend of yours has the capability and would be willing? (I can do that on my lapper, but it doesn't help you much, huh?!)
Good luck, and hope to see your Basset babies soon!!
ELECT MORE DEMONICRATS, LIKE McKINNEY, TO CONGRESS IN 2002!
Sounds like a winning bumper sticker to me!
I think that we should post this reality until after the election in November. This is the reality:
MAKE THE USA/WORLD SAFER FOR al QAEDA TERRORISTS!
ELECT MORE DEMONICRATS TO CONGRESS IN 2002!
We need to send this message to the Rat's reelection offices to alert them that we on to them.
Now THAT is funny!! And "ain't it the truth?!" All dogs who enter my domicile must be FReepublican dogs, or able to be converted! *VBG*
I vote we use it as a slogan on our next FReep. I think that will leave 'em speechless for once!
MAKE THE USA SAFE FOR al QAEDA TERRORISTS!
ELECT MORE DEMONICRATS TO CONGRESS IN 2002!
They will slither as fast as their scaly stomachs will allow them to Da$$hole and Gephardless and beg them to back off of this can of Bravo Sierra Worms! This Bravo Sierra of what GW knew, will mean a loss for them in the elections in Bush country and in many close areas in the 2000 elections!
Amen, Grampa. I hope you are right!
You could have two signs made up and carried side by side by two freepers:
Sign #1:MAKE THE USA SAFE FOR al QAEDA TERRORISTS!
Sign #2:ELECT MORE DEMONICRATS TO CONGRESS IN 2002!
In Georgia of course sign #2 would read:ELECT MORE DEMONICRATS, LIKE McKINNLEY, TO CONGRESS IN 2002!
They would become basket cases.
Then someone could have a sign stating that most of the highjackers of 9/11 didn't know what was going to happen! How could President know what they didn't know!
I tried to point out to Billy McKinnley that Klintoon had the same sort of "advance knowledge" (ie, no names, no dates, no facts!) of the 1993 WTC bombing, the 1997 US Embassy bombing and the 2000 USS Cole bombing, but he just kept shouting me down. Their mantra of choice was that we were "Rich White Nazi Racists," their answer to any allegation that they are incapable of answering intelligently.
SIGH> It's scary that these buffoons keep getting re-elected!
Let me know if your team does this and the response. Be prepared for them to lose it.
How about an "extended visit?" Plenty of FReeping possibilities in this territory!
I will stay and try to make Kali Land a better place for my grandkids like you and our Great Freepers with you are doing in Georgia.
The great thing about today is what we are doing right now. Free Republic enables us to make friends thousands of miles apart and to share ideas and resources for our battles.
The best of luck in your battle with this she devil right out of liberal hell!
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