Conversations With The Mob: An After-FReep Report

[AnnaZ]

 

 

 

We had to drive past the protest site twice. We thought it was going to be a rally site. We were mistaken. It was around seven-thirty a.m.

 

On the second lap we frenziedly scanned the signs and faces for something or someone familiar, or friendly, for Old Glory, anything. "There! I saw a freerepublic sign!" exclaimed HangFire. And ties. Ours was the only group with ties. We were seriously outnumbered.

 

We parked the car and walked to the intersection, a little nervously, yet HangFire still boldly unfurling his American flag. Ahead of us a man trod upon his.

 

We met up with the rest of Free Republic's LA Chapter: The Hollywood Resistance Force. RonDog and Tony in Hawaii* (*but not really, I guess) looked great in their ties, and they were flanked by diotima, Bob J, DoughtyOne, Floratina and daviddennis (and a couple of people whose names I didn't catch). feinswinesuksass showed up shortly thereafter. We were lucky. doug from upland, although also present, never found us.

 

Around three hundred protesters dwarfed and engulfed our small but valiant team. The mob filled the three open corners and sidewalks at the intersection of Wilshire and Westwood Boulevards, site of The Regency Club where President George W. Bush was to be headlining a campaign fundraiser for California's next Governor, Bill Simon.

 

 

~~~

 

 

                Diotima: I fear for my country.

 

To our left (no pun intended) lots of young, attractive, mostly white people, voluntarily burqha'd it seemed with sweatshirt hoods over their heads and bandanas obscuring their faces from the eyes down, carried signs proclaiming various forms of communist rhetoric and condemning harshly all things Bush -- truth need not always apply. Our other flank was the unions-and-their-lackeys stronghold. Same signs.

 

                Diotima: They hate my sign.

 

One side of it read: HONK 4 SIMON. But it was the other side of it that she was referring to, the side she was holding aloft as she was walking up and down the sidewalk, holding it above the heads of the protesters: OSAMA FAN CLUB.

 

A Young, Handsome Tho' Misguided Protester (YMP) approaches.

 

                YMP: Hey, you know your sign's not fair. You shouldn't have that sign.

 

                A FReeper: She's using her sharp and biting wit.

 

                YMP: But she's misrepresenting us.

 

                Diotima: No, I'm not. That's what you are.

 

                A FReeper: What do you care, you outnumber us 30 to 1.

 

                YMP: But she's misrepresenting our message. That's not what we're saying.

 

                Diotima: But that's what I'm saying.

 

He shuffles off.

 

 

~~~

 

 

Another Young, Handsome Tho' Misguided Protester (YMP2) approaches.

 

                YMP2: You shouldn't have that sign.

 

                Diotima: Yeah, well I still have my freedom of speech, buddy, you haven't taken that away. Yet.

 

 

~~~

 

 

                Young, Pretty Tho' Misguided Protester: I don't know... I just don't think I like Bush but I think it's like really cool

                    that we all like have our freedom of speech.

 

She smiles.

 

 

~~~

 

 

Another Young, Handsome Tho' Misguided Protester (YMP3) approaches, handing out flyers.

 

                YMP3: Come see my show.

 

                A FReeper: What is it advocating?

 

                YMP3: A new State.

 

                A FReeper: What kind of state?

 

                YMP3: A better State.

 

                A FReeper: Based on what... because if you can come up with something better than the US Constitution you win a

                    really big prize.

 

                YMP3: The Communist Manifesto?

 

                A FReeper: Bzzzzt. Wrong answer. Tried, failed, and the millions of corpses'll prove it to you.

 

He shuffles off.

 

 

~~~

 

 

The President's motorcade arrives. Chants begin. Bob J and DoughtyOne use bullhorns to mess with their intonements. Where were these people when we were bombing Yugoslavia?

 

About ten minutes or so later we decide to go for breakfast together and begin to walk past the crowd to Denny's.

 

 

~~~

 

 

 

                AngryUnattractiveSpittlingVietnamProtestHoldover: Bee-atches for Bush!

 

 

~~~

 

 

Later, two men are in an idling station wagon in the parking lot as we are on our way out. They were seen earlier in the viewfinder of daviddennis' XL-1 at breakfast as we watched the replay of them repeatedly giving the camera the finger.

 

                BlondeMale: Oh, it's "Luvya Dubya" girl.

 

                OtherMale: Are you a native of California?

 

                A FReeper: No, I'm a political refugee of the socialist democracy of Canada. I'm trying to save California from a

                    similar fate.

 

                HangFire: I'm half Native American... I go back I don't know how many generations. And leftist liberal loser policies

                    are destroying this State.

 

                OtherMale: You're a traitor to your own people. They used to worship the oil when it was in the ground, they

                    were thankful for it.

 

                A FReeper: What the heck are you talking about?

 

                BlondeMale: Yeah, and now you and Bush are pumping all that oil and spraying it in the air and causing all these

                    earthquakes.

 

                A FReeper: What?!

 

                HangFire: Uh huh. Well you just keep telling yourself that as you drive home in your car, okay?

 

They drive off, the BlondeMale repeatedly spitting through the passenger side window as they exit stage left.

 

 

 

---

 

 

We should never be that outnumbered. Where were the GOP people? The Simon people? An eighty-year old lady had joined us only because she had heard doug from upland on one of his many announcements on local AM radio yesterday.

 

FReepers do things that heretofore were solely the domain of the Left. Our side needs to learn. It's time for all of us to Network.

 

---

 

Pictures forthcoming.

 

 

[Lockbox]

We should never be that outnumbered. Where were the GOP people?

We have to work for a living, no government handouts for me. I'm a taxpayer.

In fact my wife works to pay the taxes. Last year she earned nothing after all our taxes were paid ( and I'm talked strong 5 figures in taxes paid ). Thank you Bill Clinton, thank you Libs.

[jwalsh07]

Diotima: Yeah, well I still have my freedom of speech, buddy, you haven't taken that away. Yet.

LOL, you and your sign get MVP and Quote of the Month in my rankings.

[sauropod]

No excuse. Your ass should have been out there counterprotesting.

I work for a living too. As did the Founders. 'Pod

[DoughtyOne]

In fairness, I'd characterize the opposition as supporting their splinter issues. Although they were all there against Bush and Simon, they didn't share other views. I guess the Libertarians were there for Libertarian issues. I'll be damned if I'd align myself with the likes of the leftists out there, but that's what I saw.

[doug from upland]

I just looked at the card he gave me. That is "Melrose Larry Green" a local activist who has run for city council.

[doug from upland]

Here is the report in song --- TEDDY BEARS PICNIC

[CounterCounterCulture]

We should never be that outnumbered. Where were the GOP people? The Simon people?

I know the feeling. I was in the same boat with about five others (and by myself for a while until they showed up) at a Bush/Simon fundraiser in Santa Clara.

"Yeah, and now you and Bush are pumping all that oil and spraying it in the air and causing all these earthquakes.

LOL! That's too much! I suppose earthquakes never occurred before the 20th century. Some people just can't be reasoned with.

[aSkeptic]

"Yeah, and now you and Bush are pumping all that oil and spraying it in the air and causing all these earthquakes." This is one of the attitudes of america's left I can't stand...

Thanks for sharing this!

[CounterCounterCulture]

Wow! Great job everyone! I love it! But, ties? Man, I'm gonna have to get me some dressier t-shirts.

Casual Fridays, Jim. I think you're OK for now. ;-)

[Little Bill]

Great Job!!!!!!!!!! I am green with envy, our commies have been in hiding all summer and won't be active until after Labor Day. I am glad somebody is having fun.

[aSkeptic]

"Yeah, and now you and Bush are pumping all that oil and spraying it in the air and causing all these earthquakes." This is one of the attitudes of america's left I can't stand...

Thanks for sharing this!

[sauropod]

Well, well, well. Time to ratchet up the heat on the radical
left!!! What can we do on the right coast?

[Redbob]

Great job!
I love it when the not-so-silent majority speaks up!

[CounterCounterCulture]

TAX EVADER

They say that like it's a bad thing. ;-)

[shetlan]

I got chills in the top of my head while reading this report. Thank you.

"...FReepers do things that heretofore were solely the domain of the Left. Our side needs to learn. It's time for all of us to Network."

[Little Bill]

Hey 'Pod here is one for you. These Government Center things are kinda fun. OCT. 26 INT'L DAY OF MASS ACTIONS: ENDORSE & ORGANIZE! SATURDAY, OCTOBER 26:

Internationally Coordinated Day of Mass Actions to STOP THE WAR ON IRAQ BEFORE IT STARTS!

On Saturday, October 26, 2002, the first anniversary of the signing of the so-called Patriot Act bill, anti-war and civil rights forces are joining together to launch a massive international mobilization in opposition to a new war against the people of Iraq.

The A.N.S.W.E.R. coalition is calling on organizers from campuses and communities around the U.S. and the world to hold picket-lines, rallies, vigils, teach-ins and more in their local areas on this day.

[gitmo]

Wow! Great job everyone! I love it! But, ties? Man, I'm gonna have to get me some dressier t-shirts.

This doesn't seem like the best place in the world to be walking around with a slipknot tied around your throat.

My sign REALLY pissed many people off. The complained that I had "HURT THEIR FEELINGS" and it was "OFFENDING THEM."

You needed a good CHEESE sign!

[sauropod]

NY, DC???

Particulars are needed. 'Pod

[Moonmad27]

Thanks, Rondog, Doughtyone, Annaz and all. I had a great time at the Freep! Thanks to all of y'all for getting that organized. Y'all are so brave. The liberals weren't as annoying as I expected, but close, particularly the ones who walked in front of us with their huge banners. Like the libs' sign said, "Peaceful Protest is our Right" - they clearly think it is THEIR right, not ours. And Rondog was so nice to the guy who suggested that he should have plastic surgery to change the fact he looks like a younger Cheney! I had to head back to the car and then made the tough decision not to trudge back. (Now I see I should have stayed!) On the side street near my car, a policeman driving by waved heartily at me (probably with more enthusiasm than he would have waved at the protesters). It was a nice finale. Count me in for the next freep!

[Timesink]

Out making a living and paying taxes so that those Marxist bastards could stand there, protest, and demonstrate complete ignorance.

What I don't understand is what they think they're achieving. Do they really think that the President of the United States is just lounging in the back of his limo twiddling his thumbs, being awe-inspired by the oh-so-beautiful sites of some of LA's more generic strip-mall-and-gas-station streets? He was almost surely in the middle of an important conversation on the phone, in a heavy discussion with one of his top aides, going over the final draft of his speech and adding or changing phrases, etc. He probably never even NOTICED the protesters.