A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day....01-22-03...What IS IT with all these People?

FreeTheHostages; Billie | FreeTheHostages

[Billie]

A Few of FR's Finest.....
......Every Day

FR is a Treasure Trove of talented, compassionate, patriotic, wonderful people who gather every day to discuss the latest news and issues; salute and support our military and our leaders;  tell a few jokes;  learn a new word;  write poetry;  pray for those in need;  and congratulate those who are deserving. Thank you, Jim Robinson, for giving us the vehicle in which we can express ourselves.

Free Republic made its debut in September, 1996, and the forum was added in early 1997.   I can remember lurking when there were only a few regulars who posted, and now there are over 60,000 who have registered for posting privileges. The forum is read daily by tens of thousands of concerned citizens and patriots from all around the country and the world.

A Few of FR's Finest November 11, 2001

So many people have written me since my original Veteran's Day Tribute, asking how they, or a loved one, could be included in that tribute. Since I can no longer add the photos to the body of the thread, I've been including them in additional posts as I received enough to make another collage.

Still that doesn't seem to be enough. I think there's never been a better nor more appropriate time to keep the faces of our own Veterans and Active Military in front of FReepers--every day! That's why I wanted to do yet another Daily Thread .....ABOUT FReepers .....and FOR FReepers. But not only about our Military FReepers; for all FReepers! Wouldn't it be nice to get to know a few of the other FReepers as well? That's why, in addition to seeing FR's Finest Military Personnel every day, I thought it might be fun to feature a different FReeper (or FReepers) each day. If you would like to be pictured, or know someone who would, please FReepmail me and we'll turn the spotlight - on YOU - for the day!

And do let me know if you'd like your picture added to the groups of Veterans/Active Military below. I will keep this page updated, and continue to add them to the comment section of the original Veteran's Day thread as well.

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TOP: Q6-God, Scan59, Mama Bear and JKPhoto's son, ofMagog.
MIDDLE:  Big'ol_freeper, JustAmy's great uncle, Prodigal Son.
BOTTOM:  JustAmy's husband, JustAmy's brother-in-law, JustAmy's brother.

TOP: dakine's wife, MeeknMing's dad, Auntbee's nephew, MilitiaMan7, AlasBabylon.
BOTTOM:  Joe Brower, Temple Owl, Temple Owl's wife, dutchess' dad, Aomagrat.

TOP: ladtx #2 son; DiverDave's twin Don; petuniasevan and husband
poorman; Mustard; ladtx #1 son;
BOTTOM: AlamoGirl's brother Floyd; AG's dad; AG's brother Jim (inset);
WVNan's husband; ladtx Aunt Eva.

We now have eleven groups of veterans/active military; we will post each group of three or four twice a week, with thumbnail/links of the remaining seven or eight groups on each thread. Click on any of the thumbnails below to see the group full-size.

         

GROUP 1A: TOP: Logos, SwedeGirl's hubby, Neil E Wright, FallGuy, 1John, Sneakypete MIDDLE:  T'wit, COB1, LadyX, Dick Bachert, 68-69TonkinGulfYatchClub BOTTOM:  YankeeinSC, Delta21, JoeSixPack1

GROUP 2A: TOP:  Bosniajmc, AFVetGal, Archy, A Navy Vet MIDDLE:  4TheFlag, Aeronaut, 68Grunt, Xinga BOTTOM:  Codger, AAABest, Clinton's A Liar, Duke809, dcwusmc

GROUP 3A: TOP:  mc5cents, Norb2569, LBGA's son, VanJenerette MIDDLE:  Jim Robinson, KJenerette, davidosborne, KG9Kid BOTTOM:  gwmoore, Equality7-2521, SAMWolf

GROUP 4A: TOP:  porgygirl, Phil V., MudPuppy, NorCoGOP MIDDLE:  RaceBannon, OneidaM, rdb3, jwTexian BOTTOM:  USMC Vet, TheMayor, Vineyard, rhododogma

         

GROUP 5A: TOP:  spectr17, RightOnline, SERE_Doc, Tet68. MIDDLE:  FutureSnakeEater, RightOnline's wife, CIApilot, Clamper1797. BOTTOM:  usmcobra, onedoug, DiverDave, Joe6-pack.

GROUP 6A: TOP:  g'nad, AgThorn's son Justin, SLB, AgThorn's son Brett. MIDDLE:  fish70, razorback-bert, CheneyChick, Leroy S Mort, Mark17. BOTTOM:  Terry's Take, Taxman, DinkyDau.

GROUP 7A: TOP:  ValerieUSA's son Grant, SK1Thurman, kd5cts, RangerVetNam, dansangel and .45man's son-in-law Tony.BOTTOM:  rangerX, Old China Hand, Trish, Howlin's dad, Mustang.

GROUP 8A: TOP: ohioWfan's son, MamaBear's father-in-law, MamaBear's dad, ladtx. MIDDLE:  The Mayor's niece, M.Kehoe, Beach_Babe's son-in-law. BOTTOM:  deadhead's dad, HiJinx, Severa's hubby, viligantcitizen's granddad.

                     

What IS IT with all these People? by FreeTheHostages

If you ever come to a DC Freep, come to fly the flag and have your voice heard. We’ll make sure you stay safe. But we can’t protect your sanity.

Our DC Patriot’s Rally would have made perfect sense to you. At the DC Rally, marine Corps Veteran Joel Kernoodle, right, saluted the Vietnam War Memorial before giving a rousing speech. (You can read all the background on the DC Freep against the “peace” protestors you wish RIGHT HERE and view the photographs RIGHT HERE!)

If you live in “fly over” country, you Praise God that these leftists don’t live anywhere near your lovely little shire. But perhaps you want to know: WHAT IS IT WITH YOU PEOPLE? What IS IT with young college women taking off their shirts and young men holding Hezbollah flags and horrifying-looking ex-60’s protestors with matted hair and “Regime Change Begins at Home” signs? Mainstream TV news tends to select the more washed, photogenic, and moderate of the group for comment.

About 20 percent are left-over 60s radicals. The older hippie people were more likely to carry signs that said “Re-Elect Carter.” These people didn’t want any war ever anywhere. One of them apparently thought it would be persuasive to hold aloft a large sign asking, “Who Would Jesus Bomb?”

They held signs that said “War is never the answer” and “No child wants to be an orphan.” I had to laugh when I saw that last sign, thinking that was probably the only sign in the lot I would agree with. One held a sign that said "This is not about 911." Hmm, that’s like when someone says, "This is not about money."

Here’s a frightening leap of logic: “Whatever Change Occurs in Iraq Should Come From Within From the Iraqi People Themselves.” Wow: it’s too long, it makes no sense, it pretty much ignores what happens to dissenters within Iraq. It brings to mind Christopher Hitchens’ scolding of those who want to avoid solving the Iraqi problem: “such . . . abstention will be remembered only with pity and scorn.” Some of these protestors were into weird stuff, like putting peace signs all over their half-naked bodies in 20-degree weather.

Another 30 percent are mostly rich white college kids. There were many gentle and kind-faced youth who solemnly held out a two-fingered peace sign to us as we carried American flags: those are the redeemable silly kids you wish you could talk to and explain that removing a dictator who gassed the Kurdish people, who oppresses and murders his own people, who continues a curiously unpublicized, clandestine war of murder against the Kurds to this day,

who plots wars against peaceful neighbors, is entirely consistent with peace and freedom. But you can’t, because they came in closely packed “affinity groups” of like-minded kids from the same college campus. The extension of adolescence into early adulthood personified: everything is done in groups. One group came to DC for a “peace” rally on a bus called the “Joan of Arc” bus! I guess no one told them that Joan was a bit of a warrior. These children think our President is a terrorist.

I’d guess another 20 percent are the radical hard left. People who could not hold a job, rather obviously. Socialists, anarchists, weird lifestyle people, masked people, half-naked people, people wearing chickens on top of their head (no really!). The “puppet people” who dissent for dissent’s sake and often bring puppets to protests. (We were disappointed by the lack thereof and occasionally yelled at them in our afternoon Freep of their parade: “Where are the puppets!”). These people often white college kids wearing Palestinian scarves – or that’s what they’ve been told they are – and they hold signs that say things such as “Israel, your Zionism is staining this holy land red” and “Long Live the Intifadah.” There were a group of about 50 or so marching in lock-step unison, with 3 leaders holding flags showing a picture of a lion saying “no,” swirling their flags in unison. They were repeating whatever chant was given by a drum corp at the front of their group. They gave a “vibe” of being a paramilitary group.

Some of these more radical kids got arrested Sunday at the White House when they tried to do an “inspection” of the White House (which they called a “presidential palace”) for weapons of mass destruction. Some members of the DC Chapter (not me) went back in the cold Sunday to remind them that Saddam uses civilians as human shields. DC Chapter members formed a mock human shield to protect our White House.

But of course we let the police to the real protecting. Sixteen of these radical kids were arrested, and one boasted on the news that this arrest was going to help change the world. Visions of grandeur.

Finally, there was about 30 percent that I’d call general rent-for-a-day-Democratic-party activist types that looked like labor union activists, environmentalists, the usual coalition members in any coalition you might want. “No blood for oil” was a very common sign. When Curtis Sliwa spoke at our rally he suggested that many of these leftists wouldn’t have come to Washington if Al Gore were in the White House. It’s a good point. We definitely had the usual rainbow of activists. It was very common for these types to walk in groups with the same pre-printed signs. I was very shocked to see the feminist groups out and about: they’d be shot in Iraq for protesting publicly uncovered!

When I got home from the day’s activities, I turned on CSPAN to watch the leftists’ speakers on re-run. I had to switch channels when I heard a rally speaker call for a revolution in the United States, and I landed on the CNN channel/planet just in time to hear a CNN commentator opine: “Of course, the anti-war protestors are very careful not to appear anti-American.” Bwa-hah-hah.

THIS WEEK'S THREADS 01-20-03 Puddleglum 01-21-03 JWFiv Essay

Opinions by our own 'King of Ping' The guy's good, folks!

Thanks, Mixer!

1) Click on the graphic to open the Calendar.
2) Once there you can click on any month and even click to the right to go into next year. Once you are in the month that you joined FR you will need to click on the number in the calendar and then an add item screen will come up.
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4) If any of the screens fail to load simply click on refresh in your browser and that will usually fix it.
5) If all else fails or simply if you want me to do this for you send me an FReepmail and I will gladly do it for you. ~Mixer

[FreeTheHostages]

So, a question. Which is your vote for silliest sign of the signs I mention?

[iceskater]

I promise we'd keep you safe and we're entirely peaceful and law-abiding.

I've ready many of the post-action reports and have every confidence in being safe. It seems like every time one of these major freeps happens, I've got something else on the schedule. Sigh. But one of these days.....

[Aquamarine]

“Regime Change Begins at Home” This one caught my attention. A little bell went off when I saw this that told me the Democratic Party is behind them. Since the November election they just can't accept that the American voter's rejected them.

[FreeTheHostages]

Understood. No guilt. As I said in the after-action report thread for the DC Chapter: we did have a lot of Freepers come from relatively far away – Kentucky (“I'm home safely in Kentucky now. . . . [B]oy are my arms tired;^),” says Fred Mertz), Connecticut, New York, New Jersey.

But not a lot from out of town. Because conservatives generally aren't narcissitic elitists who want to/think they can run the State Department or the Department of Defense. They don't have that instinct to wield federal bureaucratci power. They don't want to hop on the bus and delude themselves into believing they are running/changing the world.

Many probably agree with a post from a Freeper named Meyer: “Nice job to all of you in DC that braved the chilly weather to make a show. I wish there had been more, but most of us have jobs and obligations. We aren't living off the public dole like a gang of leeches. They are and that is why a few thousand of them can afford to travel to Washington from all over the place.” Point taken.

That said, we try to cajole people to come by noting the absolute truth: it's very fun, it's a great bonding experience to meet other like-minded conservatives, and it does create a nice counter-news splash. First and foremost, it lets the troops now being deployed know there are those that care.

Along those lines, consider this mock news report:

289 Million Americans Avoid Peace Rallies

Police across the nation estimate the crowd that avoided yesterday's anti-war demonstrations at about 289 million.

Americans from coast-to-coast voted in absentia against criticizing the Bush administration for Iraq's failure to comply with U.N. resolutions. . . .

Police reported no unusual problems with the droves that stayed away from the protests.

[The Thin Man]

Good job, FTH! That last paragraph had me laughing. You gotta love CNN.

it's my fault thread is up later, sorry

Don't think your fooling me. I know who's fault it really is. :)

[LadyX]

My flag used to be displayed on every holiday and the Marine Corps Birthday..:))

After 9/11, it remains displayed on the front of the house 24/7, thanks to illumination from the street light at the corner of the lot where my house is located.

Wonderful to see so many others out full time in this small, God-and-country-lovin' town.

Great to live in unabashadly Conservative Country!

Ladtx - your sons and their families, and you and your wife, are covered with daily prayer for their safety.

Are there any others regularly here with active duty military family members we can include and support, as our individual daily contribution?

Suggestion:

Wonder, Billie, if we could have a small opener after the Pledge of Allegiance with the names of such members, as a reminder, and to have specific names, as well as general prayer offering?
It should be easy to maintain, not changing daily as ladtx had to do with his previous posts.

While I cannot demonstrate and Freep, I surely can "Praise the Lord and pass the 'ammunition'" ~ ~ ~

[Angelwood]

Excellent work, FTH. This is what you do when you are in hiding, right? And you said you couldn't write the after-action report......thanks for a job well done.

[FreeTheHostages]

LOL -- don't even go there. If Billie weren't so nice, I'd be dead right now.

[FreeTheHostages]

"This is what you do when you are in hiding, right?"

Actually, when you asked me to write the after-action report, I had just finished this -- way too late. I was *really* exhausted and moving slowly, I think just barely avoiding a cold. So I just couldn't . . . . Can I buy you lunch for doing it?

[ladtx]

Ladtx - your sons and their families, and you and your wife, are covered with daily prayer for their safety.

LadyX, your prayers are very much appreciated. Your contributions here do not go unnoticed by me, even if I do not answer everytime. God bless you for your devotion to our military.

[FreeTheHostages]

Thank you for that post. "Ladtx - your sons and their families, and you and your wife, are covered with daily prayer for their safety." Yes.

I often note and remember the reason for his absence from this thread. His "non-posts" are a daily remember of ongoing contributions of patriotic Americans.

[MeekOneGOP]

Mornin', everybody !! Happy Hump Day !

Oh, and I've got JURY DUTY tomorrow !
They must love me downtown Dallas, I get called so frequently...

Have a cup while you FReep !

For those who prefer hot chocolate.....

[LadyX]

And I return your Good Morning with a now Good Afternoon, Miss FreeToBeWhateverYouWant!

You are our ideal of an enthusiastic 'FrontlinePerson,' steadfast and (more or less) tireless, and wonderfully descriptive with your thoughts and words.

[FreeTheHostages]

Jury duty?! I envy you. I *never* get selected for juries any more. Must have something to do with having been a prosecutor . . . .

[MHGinTN]

The boy and girl painting up his body, as if people would be more apt to read the writing rather than taking note of 'shrinkage' ... that's the one I thought was silliest. I suppose it takes a certain emptiheadedness to protest when the people tasked with protecting you are risking their lives to do just that. Perhaps it's the rush of public exposure and defiance that propels these ninnies.

Anyway, to the finest, the Freepers, SA-LUTE!

[FreeTheHostages]

I bet you're busy right now tracking conservative activism today too! I note they just posted as breaking news the March for Life thread. They've blocked off lots of streets here in DC.

[iceskater]

After 9/11, it remains displayed on the front of the house 24/7, thanks to illumination from the street light at the corner of the lot where my house is located.

Me, too. I used to put up decorative flags for different seasons - Christmas, Easter, summer, winter (pair of ice skates on this flag, of course :), Thanksgiving. But since 9/11, just the US flag.

Ladtx - your sons and their families, and you and your wife, are covered with daily prayer for their safety.

Are there any others regularly here with active duty military family members we can include and support, as our individual daily contribution?

My sister's brother-in-law, David. He was in Afghanistan. He's somewhere "over there" now for an undetermined amount of time. His deployments are hard on his family - they miss him a lot.

[Pippin]

SEEYA, BILLIE!

You have mail! :^)

[Mudboy Slim]

Slick Willie TORCHED Sharpton's Harlem Offices!!!

WOW...MUD

BTW..."Cause of the blaze being investigated"

[FreeTheHostages]

{{Wirestripper}} We marched for you.