SAN FRANCISCO POST-RALLY THREAD! (Biggest rally so far---60 people!)

2/16/03 | SeenTheLight

[SeenTheLight]

It's been quite a day for Bay Area FReepers and friends! There's a lot to cover, but I'm gonna keep it brief and just get the ball rolling for comments and input.

The big news is that we had our largest counter-protest yet! We did a head-count at the peak of the protest and we ended up counting close to 60 people! Keep in mind, two rallies ago we had about 7 people and last time, we had 15. So we've come a long way! It looks like all the extra media outreach we did really paid off. Most of the non-FReepers that joined us heard about it on KSFO, so we've got to give a big shout out to our friendly neighborhood conservative radio station!

When we first arrived, we discovered a major hitch in our plans. The City Hall steps, where we were supposed to meet, were blocked off with a line of buses parked in front. We convened in front of the buses (on McAllister) and stayed there for quite a while. But the "peace protesters" soon had us backed against the wall of buses. The police officers were worried about our safety, so they herded us down to the corner, where we set up shop on the grassy knoll. It ended up being better than the City Hall steps. We had our own corner, which was blocked off to the rabble and the police were protecting us. Next time, I think we should make that our meeting spot.

Some engaged in arguments, others yelled back and forth, and some of us just made our presence known. I spent a lot of time talking and getting to know my fellow counter-protesters and just ignored the hordes of rabid peaceniks, so I had a great time!

Thanks to comwatch, who had set up some cell phone numbers with the David Gold show on KSFO, we did several interviews live. Mine was brief, but very energetic--with the FReepers chanting USA in the background! A few other people also did interviews with KSFO and we all took part in media outreach with whoever was listening! Channel 7 interviewed one of us and I just saw the very brief coverage of it about 15 minutes ago! Other than that, I haven't heard a word about us, despite our large numbers and growing presence.

I can't think of all the FReeper names to thank right now, but let's just say the Bay Area Chapter was in almost full attendance, plus flagbrigade and his folks and of course comwatch and other Sacto FReepers.

Afterwards, a bunch of us went for drinks, political organizing and laughs. So a good time was had by all!

Please add your comments, photos, ect...

Thanks everyone for all your help and great work!

SeenTheLight

[comwatch]

Thank You San Francisco!

Form Dave (comwatch), Cathy and Patrick
Patriot Watch Crew

The Sacramento crew just arrived home folks... we're a little beat but so very proud of you all. Just being in your guests was an honor for us. You have our pledge to the continuing of the networking we did today. You met the other camp head on, you made a statement and you represented what 70% of your fellow countrymen believe, We're doing the right thing.

I've uploaded unedited photos in the Photo Album hosted by our great friend in Talk Radio, KFBK's Mark Williams. Click here to browse photos we took today.

I'll post a few more photos here later tonight but I thought it appropriate to once again thank the San Francisco Police Department for defending our First Amendment rights against a hostile and overwhelming opposition. I have attended many police swearing-in ceremonies and far too many funerals in my professional career. One sentiment is often expressed in words much more eloquently than I can muster now. We saw it today... "The Thin Blue Line is often the only thing that stands between you and evil.

I've not had time to answer everyone's email yet, not read the messages here. That said, I know what our small contribution to today's event meant to us... a very heartwarming experience.  Thank You All

[stratman1969]

S.F. Ping!!!! It was great to be with everyone today. STL, thanks for all your work organizing this rally. When we got home, we saw the Channel 7 report. They (of course) sugar coated the people there (Oh, there were parents and children). They didn't show the Che Guevara signs or the one sign which said "Assassinate Bush". I wish we had taken a picture of that one.

[ladyinred]

I will salute that!!!!!! :-)

[ladyinred]

Fantastic report and turnout! So happy to see so many more added to your ranks!

[CounterCounterCulture]

Thanks for the pics...good to see some familiar faces.

[NormsRevenge]

Bump .. Great Job!

[Angelwood]

Don't you just love the way the police line up and always have their backs toward us and they face the oncoming so-called "peacenik" anti-war demonstrators? They know which group has violent tendencies and which group believes in upholding the law.

Thanks for all you did to get the word out and thanks for this great photo.

FReep On!

[ladyinred]

Amazing that you needed the police to protect you against such peace loving flower spewing people isn't it?

[sfRummygirl]

Yeah, they made sure on channel 7 to mention that the 700-800 people who broke off to vandalize Union Square were "not" the bulk of the protesters.
I talked to two reporters, one from the Oakland Tribune, who probably got most of what I said wrong. She asked me if I thought striking Iraq would increase terrorism here, and I told her that that was like telling a battered woman to just be nice so her abusive guy wouldn't beat her anymore.

[comwatch]

Answering the call...

Okay, now that I had a chance to read the thread, it seems you're hungry for pictures. As you know, a couple of us were spending a lot of time behind the scenes with SFPD and the good folks at KSFO.  We even lost two of our able warriors who convoyed from Sacramento to be here today. Once we hit grid-lock downtown, it was a scene from The French Connection and the alley ways that allowed us to find a parking place on block from our protest spot.  (Thank you Lord) Unfortunately, we lost Rita and Albert in the progress. They are pictured here (far right) at a Defend our Veterans Memorial Auditorium from traitors event last year.

Since we had a chance to put Freeper nicknames with real names, that was a chore by itself.  With your help, we can apply your own preference to the photo album later.  For now, just a few pics, reduced to a simple caption and a manageable size for FR.

Live with David Gold at KFSO San Francisco

Not a happy camper... but you notice our folks are having fun

The reporter didn't want her face in the shot... but she was attentive

The kind of scene that sends shock and horror through the other camp.

Need we say more?

The clean cut meet the unwashed... hot shower never felt so good.

I have to agree, there were times the press found us more interesting

This is without a doubt, one of my favoites. This couple were delightful people!

My favorite pick... a living civics lesson... more on the arrest of this "peaceful pair" later.

[Gunsmith]

Hi from gunsmith,my first post on free republic!
I had a great time today @ the pro freedom demo.
the lefties are planning to assemble (nr powell I think)
when the "hot" war starts,maybe we should plan to be there to wave the flag?

[farmfriend]

Love the trash lid. Great sign.

[JulieRNR21]

BRAVO SF Freepers!

Get your stickers here: http://www.georgewbushstore.com

[Allegra]

Well done, SF FReepers! What a great crowd... I'm so proud of ALL the FReepers around the country who got out to support America this weekend.

[comwatch]

One last thing... I have to get an okay to put out e-mail address for the folks at SFPD who were so much help to us. Those who wish to write, fax, or call

Prentice E. Sanders
850 Bryant Street, #525
San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone: (415) 553-1551

Assistant Chief
Alex Fagan
850 Bryant St., #525
San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone: (415)553-1135
Fax Number: (415) 553 - 7969

Please mention a special thanks for Lt. Kevin Cashman who had overall opperations supervision of this event and who I am sure was looking out for us.

[tubebender]

A word of encouragement from behind the "Redwood Curtain".

[HighRoadToChina]

Great seeing you there, my friend! Wish that I could get my film pics on this threat, but will do so hopefully by tomorrow.

[davidtalker]

To all of the Freepers out at the protest I want to say thank you. I especially want to thank those of you who made it onto my show. You are the best. You all did us proud. Love the photos. David Gold KSFO.

[rogue yam]

Hey, it sure was great to see everyone today. Sorry I couldn't come to the post-FReep roundtable but I just had too much to do today. What a great turnout! Thanks to all who helped publicize our FReep, STL and comwatch and whoever else helped out. It is so great what a difference a relative few people can make at one of these deals. I have to think that at least a few of the more moderate "anti-war" types saw us and then saw the riff-raff in front of us and thought to themselves (if not consciously then maybe in the back of their mind somewhere) why are these other guys so much more reasonable and honorable than our side? I know from my own experience that one of the things that kept me questioning the lefty catechism I was surrounded by for so long was the meanness of so many of the educated and "successful" lefties and the amount of loser scum the left attracts. Anyway, I'll bet the cops were glad we were there. And we were glad we were there. So if the lefties didn't benefit from our presence, well, too bad.

My favorite quote from someone of the other side was this one guy who came across the line to our side and started talking to a few of us. There were a few younger folks and another guy in his 40's or so (originally from Canada, he said) on our side and as soon as this lefty walked over I pegged him right away as one of the "New Left" types from the 60's (e.g. a crypto-commie). Mr. Canada asked the guy his affiliation with the protest and he said he was working with A.N.S.W.E.R. (the commie-front organizer group). Mr. Canada started busting on Mr. A.N.S.W.E.R. for A.N.S.W.E.R.'s refusal to let Rabbi Lerner speak. Mr. A.N.S.W.E.R. started backpedalling and I said to him flat-out "Hey, A.N.S.W.E.R., that's a front for the Worker's World Party isn't it?" "Ummm..." said he. "Well, are you a Stalinist?" I asked him. "Uh... not really." was his reply. "Not really"?!? We all started laughing at the guy and then Mr Canada told him to beat it, which he did. Not really! Too funny! Did you beat your wife? Not really. What a maroon!

[HighRoadToChina]

Thank you David! It was an honor to be on your show and tell our side of the story--something that the mainstream media isn't willing to do so yet.

We sure struck a cord with the so-called peaceniks--what I call "Retreads".