Great going, Indiana!
I was so proud I could have bursted with pride if a small group of pacifists on the outer edges hadn't burst my bubble a little. They were incensed, lol, by one of my signs that said "This war is being brough to US by Iraq's Tyrant!" After a few words were exchanged-I turned to walk up into the crowd. A policeman there told me that estimate was in the 1000 plus ball park-overflowing into the circle (a bricked wide road-capable of three lanes but done in the European style of no lines and no stop signs-like around the Eiffel Tower-a round-a-bout) and over in front of some of the buildings surrounding the circle. As I approached the crowd-the thunderous-and I mean top of the lungs, emotional, empowering chant of USA! USA! USA! was just so great to hear. Families, our precious Vets, Troops, old and young, flags everywhere, signs and TV cameras, too boot. You could almost forget the rain, the 34 degrees, and frozen fingers and toes but for the damn wind. The wind was whipping forcefully-causing umbrellas to go inside out! Thank goodness most of us wore caps instead.
Ran into Hoosierpearl (what an outstanding FReeper), EnemyoftheState, a terrific freeper and college student-with Freerepublic on his signs, too. Indy Freeper who I know from past mtgs but who does not post-intend to force her one of these days, FreepersUp<---that absolute BEST activist going, traveled for three hours to get there and missed hooking up with RummyChick-but maybe another day. And I suspect there were many other FReepers there, too.
I left after the event, after hanging around awhile to see if I could locate any FreeRepublic.com logos on the signs, decided I was wet enough, and left. Too the wrong road out of the circle (of course, if ya knew me, you'd know that was typical-lol), could not find the garage my car was parked in, turned to go back to protest area and was almost accosted by a man, who after turning his head to read my sign that read " I support President Bush" (it was tucked under my arm, too windy to hold my signs up there), began screaming at me, saying weird stuff, like Bush is a in collusion with oil companies and other stuff. He was in front of a semi covered bus stop and everyone there seemed to be just listening-not moving or saying anything. I had to just keep walking, even as he would stand in front of me, until he finally stopped. But he continued to shouting, he was truly enraged. When enough distance was between us-and I was at the corner where I could get to the protest area before he could, I simply yelled back at him-' My guess, you are a Clinton supporter. ' To me that is the supreme insult, don't know how he took it, probably as a compliment.
Back at the protest area-there Channel 13 was still there-and up high on the steps below the massive Monument-I could see several men holding huge posters supporting our troops and the war on Iraq. As I walked up-one of them hailed me-it was FreepersUp!
So I had to stay awhile-and stand with a fellow Freeper! Later we moved to in front of the WIBC radio station on the circle (on another side of the monument) and our lurker, not registered, semi-Freeper joined up with us. Another veteran, named Jim, not a FReeper but soon to be one if FreepersUp promo of our site here took hold, stood there in the rain that was rapidly turning to snow and held ground for our troops as many, many, many folks honked their horns and stuck their hands up, thumbs lifted, to show support! WHAT FUN! (Altho one of the digits held up was not a thumb-hehe I missed that-but several saw it.) It was a great rally! It was joyous. And had the weather not been about as bad as it could be-my guess is we would have had thousands more! BTW-it is now about four and one half hours since the rally finished and we are in a blizzard. A white out. What a day!
Too lazy to reread-just filled with happiness and love for our nation! Hope our troops hear of this. Actually, I pray they do.
Oh, my signs read (two signs, different messages on back and front and completely covered with clear shipping tape to prevent rain from ruining remarks):
I SUPPORT OUR TROOPS!
I SUPPORT PRESIDENT BUSH !
Saddam-this war has always been your choice
This war is being brought to us by Iraq's Tyrant!
FreeRepublic.com at the bottom of each, for sure!