After Action Report - Rally For America, Houston, TX (1 March 2003)

It seems a lot of people, Freepers and just ordinary Americans alike, are sick and tired of the lies and propaganda that the anti-American crowd has been forcing down the throats of the American people. In a rally earlier today at Jones Plaza, located in downtown Houston, TX, a crowd estimated at over 10,000 people showed their appreciation for their President, their freedom, and the brave people (i.e. the military) that protect it.

Before I begin the rally recap, special kudos to talk radio station KPRC (950-AM) for organizing and sponsoring this rally; in less than two weeks, they lined up speakers and musical entertainment, while dealing with all the messy logistics that a successful rally requires. Another person who also gets kudos is Glenn Beck, who was in San Antonio earlier today for a similar event. KPRC carries his radio show and it was his rally in San Antonio that prompted KPRC to do the rally today.

It was a beautiful day for a rally with cloudy skies (no rain) and temperatures in the mid-60’s. The noon start time didn’t deter one Freeper (PetroniDE) from doing a Sheila Jackson-Lee imitation. He arrived at 8:00 am to put together the large “We Support Our Troops” banner in a strategic location (he also nearly performed a Ted Kennedy imitation since he was driving the wrong way down several streets; he is a Yankee; lucky he knows how to drive at all). Vintage military vehicles on display for the rally arrived at about 9:00 am and some time was spent on the balcony of Jones Plaza with the large banner on display for passing motorists.

The massive crowd began to arrive around 10:00 am. Some assistance was provided regarding building of the large balloon rainbow. Jones Plaza was basically completely filled by 11:30 am. Several people with large signs began walking around Jones Plaza in circular formation; by then a few other Freepers had arrived and joined in this makeshift parade. Anyone in Jones Plaza by 11:30 saw the banner, and the FreeRepublic and HoustonLiberty signs below it.

A sampling of other signs spotted at the rally. Some humorous, some with more serious themes.
- God Bless America. Thank God Al Gore is Not President.
- Martin Sheen: You are NOT President, You Only Play One on TV.
- Texas Terrorist Hunting Permit; No Bag Limit; No Tagging Required.
- We Have Nothing to Fear, Except Fear Itself, FDR, 1941; Let’s Roll, Todd Beamer, 2001.
- Liberate Iraq, Just Like We Did France.
- Babes Back Bush
- Numerous people showed up who have family members in the military and are currently stationed overseas; most of them had photos of the loved ones in uniform.

The following people gave speeches.
Pegi Ivancevich (Regent, Daughters of the American Revolution, San Jacinto Chapter)
Dan Pastorini (Former Houston Oilers Quarterback)
USAF Retired Major Ellis Buchanan (Formerly of NATO Command). During his speech, there were three flyovers by retired Air Force personnel. Michael Berry (Houston City Council). Kudos to him for voting against the anti-war resolution in Houston City Council earlier this week.
Kevin Brady (US House Deputy Majority Whip)
Tom Delay (US House Majority Leader)

Two other people gave speeches at the rally. In a major surprise, U.S. Congresswoman Sheila Jackson-Lee made an appearance and gave a speech. The crowd response was mixed (some polite cheers and some boos), but considering that the crowd was nearly all conservatives, this was a polite response. KPRC stated up-front that this was a pro-America rally and politicians from both parties would be invited to speak (trying getting that from the other side). The other surprise speaker was Ahmad Hassam, a personal friend of moderator Chris Baker, who immigrated (legally) to this country 24 years ago and is grateful to today call himself a citizen of the U.S.A.

One funny moment at the rally involved musical artist Kevin Black. Twice while playing his first song, the speaker system went out, just as he was hitting the song’s highest note. System went out at the exact same moment both times.

The Houston Police Department estimated that about 10,000 people attended the rally in support for America. However, the anti-American crowd tried to make their presence felt; a grand total of 6 (five on one hand plus one on the other for the liberals reading this) arrived to counter the rally. One Freeper (Ron H.) confronted them and essentially told them to “stick it”.

After the two-hour rally, local radio talk show host Pat Gray posed for a picture with our banner. Several Freepers, including Humblegunner, Flyer, Eaker, and RetiredAFWarrior had cameras and took some excellent pictures. Afterwards, most of the Freepers stopped by Griff’s for some post-rally celebration.

List of Freepers Attending Rally
Action-America
Allegra
Anymouse
Bobbyd
BuffyT
Carlo3b
Dix
Eaker
Flyer
Houmatt
Humblegunner
Humidston
IamRight
Janette
OllieMB
PetroniDE
Rejoyce
RetiredAFWarrior
RikaStrom
Ron H.
TxLady
Xenalyte
Zboa

If any other Freepers attended the rally and are not mentioned above, please mention so on this thread; I apologize in advance for any omissions, and kudos to all whom attended.

Here are links to my photos of the Houston Rally for America to support our troops:

Sorry that I didn't get any pictures of FReepers, but by the time I found the other FReepers I ran out of shots in my camera.

To: zeaal
they reported Ms. Jackson Lee was booed and had to leave under a police escort.

She was indeed lightly booed and she may well have left under a police escort at her own behest; however I was thirty feet from her and I can assure everyone that she was never in any way threatened nor was she unduly disrespected. If she required the services of the U.N. or the Secret Police or the Prima Ballerinas it was at her own discretion and paid for by you and I.157 posted on 03/01/2003 10:43 PM PST by humblegunner (We didn't even throw stuff.) [ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 156 | View Replies ]

HELLO HOUSTON ~ I LOVE YA!

Please let me begin by saying HELLO to the Houston FReepers I have not seen in a while...

Hey Gang, love ya all.....what a blast we had today!

Action-America

Allegra

Anymouse

BuffyT

Carlo3b

Dix

Eaker

Flyer

Houmatt

Humblegunner

Humidston

IamRight

Janette

OllieMB

PetroniD

Rejoyce

RetiredAFWarrior

RikaStrom

Ron H.

TxLady

Xenalyte

Zboa

OH! And that cute little HELEN

It was really good seeing you AND I must report......

NEWS FLASH!!!.......

The lovely HelenK spotted Congresswoman 5th ward....showing up looking for a camera.....

Which in my pure....demure.....pre 5pm additude turned and yelled

GO AWAY.......

While ANYMOUSE was yelling "QUEEN SHELIA"!!!

Absolutely the best 3 FReeper salute to the worst of Houston!..Mark, we were at the right place at the right time.

She looked right at us and knew to get back in her illegally parked car. Thankfully she proceeded to the stage to get a standing BOO!To all my FReeper FRiends, and to you that I met today......God is Great......and He knows our plight.

Bless each and every one of my patriot brethern that fight the good fight .....for our country. The land of the FRee.

I appreciate you all and am damn proud of my FReepin' Family.

Updated Houston Chronicle articles (posted at 11:34 pm on 1 March 2003). A little better, but could still use some revisions.
-------------------------------------------------
Thousands rally in support of Bush
Downtown crowd hears politicians, veterans praise president's Iraq policies

By ALLAN TURNER
Copyright 2003 Houston Chronicle

Cheering, chanting and waving flags, thousands jammed shoulder-to-shoulder into downtown Houston's Jones Plaza on Saturday to hear politicians, soldiers and entertainers praise God, America and President Bush's firm stand against Iraqi President Saddam Hussein.

The ostensibly nonpartisan "Rally for America," sponsored by talk radio station KPRC, quickly turned into a spirited affirmation of Bush's policies. Speakers included House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, R-Sugar Land; House Deputy Whip Kevin Brady, R-The Woodlands, and City Councilman Michael Berry.

The only speaker who was opposed to military intervention in Iraq, U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Houston, was greeted with some boos as she stepped onto the stage midway through the two-hour rally. She and her party later were led from the plaza under protective police guard.

KPRC spokeswoman Melissa Brezner said 8,000 to 10,000 people attended the event. "This is not antiwar and it's not pro-war. It's not leaning either way," she said as the event began at noon.

A similar rally drew an estimated 7,000 people to the tiny town of Selma, north of San Antonio on Saturday. That rally attracted war veterans, relatives of military personnel and others who said they are fed up with people who oppose possible war in the Persian Gulf.

About 3,000 people attended a Feb. 16 antiwar rally at Eleanor Tinsley Park. The event, sponsored by Houston Coalition for Justice Not War, was the biggest in a series of recent protests of Bush's policies on Iraq.

"What a wonderful hostile crowd," retired Air Force Maj. Ellis Buchanan said in greeting Saturday's audience. "What a wonderful hostile conservative crowd."

Warning that "freedom is not everlasting, nor is it guaranteed," Buchanan, a Vietnam veteran, told his audience that the United States is the only nation with the power and ability to "bring some balance and peace in this world."

In calling for a resolute stand in Iraq, he noted that the Vietnam War was "an ugly war, a sad war."

"Politicians got scared," he said. "They blinked, hesitated and thousands died in vain."

Berry -- his speech frequently interrupted by cheers -- recounted how City Council last week rejected resolutions opposing war with Iraq. As many as 100 city governments had passed such measures, Berry said, adding that war opponents believed such municipal debates were good to let people "express their feelings."

"The good people of Houston did not send me to City Hall to conduct group therapy," Berry said. "Houston was the first major city to vote down and reject these antiwar resolutions and the professional protesters who travel around to organize them. Let's hope other cities will follow Houston's lead."

DeLay told the crowd that President Bush is "fighting principle battles and he's not backing down. He's a Texan."

The United States, he said "is showing the world the power of strong, moral leadership. And, I'm here to tell you the majority of Congress stands behind the president. ...

"This country isn't going to sit around waiting for terrorists to draw up plans for their next attack. We're going to move heaven and earth to get to them first, and that's what we're going to do. ... I think George Bush is president for a reason."

DeLay lambasted "apostles of appeasement," and assured the crowd that the United States would not submit its foreign policy to an "international litmus test."

Jackson Lee, who has gone on record opposing military action in Iraq, was greeted with a mix of cheers and boos as she approached the podium. She told the crowd that she was pleased it had showed her "what Americans are made of."

Her speech was brief, and consisted primarily of telling her audience she hopes "God blesses America."

"I take your opposition with respect and acceptance," she said. "I come today to share with you that I, too, am an American and that I love this country."

She then was drowned out by the crowd's chant of "USA! USA! USA!"

As she returned to her seat, the audience began chanting, "Bush! Bush! Bush!"

Jackson Lee, a recently appointed member of the House Select Committee on Homeland Security, then returned to the microphone to invite the audience to a Sunday "day of prayer for America and peace" at the Gulf Meadows Church, 8012 Fuqua.

Saturday's rally was plagued by a faulty sound system, and some members of the audience later said that they had been unable to hear the speakers. The audience filled the downtown plaza, and spilled onto the sidewalk.

Chris Beckstead of Spring said he and his friends had remained for the entire rally, even though they couldn't hear most of it.

"This is the first one we've been to for any reason," he said. "We had a lot of feeling. Whether we could hear or not, we just wanted to support the cause."

Those attending the rally waved U.S. flags -- the radio station gave away at least 2,500 -- and waved placards bearing such slogans as "Saddam Kiss My Gashole," "Want Peace? Kill Saddam!" and "Iraq First, Then France." Many rally participants wore U.S. flag-patterned clothing; some had flags painted on their faces.

"I loved it," Vietnam-era veteran Mike Palmquist said as the rally ended. "I thought it was a nice counterpoint to the idiots who think nothing matters because they stand for nothing."

Michael Hambright, an ex-Marine and one of few blacks in the crowd, said he believed the rally achieved its goal by demonstrating public support for the troops.

He likened Saddam Hussein to Adolf Hitler in pre-World War II Europe, and said the United States has "given peace a chance."

"Now," he said, "I think it's time for a different method."

Great reporting my friend. It was surely a honor to mingle with my Freeper friends, and 10, 000+ likeminded patiots on the plaza. I had the pleasure of attending with most of my 5 kids and 5 grandchildren, some as young as 2. My daughters told me that everyone, all typically family oriented, wholesome, smiling faced strangers, helped them keep our 5 young ones entertained with petting puppies, rides on military equipment, and extra baby wipes.

A Houston police officer offered, "these participants are a far cry better, comparing the mostly hostile gathering of sourpussed, antiwar, anti-everything protesters that graced the same location a few days earlier", and "today's event was dramatically happier, safer, and larger, maybe 4 times larger, and damned sight cleaner.." HA!

My youngest son and I got to mingle with the Mucky Mucks on stage, extolling the virtues of FReeRepublic, passing out copies of our cookbook, and getting further assurances from 2 current members, that the Houston City Councilcritters would not be dabbling in our National Foreign Affairs any time soon. Council-at-large rep. Shelley Sekula-Gibbs, said they, as a group were overwhelmed by mine and others, calls, letters, and emails, prompting our lackluster Mayor to haul tail out of town, and that he and his henchmen, and battleaxes won't be trying anything like that in the near future again....LOL

Until our next call to service, perhaps the 2004 election, I look forward to spreading our message, fighing the forces of evil, and battling the schoolboards throughout our area 'FOR OUR CHILDREN" Thanks for the memory.

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