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Hundreds brave rain, cold to support troops
HOWIE PAUL HARTNETT-Charlotte Observer

Mary Reynolds doesn't know anyone serving in Iraq. But that didn't keep the Charlotte resident from braving the cold and rain Sunday to show her support for the men and women in the U.S. military. "We're all in this together," she said. Reynolds was one of more than 300 people who gathered at Freedom Park to wave flags, sing patriotic songs and listen to politicians talk about the importance of unity in times of war. Many came armed with U.S. and British flags and signs that read "Let Freedom Ring," "God Bless Our Soldiers" and "Pacifism Breeds Evil."
"A lot of people don't realize it, but the president is the commander in chief," Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory told the crowd. "It's not political to any president. We must support him. He's got a heavy burden on his shoulders." But President Bush isn't the only one carrying a burden. Military families in Charlotte and across the country need help and support, McCrory said. "Cut their lawns. Help their kids get to baseball practice. Pray for them," the mayor urged. "We all must make the sacrifice for freedom." But for some, that freedom does not include the right to protest the war.
When eight antiwar supporters walked to the back of the amphitheater area, they were met with insults and threats.
"Go home pinko!"
"Y'all will get what's coming to you!"
"If democracy wasn't working I'd be stomping your (butt) right now," a man with an American flag and camouflage shirt said to a war protester. At least a half dozen Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officers watched the two sides closely, but there was no violence during the rally. War supporters shouted at protesters for about 10 minutes. Peace demonstrators waved signs and talked back before the crowd drowned them out with chants of "USA, USA, USA." Not everyone involved in the peace movement is a communist or socialist, but many are, said N.C. Sen. Fern Shubert, R-Union, whose district includes a slice of southeast Mecklenburg. "They're helping the enemy in this particular case," she told the crowd.
Jibril Hough of Charlotte, who organized Sunday's peace demonstration, said that while a few peace supporters may have communist sympathies, Shubert's characterization was misguided. "It's unfair to try and discredit the whole movement because of a few people," Hough said. "We were there to show what democracy is all about."
While the vastly outnumbered protesters enraged some war supporters, most of the crowd seemed to take their presence in stride. "There are some people standing up there with signs that are different from yours," Mecklenburg County Commission Chairman Tom Cox told the crowd. "God bless this country that allows them to stand up there with those signs." Charlotte resident Mark Whitten agreed the protesters should be allowed to have their say. But having served in the military, the Navy veteran said it's more important that troops overseas know they have support at home. No one in the military should come home feeling unwelcomed the way many Vietnam veterans did, he said. Whitten brought his wife and two children to the rally. "They wanted to come to show their support," he said. "It should be a family thing." Whitten said he wasn't surprised by the turnout. "I find there is a lot of support for the war," he said.
Organizers said they will host a rally for the troops from 2 to 3 p.m. every Sunday at the park until the war is over.