FREEPER REPORT APRIL 5, 2003: Pro-America Rally with Glenn Beck in Clearwater, Florida

April 5, 2003 | floriduh voter

[floriduh voter]

I'm probably the first person from Free Republic who attended the Coachman Park Flag Fest that's already home. I selected the front page for this report because those of us in attendance from Free Republic invited rally participants to visit us here. It will be much easier for them to be welcomed on the front page. Welcome.

I will have pictures from the rally and will be posting other links here. Flyers were flying in addition to all the American, British and military flags. There were some great signs too.

I was interviewed for local television but as time is always short, I'm not going to stay glued to the set for a glimpse of me. Let's just say that my sign may be on local Channel 13 (Fox) over the reporter's head at the anti-war moshpit, numbering a dozen or so. The short interview which is about that very sign is for local UPN Ch.4 or Ch. 9, I can't say for sure.

[floriduh voter]

The Tampa Bay freepers are self-motivated and IMO, the definition of "outside the box" thinkers. Occasionally, we do come together. Simply get on a ping list for breaking news and local events.

In time and definitely by Campaign 2004, Tampa Bay Freepers will have a huge FREE REPUBLIC.COM sign for rallys and we'll even top what we've accomplished to date. Lots of our friends in Tampa Bay are from the Sarasota freepers too. I hope you're having a great rally Sunday.

Freedom's grand.

[floriduh voter]

Thanks for the complement to all Florida freepers. I couldn't agree more. Jeb Bush was the first Republican Governor to ever win re-election. We drove a mac truck through all the spin that Republican governors were "jinxed".

[floriduh voter]

The guy in the France t-shirt infiltrated the anti-war mosh pit and when he was "found out" by the officers guarding the pit, he was ejected; all applauding, etc. I think that was about the time the USA chanting started at the anti-war pit.

[WVNan]

Hey, that is a great idea! Let's have a Free Republic flag design contest. FR needs their own flag. Jim, don't you think this idea of Minutegirl and 4integrity is a good one?

[floriduh voter]

Bumper stickers are solely a way to publicize FR. All I can say is that I was in the parking lot at the location in lieu of finding somewhere to watch the event from. I found some freepers and hopefully, the url labels from sarasmom I passed out were a hit.

I mentioned the Canteen as I passed out the labels mainly to military families and people with great signs. It was a good event and there will be many others.

We need to find out where one orders a large folding sign or if we have a signmaker amongst us.

A flag with the free republic logo on it is a good idea but someone who knows how to do graphics should design either a FLORIDA or TAMPA BAY LOGO for a sign or flag.

[ovrtaxt]

I can put them on a cd, if anyone local wants to try it. Ill give a shot again, then re-ping everyone.

[ladyinred]

Those horrible thugs of Saddam wear black hood things over their faces too. I wondered if the anarchists who wear them are identifying with those brutal evil murderers? Our peaceniks here in California do the same thing.

[ladyinred]

I love Glenn Beck. We used to get his show, but not anymore and I really miss it. Great rally, great report!

[4integrity]

Hi Ovrtaxt! Sorry we didn't connect. I went to back of bandshell several times before Rally began. Happily, met Floriduhvoter and Tunehead. Once Rally began, found a shady and breezy spot near water. It was a great day! Mrs. Franks' was a wonderful surprise. God bless our great nation and our very brave troops!

[4integrity]

Leni, a FR flag or pennant that flies HIGH and can be seen above a crowd is a great idea. I had hoped to meet other FReepers and walked around several times but just too many people.

[4integrity]

Maybe Tunehead54 would like to take a shot at a Fla/Tampa Bay logo! It would be great to be organized with a Tampa Bay chapter.

[4integrity]

Wacky, thanks for this pic of the flag flying between the fire engine ladders! Gorgeous sight!

[4integrity]

When it comes to shameless BUMPS, I'm shameless! BUMP!!
Ann

[Tunehead54]

Maybe Tunehead54 would like to take a shot at a Fla/Tampa Bay logo! It would be great to be organized with a Tampa Bay chapter.

---

I do not recall every claiming to have an artistic bone in my body! However, I do know how to delegate and we've got Registered working on a FR Logo which could be used as a bumper sticker, name tag and maybe even a flag.

Anything Registered comes up with has to be better than I could do. I'm going to be patient.

[ClementsIsRight]

I've been listening to Glenn since he first signed on WLFA 6+ years ago, after they fired the ultra-lib Bob Lassiter. He's been crying since I first heard him. He's a very emotional guy. Says it started when his handicapped daughter was born. His tough guy image left right then. I love it. Most women I know do. We wish our husbands were more compassionate :-)
That said, I am very thankful that he started these rallies.
I am also very thankful that he's got a national voice now.
We were fortunate to get to drive him and his wife and producer and HIS wife home to Brandon from our local Republican Lincoln Day Dinner last year in Bradenton, FL. It was a GREAT hour of one on one and we learned that he's really a very shy guy. Or at least he was then. It was his first speech that night. He has come a LONG way since then. I thought that was a great speech that couldn't be topped. I was wrong. He out did himself Saturday. I am so glad we were able to attend. I would not have missed it for the world.
I had a TALL sign that had big photos of the WTC burning with the words THEY STARTED THE WAR on one side and HAVE YOU FORGOTTEN on the other. A woman approached me with a picture of her son who died in that tragedy. She pointed to the floor he was on and cried "there was no way out for him and no trace was ever found of him". I felt so bad for her.
My husband also had a TALL sign that read
SIDE ONE) PEACENIKS, WHERE WERE YOU WHEN CLINTON WAS BOMBING THE ASPIRIN FACTORY?
SIDE TWO) OH YEAH, HIS WAR WAS LEGIT, HE NEEDED A MEDIA DIVERSION FOR HIS LEWINSKY DEPOSITION
My husband stood the entire rally in the back, in front of the "peace rioters". Nothing peaceful about them.
They were TICKED about his sign and made several threats against him until some veterans threatened to (*%@*%) them.
It was a great day.
Cant wait to get my pics back
Got a lot of video footage too.
Linda Clements

[ClementsIsRight]

you can go to
http://www.picturecenter.kodak.com
and set up a free account
then you upload the pics to that site
from there you can arrange photo albums, sent photo album slideshows (as I will be doing as soon as I get my pics back) or just have people look at them.
Dont know about linking to them though.
I always turn my film in to Walgreens (or whoever) and pay the extra $ 3.95 for "photonet" (specify photonet not aol picture taker) and then when I pick up my pics, I get a card with a log in number. Go to the site that I keep linked on my desktop and download the prints from there.
you can also edit them from there as well
love it
I have about 20 photo albums on that site now.
they allow a LOT of photos before you have to delete some or pay to store them all.
Check it out
Linda Clements

[mafree]

Thanks for the ping- good report and great crowd!

GO TROOPS!

GO JEB!!

[ClementsIsRight]

Julie,
I'm cutting and pasting here - not real sure how these message boards work - I'm hoping you get this.

I will have photos soon. Wish I could post video on the web somehow. Got a LOT of it. I am very thankful that Glenn started the Rally for America rallies.

I am also very thankful that he's got a national voice now.
The husby and I were fortunate to get to drive him and his wife and producer and HIS wife home to Brandon from our local Republican Lincoln Day Dinner last year in Bradenton. It was a GREAT hour of one on one in the SUV and we learned that he's really a very shy guy. Or at least he was then. It was his first speech that night. He has come a LONG way since then. I thought that was a great speech that couldn't be topped. I was wrong. He out did himself Saturday. I am so glad we were able to attend. I would not have missed it for the world.

I had a TALL sign (like yours) that had big photos of the WTC burning with the words THEY STARTED THE WAR on one side and HAVE YOU FORGOTTEN on the other. A woman approached me with a picture of her son who died in that tragedy. She pointed to the floor he was on and cried "there was no way out for him and no trace was ever found of him". I felt so badly for her.
My husband also had a TALL sign that read

SIDE ONE) PEACENIKS, WHERE WERE YOU WHEN CLINTON WAS BOMBING THE ASPIRIN FACTORY?
SIDE TWO) OH YEAH, HIS WAR WAS LEGIT, HE NEEDED A MEDIA DIVERSION FOR HIS LEWINSKY DEPOSITION
that he kept turning around and around every 30 or so seconds.

My husband stood the entire rally in the back, in front of the "peace rioters". Nothing peaceful about them.
They were TICKED about his sign and made several threats against him until some veterans threatened to (*%@*%) them.
It was a great day.
Cant wait to get my pics back
Linda Clements
ps
finally joined FreeRepublic.com
the husby got a sticker placed on his T-Shirt at the rally
VERY effective advertising.

[womanvet]

We got there late (~1250)...well, I was stuck in traffic for over an hour :) mostly because I have this fear of the skyway -- well, most bridges -- and had to drive in through Tampa. would you believe no one in Tampa could tell me how to find Hwy 60?

We were holding the big Gadsden flag, and smaller USMC and USAF flags (for my daughter), got up near the front -- wow, it was so crowded, we have sunburns only on one side of our faces!

I was looking for FReepers, but didn't see anyone...gotta run into y'all elsewhere, I guess.

It sure was wonderful!

[ovrtaxt]

I got a few pics of your husband, along with many other signs. Unfortunately, Im having a hard tiem getting them to show up. Check the thread farther back, you may be able to view them. Im working on a different hosting site in the meantime.