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Rally for America - Lone Star Style! (LIVE THREAD)
Live reports from Dallas | 05/28/2003 | Interesting Times

Posted on 05/28/2003 6:19:01 AM PDT by Interesting Times

Good morning, campers.

Yesterday in Dallas, Texas, members of GreenPeace and other assorted leftists pestered attendees at the annual Exxon-Mobil shareholders meeting by way of expressing their loathing for free-market capitalism. As is their custom, most of the leftists managed to get themselves arrested in the process. Nothing new there.

Today we're offering something a bit different -- a rally in celebration of capitalism.


TOPICS: Activism/Chapters; Business/Economy; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: activism; capitalism; freemarkets; frnetwork; greenpeace; oil; texas
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To: Interesting Times
And now this, from the All I Can See Is My Own Bias department -- a reporter walked up to one of our activists earlier and started a question with, "Even though you're outnumbered by GreenPeace..."

LOL, we had just marched the big banner up to the front (to taunt the opposition, and also because there were suddenly a great many television cameras present). The banner was 6' X 18', and effectively covered up most of the capitalists.

After the reporterette asked that question, we made everyone get in front of the banner again.

121 posted on 05/28/2003 10:17:39 PM PDT by hellinahandcart
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To: The Shrew
The perfect parody of the Redpiece type of artwork!

I didn't fully realize the extent of the parody until this morning, because I didn't realize the GLBT contingent would be involved. That rainbow must have really burned THEM up. Heehee...

Thanks again for the great dinner! We had such a good time.

122 posted on 05/28/2003 10:27:53 PM PDT by hellinahandcart
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To: Stultis
or, like leftist elitists everywhere, they simply assumed someone else would clean up their mess.

Fortunately they were few in number. You should have seen the mess 200,000 antiwar protestors left in Manhattan this past February.

The garbage was knee-deep in places.

123 posted on 05/28/2003 10:32:45 PM PDT by hellinahandcart
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To: Stultis; LloydChristmas; sauropod
oil is "for the children."

Well, it is, darn it. We don't send tiny kids walking five miles through the snow to get to school anymore, do we? And we don't make 'em study by candlelight, either. Nowadays kids also get warm houses and refrigerators full of food trucked in from all over.

I just have to reiterate, though, that the banner concept was a group brainstorm, and the final slogan didn't exist until right before I was ready to paint the thing (and I didn't come up with the slogan. I think it was either Dave or Mike who did). Before that I think we had "Oil-- for our children and our environment" or something.

Ms. AntiFemiNazi's husband, LloydChristmas, had the brilliant idea to do the banner on the little-plastic-slatted blind material, so it was nice and sturdy.

I'm tellin ya, it will be the new rage. Everyone will want to do their signs on window blinds from now on.

LloydChristmas also reported that the expedition to Walmart for materials inspired some Southern Shock and Awe in our yankee guests, HIAC and sauropod.

I *have* been to Walmart before, you know. Whaddya think, I'm some sorta rube?

124 posted on 05/28/2003 10:53:07 PM PDT by hellinahandcart
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To: hellinahandcart
There was some other weird crap going on over there. One girl wore a T-shirt that said "Remember Aceh". I remember that a town in Chechnya by that name was in the news just before I left, but I've been without a computer since Friday and so any possible meaning that Aceh would have for an environut completely escapes me.

O.K. Now I'm sorting this out. For some reason it didn't register at the time. It's not the Balkan city but the Indonesian provence. Since peace talks broke down with rebels based in Aceh a couple weeks ago, the Indonesian army has been kicking their butts on a daily basis. True to form, the little leftist was pissed about a democracy defending itself against fascistic terrorists and murderers.

125 posted on 05/28/2003 10:53:18 PM PDT by Stultis
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To: hellinahandcart
Whaddya think, I'm some sorta rube?

Oh, Geez. Forgot you's a Southern girl!

126 posted on 05/28/2003 10:57:07 PM PDT by Stultis
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To: hellinahandcart
Everyone will want to do their signs on window blinds from now on.

Added benefit: You can peek through the slats and snicker at the lefties. (Stultis in white-on-white camo.)


127 posted on 05/28/2003 11:05:14 PM PDT by Stultis
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To: abner
Don't say that! I feel even worse now!

I'm sorry! I wasn't trying to make you feel bad - I was trying to tell you that you and Barry were missed! See what a poor wordsmith I am?

I'm looking forward to Albuquerque!

Regards,

TS

128 posted on 05/28/2003 11:07:03 PM PDT by The Shrew (Texas Freepers are the Best!)
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To: hellinahandcart
Thanks again for the great dinner! We had such a good time.

You're welcome! Now that you know I cater freeper events out of state you'll have to consider me for your wedding! It was a pleasure meeting you!

;-)

Regards,

TS

129 posted on 05/28/2003 11:09:45 PM PDT by The Shrew (Texas Freepers are the Best!)
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To: Stultis
So how did I confuse it with Chechnya? Must be "sidebar blur" or something...
130 posted on 05/28/2003 11:47:48 PM PDT by hellinahandcart
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To: Interesting Times
From the Dallas Morning News:

Exxon Mobil holds support (shareholders vote down lefty resolutions, pro-capitalism rally described)

...With many Exxon Mobil critics away, the view outside the Meyerson Symphony Center appeared more like a wild company celebration than a critique of the company's policy stances.

Several dozen Exxon Mobil supporters marching on one side of the building entrance outnumbered environmental protesters on the other side.

"We're sick and tired of the radical left agenda using our boardrooms to promote their own leftist agenda," said Peggy Venable, director of Texas Citizens for a Sound Economy, one of several groups countering the protesters.

"What they're really trying to do is promote a one-world government," she said, referring to the Kyoto protocol on global warming.

Dressed in "God Bless America" T-shirts and even a Statue of Liberty costume, the company supporters chanted, "We love free enterprise," "Show us the science" and "Go back to France."

Referring to the controversial proposal to drill in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, which Exxon Mobil supports, they chanted: "Drill ANWR, lay pipe, keep the caribou warm."


131 posted on 05/29/2003 7:09:17 AM PDT by Stultis
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To: Stultis
Very cool.

You can almost see the reporter goggling in disbelief as you read the article.

132 posted on 05/29/2003 7:15:16 AM PDT by Interesting Times (Leftists view the truth as an easily avoidable nuisance)
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To: hellinahandcart
Very entertaining thread, IT. Reading it, I almost feel like I was there. ;-)

The main thing is that you were able to recognize the event from my account, which puts me well ahead of the New York Times.

My work here is done.

133 posted on 05/29/2003 7:16:45 AM PDT by Interesting Times (Leftists view the truth as an easily avoidable nuisance)
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To: Interesting Times
My work here is done.

Aw, say it ain't so! This thread's worth a bookmark for your comments alone.

134 posted on 05/29/2003 7:29:09 AM PDT by hellinahandcart
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To: Stultis
No pictures in the Snooze? Boo. We were so festive.
135 posted on 05/29/2003 7:31:58 AM PDT by hellinahandcart
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To: Interesting Times
You can almost see the reporter goggling in disbelief as you read the article.

Hehehe. We even had a reporter from KERA (the local PBS station) interview Peggy Venable and Cyril Boynes. I had a chance to tell her all about FreeRepublic, so she may be reading the thread even now.

136 posted on 05/29/2003 8:23:43 AM PDT by Stultis
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To: Stultis
AP via Yahoo:

Shareholders met at the Dallas symphony hall amid tight security one day after environmental activists blocked the front gate and managed to infiltrate Exxon Mobil's headquarters in suburban Irving. On Wednesday, dozens of Dallas police officers kept their eyes on protesters, who were sometimes outnumbered {!} by pro-Exxon demonstrators singing "Give oil a chance."

FT.com via Yahoo:

A proposal by the Community of the Sisters of St Dominic for ExxonMobil to conduct a climate change report received 22 per cent of the vote. One by Province of St Joseph of the Capuchin Order for the company to conduct a report on renewable energy won 21 per cent. Most others were defeated by a wide margin

{Wider than 78-79%?}

137 posted on 05/29/2003 8:44:03 AM PDT by hellinahandcart
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To: hellinahandcart
On Wednesday, dozens of Dallas police officers kept their eyes on protesters, who were sometimes outnumbered by pro-Exxon demonstrators singing "Give oil a chance."

Obviously AP is using "sometimes" in the special sense that means "every single minute of the day."

More quality journalism from the Wire of Record...

138 posted on 05/29/2003 9:05:16 AM PDT by Interesting Times (Leftists view the truth as an easily avoidable nuisance)
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To: hellinahandcart
No pictures in the Snooze?

Not in the Dallas Morning Snooze, but the Fort Worth Startle-Gram has pics. Both papers ran the story in the business section.

Fort Worth Star-Telegram Coverage:

Exxon Mobil boosters outnumber protesters - "Activists frustrated" by shareholders & FReepers!

Exxon Mobil Corp. shareholders again overwhelmingly rejected several shareholder resolutions aimed at fighting global warming and promoting renewable energy, corporate reform and gay and lesbian rights at their annual meeting.

But unlike previous years, supporters of the worldwide energy giant outnumbered protesters in street demonstrations in front of the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center and inside at the microphones during the three-hour session Wednesday.

The spirit of many of the 1,000 in attendance was summed up by David Lake, a shareholder from Arlington, Va., who responded to criticism of the Exxon Mobil board.

"If you don't like the corporation, then take your money and get out of the stock," Lake said to loud cheers and applause.

The frustration of several environmental and social activists was evident.

[snip]

As he has done in the past, Exxon Mobil Chairman Lee Raymond declined to debate the shareholders. When one shareholder described the Exxon Mobil board as "a bunch of flunkies," Raymond dryly said, "Next speaker."

[snip]

The biggest gain among social activist resolutions was won by a proposal for the company to add wording in its hiring policies to prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. That resolution attracted 27.1 per cent of the votes, up from 23.9 per cent last year.

The matter has been an issue since 1999, when the merger of Exxon Corp. and Mobil Corp. ended Mobil's policy of granting domestic partners benefits to its employees...

Several demonstrators represented more than one cause.

"I belong to a lot of different organizations, and most of them are concerned about what Exxon Mobil is doing," said Ellen Kaner of Arlington.

Dallas police kept demonstrators behind barriers. The more than two dozen company supporters had a bullhorn. The protesters had less than half that number and were drowned out by the company's supporters.

"I think a lot of their crowd is still in jail," said pro-Exxon Mobil demonstrator Charles Langenfelt of Dallas, referring to 36 Greenpeace activists who were arrested Tuesday, jailed overnight in Irving and charged with trespassing after they stormed the Exxon Mobil headquarters in Las Colinas.

"I'm pro-American," said Langenfelt, who wore a large red, white and blue hat. "If you kill a big corporation like Exxon Mobil, you also kill a lot of jobs."

Another Exxon Mobil supporter, Janelle Shepard of Weatherford, stood with the pro-Exxon Mobil side of the crowd and said, "I'm for free enterprise." Her fellow Exxon Mobil supporters sang God Bless America.

One pro-Exxon demonstrator, Michael Saizan, dressed from head to toe in a Revolutionary War military uniform.

"I'm here to tell you that free enterprise exists even in Austin," he said.

The street protest was good-natured and low-key and, as in the past, generated no violence or arrests.

At a news conference afterward, Raymond declined to gloat over the outcome of voting.

"I don't make it a practice to express joy or happiness over shareholder votes," Raymond said. "The shareholders simply voted to uphold our views and philosophies. There is nothing to suggest any change."

STAR-TELEGRAM/RON T. ENNIS
"I belong to a lot of different organizations, and most of them are concerned about what Exxon Mobil is doing," Ellen Kaner of Arlington said.
Pro-Exxon demonstrator Michael Saizan of Austin dressed from head to toe in a Revolutionary War military uniform.
STAR-TELEGRAM/RON T. ENNIS
Gene Lantz joins demonstrators protesting Exxon Mobil policies outside the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center.
GETTY IMAGES/MIKE FUENTES
A protester in a tiger costume carries a sign outside the Meyerson center.

139 posted on 05/29/2003 9:07:31 AM PDT by Stultis
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To: Stultis
Great follow up post and great pics! Thanks for the "Snip" selective editing. You hit the main points and saved me from reading the spin.

Regards,

TS

140 posted on 05/29/2003 9:59:11 AM PDT by The Shrew (Texas Freepers are the Best!)
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