Free Republic

File thus under: It ain't braggin' if it's true.Back in October, the D.C. Chapter of Free Republic staged a rally for our Iraqi friends in Lafayette Park in front of the White House.The rally, held on October 25, was hastily put together in two weeks because the Iraqis wanted to send a message of support for President Bush before the U.S. election on November 2.About 30 Iraqis along with a dozen Freepers attended the rally. The media turnout was mixed. Local Washington area media ignored the rally, but NBC, CNN, Fox News Channel, Al Hurra and Al Arybia (sp) all...

Mo Alem of the DC Anti-War Network was a guest today (January 19, 2005) on Your World w/Neil Cavuto. Alem was on Your World to talk about why his group is protesting Bush's inauguration. Alem said the DC Anti-War Network is against the Iraq war and unhappy with the erosion of our civil liberties. His group will rally and march tomorrow to "protest and have our voices heard." He said the DC Anti-War Network is non-partisan and would rally and protest a John Kerry inauguration if Kerry had won the election and wanted to remain in Iraq. Cavuto's next guest...

Here are some snips: The District government agreed yesterday to pay a total of $425,000 to seven people caught up in a mass arrest at a downtown park in September 2002....The arrests occurred Sept. 27, 2002, during demonstrations against the World Bank and International Monetary Fund.... officers corraled demonstrators and anyone else within the boundaries of the park, on Pennsylvania Avenue NW, and charged them with failing to obey police. The seven plaintiffs were five protesters and two bystanders. Each will receive about $50,000 after paying the legal expenses of the American Civil Liberties Union, the National Lawyers Guild and...

Parade PicsThe American Sector - Safe Haven for Bush Supporters - No Commies Allowed Buford and two friendly Bush supporters Ironman - on Pajama Patrol A group of Boy Scouts observe the happenings directly behind the American Sector A lurker and a future lurker Unidentified freeper Buford, BlondeKates (daughter of yours truly) and her friends love the color red RaceBannon, PeterKessler, and CongressmanBillyBob - 3 wild and crazy guys kristinn hands out signs Freedom is not free! W2 Inaugural Ball PicsGovernor Huckabee guitar solo SonofHillaryisevil and Sara (friend of BlondeKates) SonofHillaryisevil (a popular guy!) and BlondeKates Me (Shethink13) and my...

SKUNKS AND BLUE BRACELETS AT CHECKPOINT CHARLIEThe 7th Street security checkpoint ("Checkpoint Charlie") for the inaugural parade was closest to the American Sector established by the DC Chapter of Free Republic.  Waiting there, I coincidentally ended up near DC Chapter member, bmwcyle, and Flora McDonald, a Richmond-area FReeper of long-standing. As we waited in the crowd (it wasn't orderly enough to be a line), pro-Bush people mostly tried to stay quiet in the face of some leftists (maybe ten percent of the crowd) occasionally and individually shouting anti-Bush or anti-war slogans. However, numerous Bush supporters and people who just came...

My report, such that it is, of Inauguration Day (as I sit here in snowy MD watching the events of that day being replayed on CSPAN): My daughter and I awoke at 6:30am on Inauguration day, as she had an important date with the Secret Service at the Pentagon. We had been up late the night before, her polishing brass until 2am and me hemming her ball dress and making last minute things for the W2 Ball until 3:30am. I dropped her off at her school at 8:30am and met with Command Sergeant Major John McConnell to discuss last minute...

The Free Republic W2 Inaugural Ball was a wonderful, but exhausting time. I'm still wiped out. But, I know folks are waiting for pics and stories. I'll add my observations later, but I wanted to share one thing before I head back to the hotel to see 'Governor' Robinson and his family off.We received a phone call from the White House yesterday. The Office of Presidential Scheduling called to pass along President Bush's regrets for not being able to attend our ball (we had mailed a formal invitation to him and his family.) We were told, "He hopes it went...

Where the heck is everyone that went to the Ball? Anyway, let me give me account, and I am truly sorry that I don't have webspace to upload photos into, I will send mine to Bob Wood and he can do them soon hopefully. Anyway,my friend Fran and I arrived at about 12 noon. We were with a couple that I know from Il but they had bleacher seats, so we seperated getting off at different stops on the Metro. We arrived at the Penn 7th and were all fine and dandy, some silly banter going back and forth between...

They were pelted with snowballs, doused with pepper spray. They were outnumbered by police and by Bush loyalists, drowned out for the most part by the fanfare of the nation's 55th inauguration. The thousands of protesters who took to the streets to oppose President Bush's second swearing-in did succeed on at least one score: No one who came to Washington to celebrate the inauguration yesterday left without encountering them. The biggest disruption apparently occurred late last night, far from the center of inaugural action, in the Adams Morgan neighborhood of Northwest Washington. Shortly before midnight, police clad in riot gear...

Dozens of groups converging on Washington for protests. Dozens of groups, from environmentalists to feminists to antiwar activists, are uniting for what they're calling "J20," or "The Counter-Inaugural." Not all the demonstrations planned for Thursday will protest the president. The D.C. Chapter of Free Republic has secured permits to offer what it is calling safe-haven zones near Pennsylvania Avenue, "to differentiate [it] from the anti-American, leftist protesters who will be scattered along the parade route."

All systems are go for the D.C. Chapter's American Sector on the Inaugural Parade route.The weather is cold, but warmer than the past few days. The sun is peaking through the clouds. Snow covers the sidewalks, but Pennsylvania Avenue has been cleared.The barricades are up everywhere. Small groups of people are walking around checking things out.I did a recon last night with BufordP after the Freeper dinner. ANSWER has their bleachers set up on John Marshall Plaza at the starting point for the parade at 4th St. and Pennsylvania Ave. They also have a stage and speaker risers right on...

Springdale High School junior who speaks out on behalf of veterans is to receive an award today at a presidential inaugural ball. Nikki Mendicino, 16, will receive the Falcon of the Year award from Free Republic, which operates a Web site for "grass roots conservatism." The award goes to a high school student. Mendicino became interested in helping veterans about six years ago after World War II veteran John Kridlo visited her school. She began visiting him and started a Web page dedicated to veterans. Since then, she has given hundreds of speeches throughout the country and has been involved...

Inside protest headquarters, up a flight of stairs from a discount tire shop on New York Avenue, a recent coordinating meeting veered toward chaos. The 70 activists, who had plenty of ideas but no apparent leader, got bogged down in making a decision about whether the group had the power to make decisions. People needed to lean in to hear one another over the din made by a drummer warming up in another room. Someone confessed he'd made 150 copies of an important proposal but forgotten to bring them, and a baseball cap made its way around the circle --...

Post your Freep/Protestwarrior activities here from the 2 days of the Inauguration.

Brit just said FR and Protestwarrior.com are going to "protest the protests" of the inaugural parade!! yee haw!

Kristinn, co-leader of the DC Chapter, is scheduled to be on Fox News Channel at about 4:03 PM Eastern time today. This follows his online interview at the Washington Post website earlier today. Click here to be the great job that he did.

Inauguration: Free Republic Kristinn Taylor Free Republic Washington Chapter Co-Leader Wednesday, January 19, 2005; 11:00 a.m. ET Not everyone demonstrating Thursday will by rallying against the current administration. Members of the D.C. Chapter of Free Republic, a conservative Internet based discussion forum, will gather to support “Bush, the men and women serving in the U.S. armed forces and their mission fighting the war on terrorists in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere.” Kristinn Taylor, co-leader of the Washington chapter, will be online to discuss the group's plans as well as their support for President Bush and his policies. Submit your questions and...

Two opposing activist groups have staged regular demonstrations in Washington since President Bush's 2001 inauguration. Click the link to see the videos.

All Freepers and lurkers in good standing are invited to celebrate with us at the Free Republic Pre-Inaugural Dinner at the Washington Plaza Hotel, Wednesday, January 19, from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.With all the traffic closures expected the next day, we figured it would be best to give folks a dry run on getting to the hotel for the ball the next night. Also, because so many of the ball attendees will be spending all day in town on Inauguration Day, we have decided to give them the chance to pre-position their evening attire at the hotel the night...

The D.C. Chapter of Free Republic will be holding a meeting this Saturday afternoon to discuss our plans for the ball and the parade.The meeting will be held at our secret Takoma Park, Md. location starting at 4 p.m. The later start should give everyone time to do their chores and shopping beforehand.The meeting will also be a sign making party, so bring materials so we can have signs for use at the parade.Please confirm via freepmail to me, kristinn.