Report on the Rally For America

[Ben Shniper]

I went to the rally at Valley Forge Freedom Foundation on Sunday March 16th and stood near the front. I had to walk a few blocks to get there because of parking issues, it was a very pleasant day yesterday. Police estimates are that there were 6000+ people at that particular rally, a total of about 85,000 nationwide in all these rallies so far. There were more people, about 2000 more, who couldn't get to the rally because transportation couldn't be arranged (they ran out of busses), so they stayed at the lot and some of them held a small rally for themselves.

There was a few people there who were heads of police, a guy named Paul Christian, a Fox News correspondent and decorated Vietnam vet was there, the family of an Iraqi dissident turned marine seargent was there, and thousands of flags and signs.("F the french", "We support our troops", etc...)

The rally was very polite, law-abiding, and courteous, there was no counter-demonstration. Police were thanked for being there, and most sang along to the patriotic songs. There was a congressman there, as well as a few state senators.

There was a concession stand which didn't have french fries, it had "freedom fries".

The rally was arranged by a somewhat annoying radio talk show host, Glenn Beck, but I went anyway just to be opposed to the peace protesters. Action News, Fox News, local news (Phoenixville has three papers), were all there taking pictures, and I saw the news stories afterwards, so it was reported.

Nobody wants an unnecessary war, but we will support our president and trust his judgements on this matter. Certainly, I think this is a justified action. And if Saddam will resign and the war can be avoided, well, all the better.

-Ben

[PogoPedant]

Originally posted by Ben Shniper
(..) thousands of flags and signs.("F the french" (...)

The rally was very polite (...)
<points and laughs>:D

[Ben Shniper]

Originally posted by PogoPedant

<points and laughs>:D

A little humor! Noone is seriously suggesting breaking the alliance with France. It's just a little bit of frustration that the diplomatic process was killed.

-Ben

[a_unique_person]

Originally posted by Ben Shniper


A little humor! Noone is seriously suggesting breaking the alliance with France. It's just a little bit of frustration that the diplomatic process was killed.

-Ben

as has been questioned already, what sort of diplomats are there in this current administration. There is news of long term diplomats quitting rather than get taken along for the ride.

[Ben Shniper]

Originally posted by a_unique_person


as has been questioned already, what sort of diplomats are there in this current administration. There is news of long term diplomats quitting rather than get taken along for the ride.

Most Americans blame French resistance, not American diplomacy, for the failure of unity at the UN.

I considder it shameful that France has not come to terms with its own supplying weapons to Iraq for the last decade in exchange for oil, yet it is criticizing America for being morally at fault for Saddam's hiding weapons and defying the Security Council. If the Council could be united, and backed up its laws with force, maybe Saddam and all the others (including your love-to-hate country of Israel) wouldn't defy it all the time.

The Security Council's problem is not that they didn't give enough time for inspectors and diplomacy, there was 12 years for that. The problem is that enforcement is made a joke by France's cowardice and lack of credibility in enforcement. Maybe if laws were passed and enforced and enforced equally, we wouldn't have so many people supporting terrorists and armies chasing those terrorists down in Russia, China, Israel, America, Afghanistan, India, Pakistan, Spain, Ivory Coast, etc....

-Ben

[Jocko]

Originally posted by a_unique_person


as has been questioned already, what sort of diplomats are there in this current administration. There is news of long term diplomats quitting rather than get taken along for the ride.

As far as I can tell, the kind of diplomats who understand when diplomacy is useless. Knowing when to begin negotiations is no more important than knowing when to stop.

Besides, I've heard no such news of resignations. Care to mention names, or is this more of your vague spinning?

[Occasional Chemist]

Originally posted by Ben Shniper


A little humor! Noone is seriously suggesting breaking the alliance with France. It's just a little bit of frustration that the diplomatic process was killed.

-Ben

Apparently, some are more frustrated than others. (http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/nationworld/orl-asecwaite13031303mar13.story)


Rep. Ginny Brown-Waite, R-Brooksville, plans to introduce a bill today proposing that the families of the thousands of soldiers, sailors and airmen buried in France and Belgium be allowed to dig up their remains and have them shipped home.


I'm not sure whether I find this sort of mentality fascinating or disgusting at this point.

[tedly]

In the National Post today I see a column by Hugo Gurdon in Washington who comments on "some 40,000 demonstrators". He claims - "The protesters -organized by a front for the Stalinist group that supported the Soviet invasions of Hungary and Czechoslovakia...."

Now I remember in the '80s in Winnipeg there was some to-do over the posters attached to public surfaces by the Maoist Marxist Leninist provo action committee. It seems they were stuck up with a cornstarch paste that city workers found impossible to remove and, I guess, the only solution was to paint over the posters.

We have to admire this kind of organizational and logistic ability. We see an organisation that has survived in the US since 1956, and can turn out five times as many people as the government party, as well as inventing super glues. They are pitted against an organization that can raise $7M in an afternoon to elect George W. Bush.

I guess it's let the people walk. Money talks.

[Ben Shniper]

Originally posted by tedly
In the National Post today I see a column by Hugo Gurdon in Washington who comments on "some 40,000 demonstrators". He claims - "The protesters -organized by a front for the Stalinist group that supported the Soviet invasions of Hungary and Czechoslovakia...."


That's what I was demonstrating against. I can't let these Stalinists speak for me.

Of course the Stalinists and old line communists support Saddam Huessein. He is a dyed in the wool Stalinist himself. He even had a bookshelf full of books on Stalin as a kid.

-Ben