Under the Gadsden Flag: Conservatives Rock the Capitol
His sign said “Save America First — Evangelize the World,” and he stood in the parking lot near Constitution Avenue with a bullhorn. Thousands who arrived at Saturday’s 9/12 March on Washington. heard Pastor George Luca proclaim his pro-life message. A black evangelist from Virginia, Pastor Lucas condemned those who support “murdering innocent pre-born babies” and accused “so-called black leaders” of betraying their own people.
Diversity of opinion was on display everywhere among the vast crowd, generally estimated in excess of 1 million, that gathered on the West Lawn of the Capitol and sprawled for blocks in every direction. The chief sponsor was FreedomWorks, a libertarian-leaning organization which was accused by liberals like Alan Colmes of being sold-out shills for corporate America.
Even though FreedomWorks’ chairman, former Texas Rep. Dick Armey, a Republican, has often criticized the religious right’s influence within the GOP, it was remarkable how many of those who turned out for Saturday’s march were evangelical Christians in sympathy with Pastor Lucas. It was a right-wing Woodstock. No one who wanted to attend was turned away for ideological deviation from the sponsors’ goals, and those who responded represented the broadest imaginable spectrum of opposition to the status quo in Washington.
Not far from where Pastor Lucas preached his message through a bullhorn, Kell Grenga stood with his daughter, Sarah. They had traveled from Charlotte, N.C., the father dressed in the uniform of a Revolutionary War patriot militiaman and the daughter in a colonial homespun dress. Grenga held a staff from which flew a yellow flag bearing the image of a coiled rattlesnake and the defiant motto “Don’t Tread On Me!”
Hundreds of those banners fluttered among the crowd. This traditional emblem of American liberty was nearly as ubiquitous as the red, white, and blue of Old Glory. Standing beside the stage Saturday afternoon in his trademark black leather jacket, Nick Gillespie of the libertarian journal Reason agreed that, whether or not this event had established a Washington record for attendance at a political rally, it certainly deserved Guinness Book recognition as history’s largest mass display of the Gadsden flag.
While the crowd estimate was furiously debated online, the people who turned out for the March on D.C. — not figments of anyone’s imagination, but flesh-and-blood Americans whom I saw, spoke to, and even sometimes shook hands with — were unanimously agreed that they’d never seen anything so huge. However much critics want to denounce the sponsorship as “corporate” (by which liberals mean “phony,” if not indeed “evil”), the crowd was real. And it was spectacular.
Something no one has noticed yet but I am noticing on Facebook by the hour-
this is a Mom and Apple Pie revolution.
And I mean that literally.
The most vociferous passionate people I have met in the movement so far are Sarah Palin supporting conservative Moms. Sick and tired of all the same stuff we’re sick and tired of, but with the persistence, patience and toughness of American Moms.
Underestimate the soccer Mom factor if you dare, haircut lefties.
Was the protest “heard?” Yes. Was it “understood?” Possibly. But the full significance of the event, the largest mass protest in America in at least a century, won’t be known until Washington responds — and Americans respond to their response.
The critical factor here is whether the governed really, truly are on the verge of withdrawing their consent. If that’s true — if we cannot be bought off with some clever, salami-slicing tactic designed to undermine our liberty still further while molifying those elements of the protest less concerned with principle than with personal interests — then the alternatives are plain: either Washington backs down, or Washington goes down. But the politicians have the next move…and they’ve proved enormously adroit at buying enough support to amputate whichever limb of our freedoms they’re most interested in killing off.
Stay tuned!
Though I would like to believe WTF stands for ‘Where’s the Freedom?’ what it actually means is still appropriate these days.
Good luck taking out the rubbish, America.
Its good to see some of these folks out on the streets, enjoying themselves and making themselves heard. You usually dont see these kind of people marching. I believe we need healthcare and want to see change, but their voices need to be heard as well. It makes those in the center and the poor and the left realize that they are not the only ones out there with a gripe or two. Yes the “king of the hill” wing of american politics is alive. Good article.
A (black) film producer friend of mine also derided the deafening silence of the leftstream media in regards what he called the “chocolate watermelon” Van Jones. Watermelon for obvious reasons- green outside, blood red inside. This is one point the left NEVER report at ALL- the number of african americans who plain do NOT like Obama or his chosen few Advanced Colored People. Another african american friend of mine said Dear Leader’s rise to power was like some crazy Seinfeld episode, with Ebonics instead of New York jewry experience providing the punchlines.
But the tea party african american quote of the weekend goes to a friend on facebook:
“Obama is one angry brother. Homeboy is ANGRY. And that isn’t who I want driving the bus.”
There were proud people of color on the right side in 1776 and they’re still with the rest of us now.
I saw second hand reports that a spokesman for the Nat’l Parks Service is quoted as saying this is the largest crowd ever for a DC event. It may be a record. I cannot wait for today’s news cycle to start. This is going to have huge, long legs.
It was amazing to watch the crowd roll by hour after hour.
We were stuck in court because a lad of our group had been arrested the night before and thrown in jail for throwing a picture of Obama in the garbage in a restaurant owned by a rabid moonbat. We spent all day in court tryiing to get her out. Luckily the court was only two blocks from Pennsylvania Ave so during the innumerable delays we were able to go down and take pictures and video of the great tide of patriotism sweeping the nation’s capital.
Arrest, Threatened arrests, and Patriotism all in one day!
http://nygoe.wordpress.com/2009/09/13/aar-march-on-washington-91209/
Dan Maloney
Actually, the crowd was only estimated at 60,000 to 70,000 according to the DC Fire Dep’t.
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/tea-party-protesters-march-washington/story?id=8557120
According to the MSM, this never took place. Insane how the free press in this country has disappeared.
So this Monday A.M. news cycle has very little to say. But don’t get discouraged. We the the people KNOW. We don’t have to be told. Just look at the photos. Let them try to sweep this under the rug.
The couch potatoes finally went on a march. A good time to wear their Halloween customs. Dreaming of a Woodstock experience. Some are sincerely concerned about big government, but they didn’t protest when Bush expanded it and wasted billions of taxpayers money. They feel guilty now.
They fear the future because they don’t understand our place in a world community. Their USA island is getting more isolated and scorned by the ‘low-life’ governments of the past, like China, India, and others.
They try to forget the housing bubble, stock market melt, conspicuous consumption, religious contradictions, family values gone astray, racism, heath care ignorance, and the constant chatter of talking heads wackos. Time to find a new Valium.
So they blame ‘the others’.
It’s always the easy way out.
“Barbara’s first report, that a ‘people meter’ at the corner of 11th Street and Pennsylvania had counted the marchers as 450,000 strong before noon, so startled me…”
I’m also startled to learn that there exists a technology that makes it possible to count the number of persons in a widely dispersed crowd with such accuracy, from a single vantage point on one street corner!
I was at the march and I can say that there were WELL OVER 1 million people in fact The Daily Mail UK newspaper (unlike our USA news papers and web sites) ran a front page article (with pics) stating 2 million people were protesting in DC. I saw the packed crowd go from the Capitol steps to the Washington Monument. One of the police said that for over 3 hours wall to wall people marched down the eight lane road without stopping. I was in a front contingency and we had to start marching an hour+ early as so many others were unable to fit in the staging area. Organizers were concerned as they didn’t have a permit for the Mall area (even they didn’t expect the phenomenal turnout) – but there was no where else for the hundreds of thousands of “excess” patriots to go.
No big surprise that the DC Capitol Cam (which would have shown the magnitude of the crowd) was mysteriously shut off on Saturday. It’s web page showed a blank screen with the statement: “This camera is currently unavailable to the public”
We came together from all over the Country – including Alaska and Hawaii – from different political parties – as one body of peaceable protest. I met no one that was discourteous or disrespectful – the crowd picked up any litter and left in a large but peaceable, well mannered way.
I was really impressed by a tiny, elderly woman with a prominent French accent – who traveled all by herself from California -she belonged to no official group or organization. Living here as a legal immigrant, she stated it took her 27 years to become a US citizen: “I left a socialized country” she said – “and I don’t want to live in one now”.
We saw Sky News & Fox News cameras. I did not see it but I heard that CSPAN had excellent coverage. Fox News coverage was OK but many were disappointed.
The NY Times chose to put a little boy with teeth cavities on the ‘above the fold – front page’ while a small story about the largest protest that DC has ever seen (dwarfing the “million man” march) was relegated to page 35 opposite a glowing article about Obama at a rally in MN. Other newspapers were similarly absent or minimal with coverage.
Blatant slanted news/propaganda that the media longer tries to hide.
Okay, trolls. The crowds were teensy weensy per your observation.
How bit is your junk again that you keep bragging about on the INTERNET?
Oh good grief Vivo. Are you totally braindead? Like a cheerleader who’s been trampled by the entire opposing team, you still manage to rise and gasp, “Gimme an O!” Bravo! How did you and your MSM clowns describe the so-called “million man march”, by the way? In similar yawning tones? Koolaid drinker and troll that you are, you really befoul yourself sometimes.
92. George S.:
don’t feed the trolls ..watch the video below …well worth the ten minutes.
it outlines why the trolls cannot understand reality. they are a lost group.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DIFcnctnHsE&feature=related
RE # 11/vivo: [...] The couch potatoes finally went on a march. [...]
Vivo, your frustration when you see how people who are suposed to work for you take a day off and protest in Washington is understandable -
Still, vivo, you’re completely off (as usually), because the people you saw in Washington are not couch potatoes. They actually belong to the most active, productive and valuable social group of the country, small business owners, entrepreneurs, etc., people whose work and initiative generate reveneus and jobs, and in a very large degree keep this nation ticking. They were those who went to this march against socialist, confiscatory policies advocated by a group of left-wing adventurers.
Conversely, who weren’t represented at the march in Washington were government workers, tenured university teachers, professional welfare recipients, community activists and their hordes, Hollywood figures & 10 million per show, the yakking class too busy to regurgitate their college oppression classes, MoveOn Org, ACLU & Southern Law Poverty Center robbers, etc., etc. – all these whose “activities” do not generate jobs and wealth and who pay taxes from money that isn’t theirs weren’t there.
Yes, at the march we didn’t see a single representative of the official American racket system – liberals and the mobs of clients that empower them.
Hey, I almost forgot your ACORN colleagues, who, like you, now sit somewhere in government offices jamming web-sites with inane comments.
Vivo, ever held a paying job other than advising pimps how to bypass rules to get low rent places to run their business from? Ever got a check other than from government, i.e. from taxes collected from those who work?
Doubt it – so, again, your frustration is understandable when you see how people who are suposed to work for you take a day off and protest in Washington.
Truthserum at 13′
Thank you so much for your eyewitness account. The MSM is in denial due to it’s political bias. It is in for a shock in about 13 and 1/2 months. November 2010 will be a wave election. How many tens of millions like me couldn’t be in Washington? People are highly motivated and the reason for their anger will not disipate in the next year even if the economy begins to turn.
Be careful if you like to repeat the President’s phrase “We Won”. My bet is that your going to regret your hubris and arrogance after the 2010 election.
“Fact” Check, 60K-70K is luicrous: there are more than that in any of the pictures of Pennsylvania Ave.
Vivo – it always amazes me that people like you somehow believe you know people like me. What hubris! You don’t know me, you don’t know my motivations, my dreams, my beliefs or anything else about me. But in your arrogance, you feel you “KNOW” what we’re all about. YOU are the one with the bigoted, prejudiced notions.
92. George S.:
don’t feed the trolls ..watch the video below …well worth the ten minutes.
it outlines why the trolls cannot understand reality. they are a lost group.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DIFcnctnHsE&feature=related
fact check is a troll. nuf said
The marchers are level headed and mature adults. And they are knowledgeable concerning the issues of the day! These individuals are not actively involved in politics because their lives are boring and meaningless. They are committed because their country is threatened. The danger impacts directly on their own family. It is senseless to describe them as angry and embittered yahoos. Purple and red state politicians of both major parties are well advised to take them seriously.
No wonder caring Americans are marching in the streets. There are of course Obama’s reckless and leftist domestic policies, new assaults on our values daily. But some recent world events are exposing Obama’s failures in foreign policy, causing Americans more worries:
–North Korea testing more another nuke (Obama, no meaningful action)
–Iran closing in on having a nuke arsenal (ditto)
–Hondurans follow their rule of law (Obama takes would-be dictator’s side and implements sanctions against Honduras)
–Venezuela’s Chavez, taking Obama’s favor for granted it seems, cozies up with Russia to obtain “nuke power technology”. They must be running out of oil, verdad? (Obama has no comment so far)
–Obama starts trade war with China to keep products expensive in the U.S. To hell with Americans having a hard time in this economy who need tires, I guess. (Which country is next on the hit list, Mr. President?)
How about your man, Vivo?
@22
David,
The most important thing is that of those among them who can vote, a very large percentage will vote – and will be sure to encourage others of like mind to do so as well.
Turnout has always been the key in midterm elections.
Never forget, this was just a march. The real revolution has to happen at the polls or this will be for nothing! Write your “representatives”, express your views openly in your neighborhoods, register people who are worried to vote, and above all vote the bums out.
vivo:
By your own words, since GWB trashed the economy, it’s only fair to allow O’Bummer to trash it as well! Meanwhile, the economy continues to slide into an abyss. Is this what you actually think? Do you have so little regard for the greatest country in the history of the world (and presumably your mother country) that you actually don’t give a &#%^@& what happens to it so long as your guys get theirs??!
For your information, most of the people present this weekend were equally dismayed by Bush’s spending as they are with Hussein’s spending.
True American patriots don’t want leaders of any party who think overspending is acceptable economic policy! A fundamental tenet of conservatism is that a balanced budget is essential to American strength and independence.
You’ve been trolling these sites long enough to know that, so why the specious misdirection? Is it because you cannot actually argue the point on its merits?
These people are real; their concerns are real – and they do number in the multimillions.
The problem is that you have an administration that is ‘two-headed’.
There is Obama, who is not a leader nor an intellect nor an executive but a Salesman, a pathological narcissist whose skills, and psychological needs, are to manipulate and control people to obeisance. He can’t deal with dissent or criticism. His reaction to both is either anger and/or he will ‘wipe you out of his mind’. You literally cease to exist for Obama.
Then, there’s the BackRoom Gang, who are Obama’s ideological and policy Masters. They are radical socialists with one agenda: taking over and changing the economic, social and political infrastructure of the US from a Republic to a Socialist state.
Their view of the mass of Americans is that the people must be deprived of power. They will both ignore these demonstrations..and behind the scenes, work to disable the ability of the people to retain their Constitutional power..
They’ll try to disable internet and electronic communications; they’ll try to divert attention with a crisis; they’ll use Obama in his Performance Role as ‘engaging teenager’ more and more.
I don’t think it will work – but this Democratic BRG is going to put up a huge fight.
In actuality, ABC News estimated that between 60,000 and 70,000 people were at the rally.
Michelle Malkin, serial liar and committed nutcase, claimed that 2 million people showed up, and she says that she based her claim on the ABC News report. So clearly it is bunk.
Certainly, 60-70k is a significant amount of people, but two million it is not. Fox News put the number at “tens of thousands,” a figure echoed by the Wall Street Journal and The Associated Press.
To put that estimate in perspective, here’s a look at the number of people who flocked to the nation’s capital for some other recent massive rallies:
January 27, 2007: Protest against the Iraq War — The protest against President Bush’s plan to increase the number of soldiers in Iraq had tens of thousands in attendance.
September 25, 2005: Protest against the Iraq War — Official estimates run from 150,000 to 300,000.
April 25, 2004: March for Women’s Lives — This pro-choice rally drew between 500,000 and 800,000.
March 16, 2003: Protest against Iraq invasion — 20,000 joined in a candlelight vigil in Washington.
January 18, 2003: Protest against the Iraq War — Estimates range from “tens of thousands” to nearly 200,000.
October 16, 1995: Million Man March — Estimates for this famed rally vary from 400,000 to 837,000.
October 11, 1987: Second National March on Washington for Gay and Lesbian Rights — This rally pushing for increased funding for AIDS research drew at least 200,000 people.
October 15, 1969: Protest against the Vietnam war — Rallies were planned all across the U.S. but the largest was in Washington D.C., which 250,000 people attended.
Clearly, the right wing has protest envy big time, and is just lying and making up big numbers to try and cover up the fact that the number of right-wing activists is pretty minimal and paltry compared to the number of mobilized leftist activists who have gotten out into the streets over the last 8 years.
Also, everyone here should go to LittleGreenFootballs.com and read Chris Johnson’s utter buttkicking of Robert Stacy McCain.
http://littlegreenfootballs.com/article/34660_Robert_Stacy_McCains_Angry_Departure_From_the_Washington_Times
26. bubblehead: “vivo:
By your own words, since GWB trashed the economy, it’s only fair to allow O’Bummer to trash it as well! Meanwhile, the economy continues to slide into an abyss.”
Step 1: Learn how to read good.
Step 2: Read this article: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125185379218478087.html
Step 3: Attempt, feebly, to explain how you, teabagging birther extraordinaire, are right in your assessment of the economy, and how both the Wall Street Journal as well as the majority of leading US economists are wrong in their assessment of the state of the economy.
Step 4: I laugh at you.
I was there, and feel honored to be amongst so many like-minded patriots, from all walks of life and every corner of this great country.
During and after the event, I was never as moved as thinking of the meaning: “E PLURIBUS UNUM”.
I gurantee you there will be attempts trying to divide us, picking minor details of things/topics/which candidates to support/etc. trying to diminish the tide that just started.
I just wish to remind people to contemplate “E PLURIBUS UNUM”. I will never convince others to agree with me 100% all the time, but we have the same conviction, various opionions from the backbone of this country (the people) will only make us stronger.
I was also at the event. It was amazing that such a large crowd remained peaceful, enthusiastic, friendly and courteous. I believe that if any kind of fight had broken out, the media would have been the first to report it.
I saw one sign that read something like, “I paid $235 for gas and $484 for the hotel to be here.” I did not write down the exact numbers, but my figures are not that far off. She had spent hundreds of dollars to be there. I started asking people where they were from, and people told me: California, Arizona, Nevada, Minnesota, Tennessee… Also, for what it’s worth, I was filmed and interviewed by two people who said that they were from a French publication, but I didn’t quite catch the name of the publication. They were just walking around in the crowd looking for interviews. I’m assuming that they were who they said they were, but I have little experience with media people.
By the time we reached the staging area, we were unable to go straight ahead because of the crowd, so we went to the left side of the podium where the sound system was not quite as good. The speech I found most moving (I looked this up on the the 912 schedule of events) came from that of James Anderer, the owner of Island Jeep in Lindenhurst, NY. He related that his business was doing extremely well when Chrysler folded. The government shut down his business, then gave it to someone else. This has happened in the United States of America during a time of peace, and Mr. Anderer had broken no law.
I know we’ll keep the momentum going both for our sake and for the sake of James Anderer. We may all be in his place some day.
Perhaps this should be followed up with everyone who attended and more importantly, every who wants to but could not, call and email the entire senate & congress.
Keep in mind, the obammy mammy people do not give a WTF about any of us.Nor will the plants on the supreme court. We will have to take our nation back and then be ready to fight chavez and his islimo communist army with nuc weapons coming up from mexico.
Arm yourselves, stock up on food and be ready to fight a false goverment and the un troops brought in to back it.
America, this is our final hour of freedom ,use it to prepare.
obammy lovers, be ready to lose your rights to be traitors.
DH
I went to the Fort Worth protest where we had Judge Napalitano speak. I’m not sure how many people were there, since none of the news outlets covered it right, but I’d say somewhere around 5000. We had a minor Republican candidate for Governor speak, and one of the news outlets said that the rally was for her and acted like the whole protest was a completely seperate thing.
At this protest we had Guardian Angels, Ron Paulians, Libertarians, and some of the somewhat more extreme right. I think they might hijack the Tea Parties and transform them into something they want over what it originally was, but who knows. I personally think speeches are going to get us nowhere, but whatever.
Next time, bring your barf bags;VIVO might attend,
“While the crowd estimate was furiously debated online”
What you are calling debate was simply the sane pointing out the right wingers lying about the turnout. 2 million? Preposterous.
The crowd estimate wasn’t in question. It was 60-70 thousand.
Fail @ 28:
I’ll bet that leftist media Kool-Aid tastes good? Drink it all down…getting drowsey yet…enjoying that euphoric stupor? Don’t worry…all those pesky personal accountabilities/responsibilities will disappear before your starry eyes, as well as those outdated/unnecessary constitutional rights and liberties. But there’s HOPE…and CHANGE…the Obamessiah has everything under control. He has a new life prepared and awaiting you and the millions of under-employed anti-capitalists like you. But first things first….time for you to head off to the showers.
jharp: 60,OOO OF US ARE EASILY WORTH 2 MILLION LIBTARDS AND MORE!
DALE:The only teabagging I’m aware of is the one given to your Messiah daily by his slumlord boss (thanks Hillary) Tony Rezko. Does it upset you to think about your messiah, working it like that? Just because he gave it up to get some doesn’t mean other people are willing to.
All they need to know will be delivered at approx. 3000SF/sec. The time draweth near. Make ready. Practice marksmanship. Begin physical training. Stockpile food and water. Teach your kids and grandkids the TRUE story of America and its founding principles.
Read “Unintended Consequences” by John Ross. Assess your access and how you may contribute. Then execute.
Nex ut Tyrannus!
I tell you the truth.
I was there.
We were three.
All the photos are photoshopped or staged in my backyard.
Two friends of mine and I, we are the tiny minority, the extreme-right wing nuts and the domestic terrorists.
Thank you for the opportunity to comment.
PS I am learning to confess BEFORE being asked questions by the People’s Revolutionary Tribunal.
How am I going ?
Long live president Obamao.
DEGUELLO:
“jharp: 60,OOO OF US ARE EASILY WORTH 2 MILLION LIBTARDS AND MORE!”
Really?
How’d that turn for you last November?
I DISAGREE WITH THE POST #39 signed by SPOOK.
I CONDEMN THE PROPAGANDA OF VIOLENCE UNDER ANY FORM.
I DEEM WHOEVER POSTS SUCH PROPAGANDA AN AGENT PROVOCATEUR INFILTRATED BY THE TOTALITARIANS.
Thank you for the opportunity to comment.
Please delete that post, thank you.
#40 Sherab
2+2=5
43. Anneke9:
“#40 Sherab
2+2=5″
Well, yes, as Bubba Clinton said: “All depends from what the meaning of “is” is”.
In the case of the Washington March, the totalitarians are trying to change the meaning of…numbers.
You could have learned all this for free at any Moscow, PC-SU Party School until 1989, now you have got to pay an American College some 100,000 dollars to come up with the same BS.
Thank you for the opportunity to comment.
I see a large group of quacks who are not much different than the lefty quacks who squatted at the mall when Bush was in office.
Take the evangelism and stick it where the sun don’t shine.
USAToday estimated the crowd at over a million.
What is important to note, is not only the MSM’s refusal to acknowledge the reality of these protests against Big Government, but the White House and Obama’s refusal to do the same.
Obama’s psychological nature puts him in a self-made cocoon of unreality where he refuses to interact with facts and lives in his own fictional world of rhetoric – and exists only within his endless, endless campaigning and speeches.
The BackRoom Gang who operate Obama-the-Performer, live in a different kind of isolation, an ideological world of radical socialism. They too refuse to acknowledge not only the existence of dissent but the right of people to dissent.
So, if the MSM, the BRG and Obama refuse to recognize The People – this dissent must be repeated and repeated and then expressed in the vote of 2010.
I’m not worried about the size of the crowds. I witnessed the big anti war crowds in Austin. It was the premier social event of the season. It was cross between a tent revival and a fashion show for the trustafarians. This will never happen with conservatives not should it be the goal of conservatives. Protest is not how it works on the right.
Look at the video from Freedom Plaza
The Capitol is 1 mile away.
Penn Ave is 100 ft wide.
The crowd walks at 4 miles an hour past the
camera for 3 hours.
Area x density x time=
800,000 people..plus those on the mall
1,000,000 total
35. jharp:
So this is 60-70,000?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_sjvc6baor8&feature=player_embedded
That was over a 3 and 1/2 hour period.
http://www.stealthfusion.com/forum/fusion-research/4910-amazing-photos-9-12-march-washington-vs-usa-today-national-mall-schematic.html
Take a look at the pictures, especially the ones taken from the steps of the Capitol – look to the right. See all the people still on Pennsylvania Avenue?
Even you can see through your pink-colored glasses that this is FAR more than what ABC and the fire department claimed.
44. Sherab Zangpo:
great comment. lol
Remember Sun Tzu. Let the socialists delude themselves as to the numbers of working, taxpaying individuals who’ve added government reform to their list of priorities. It only works to their disadvantage.
Protest is not how it works on the right
Well, pray tell, what does work on the right? Being quiet and reasonable and above the fray – like John McCain?
No matter what the actual count is (and remember that there were other 9/12 rallies across the country), this is a very very bad sign for the left.
Ordinary people, people who normally would never attend rallies, are fed up. We have an elite political class bent on spending us into bankruptcy and they’re in cahoots with an elite media who tell us only what they decide we should know. How else do people register their disgust and displeasure in the face of such arrogance?
You tell me, billslayer. Maybe another “reasonable” conservative politely debating points on a Sunday talk show will do the trick. Or we could all write well-mannered letters to the NY Times. Yeah, that would work so well for us.
I saw that GW WTF and just cracked up. That one was definitely on my top ten list for best signs.
I also liked the Obamacare one with the Trojan Horse above the pile of skulls.
Totally grassroots, wonderful creativity, and non-violent (no reported fights), great people and great Americans.
If we now just make the movement permanent and grow it, liberty will never die in this country.
Crowd was probably in the 1.0-1.2 million. I was hoping it would be 500K or more. Boy I shot low.
Jeff Weimer:
35. jharp:
“So this is 60-70,000?”
Yes. Thanks for posting the confirmation.
This is 1.5 to 2 million.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3337/3213340126_76c0b0170b.jpg
Well, all those who think the actual number is on the low side of the estimates seem happy and those who believe the larger estimates are happy too.
Everyone’s happy. On to the next thread.
Conservatives and evangelicals are not necessarily the same group. As for me, I’m very encouraged by the presence of libertarians and disillusioned liberals at the event.
DONNA: I suggest you read some of my other posts before you starting thinking I’m reasonable. But I understand what you mean, McCain didnt use words like, Rezko, Wright, or Ayers. He didnt stand up for anything. IMAO Palin did a better job in the debates than McCain did, even though I’m not fan of Palin. BUT, that said, conservatives, right wingers, etc are generally adults with jobs, so the idea that as many people are going to show up on our side as opposed to the left isn’t sustainable. Seriously, I get called names all the time by the trolls here (not that yr a troll) but reasonable is not one of them.
#54
Harpo is quite a comedian. This is a crowd of about 70,000. Don’t worry Kirk Douglas, I’m happy when Harpo is blue.
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.realfooty.com.au/ffximage/2007/06/13/wbHAWTHORNwaverlylast3_gallery__470x304.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.realfooty.com.au/ftimages/2007/06/13/1181414312287.html&usg=__8VR7t1Sgn5C57hG33KgtvlNeh40=&h=304&w=470&sz=49&hl=en&start=1&um=1&tbnid=ntnGSmTA7RnQSM:&tbnh=83&tbnw=129&prev=/images%3Fq%3D70,000%2Bcrowd%2Bat%2Bgame%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26um%3D1
Dude. Chucky Johnson says you’re a white supremacist, and so was everybody at this thing. Hater. Racist. White supremacist.
Fred Beloit:
#54
“Harpo is quite a comedian. This is a crowd of about 70,000.”
Fred, Fred, what are we going to do with you? You are hopelessly lost.
Have you ever like been to a football game or a protest?
Hint, the seating arrangements at a football game and folks milling about at a protest make it impossible to compare with your silly picture.
BUT, that said, conservatives, right wingers, etc are generally adults with jobs, so the idea that as many people are going to show up on our side as opposed to the left isn’t sustainable.
Well, people with jobs do get vacation days from time to time. I imagine that many people who were there thought the rally was important enough to take a day or two off to get to DC, say their piece, and be back on the job on Monday. They also thought it was important enough to pay for their own transportation and lodging.
They didn’t have MoveOn or the unions or ACORN providing them with buses and signs.
That in and of itself ought to make the Left wee wee themselves. These are very determined people.
For every protestor there, I can guarantee you that there were several like myself who were busy working – sometimes 2nd and 3rd jobs to survive Obama’s (and Democrat controlled Congress) economy.
We were there in spirit and at rallies throughout the country. We are appalled by everything this President, Congress and his czars are attempting to do to this great nation.
As Mason Weaver so eloquently said at a recent rally:
“If you are free, you don’t need hope – you are free!
If you are free, what are you gonna change to?”
70,000 – Only products of a liberal indoctrination could review incontrovertible video and photographic evidence of over a million people and only see 70,000.
Truth is a stranger to the left.
DONNA V:Agreed!
PEOPLE: Now…what are we going to do about it? Rasmussen says that roughly 70% of Repulicans dont trust their own party. What are we going to do about it? The reason Sweet Little Barry is there in the first place is that we sold out our principles. We co-signed on Bush and Delay running up gigantic deficits. How many reliable congressmen do we actually have? The only one who lives by his principles that I know of is Jeff Flake. How do we put him in charge? Frankly we can whine 24/7 about how we need to cut taxes but if we continue to engage in deficit spending and printing funny money through the treasury we will only get more debt deficit. What we need is a takedown of the republican leadership. The way we do this is we make them sign the PLEDGE. i.e. no more deficit spending and no more borrowing. The only thing we want to see are budget CUTS. And yes, we need an adult with his or her own voice that is not going to sugar coat how painful its going to be.
You really are willfully obtuse. Obama’s inauguration isn’t at issue, and the numbers reported, while somewhat inflated, aren’t nearly as far off the mark as those for 9/12. According to USAToday’s own chart from the inauguration, the area between the capitol and the Mall, including the reflecting pool and the first section of the mall, hold 240,000 – seated. The ook up an area larger than set aside for the inauguration. All that while people were still filing in from Pennsylvania avenue and elsewhere.
That is much larger than the number you cite, and you know it.
This recession/depression has taken it’s toll almost exclusively on the private sector, (and btw, also almost exclusively on males), so that just isn’t so. When 10+% of the employable private-sector people are unemployed, and the government employees are all required to show up and play solitaire and troll here, you can and will get a role reversal.
The trolls here are so palpably angry, because their paper-mache heads are collecting dust, while they have to show up in their government cubicles and spend all day flinging poo at us. They’d much rather be out in the sunshine with their pm heads, but duty calls.
You guys wanted change. Enjoy your cubicles.
What a great honorable scene. The reason MSM and leaders in Congress refuse to report or acknowledge this event because they have their heads up their a**. As much as they want the strong loyal American citizens to go away, they haven’s seen nothing yet! Bring on 2010!
There’s something else involved. The Odministration has made a number of small tactical errors, but they also made one mother of a blunder: they stupidly said that they would get cost savings out of medicare. D’oh! Now the seniors, rightly, are looking over their shoulders. And they have lots of time on their hands.
Sorry, but these guys just aren’t that bright. Clinton would have never done anything that dumb. He would have had Dick Morris do a poll before opening his yap. These guys have got no concept…
Did anyone catch the CBS sunday morning show where a bunch of liberals were commenting on the 9/12 marchers posters? The one that upset them the most was the one about burying Obamacare with Kennedy.
Strangely, I do not recall CBS ever bothering to read posters from left-wing protest, and describing how repulsive they were.
They live in their New York bubble, all elitist leftist snobs. If CBS hired a moderate it would be a big story.
Some of the people who post here are very bright and highly educated. I do hope that a few of them will collect the history of the these awesome days so that it will not be forgotten. A collection of the posters that were thrown away will be worth quite a bit of money in the future. Putting them in a coffee table book for posterity would be an amazing contribution. History is given to the people who write it, who write with flair and grandeur.
Speaking of the Gadsden Flag, Another Black Conservative had a rather amusing video of ACORNites selling Gadsden flags at the DC TEA party. Much as they may hate to admit it, even ACORN seems to realize capitalism works…..
“”"”" 8. Fact Checking:
Actually, the crowd was only estimated at 60,000 to 70,000 according to the DC Fire Dep’t. “”"”"”
Nice try. I work above the march route, and have a great view of its full length. A realistic conservative estimate is more like in excess of 100,000, and probably a good deal more than that.
“”"”"” 5. Jonathan Nolan:
A (black) film producer friend of mine also derided the deafening silence of the leftstream media in regards what he called the “chocolate watermelon” Van Jones. Watermelon for obvious reasons- green outside, blood red inside. This is one point the left NEVER report at ALL- the number of african americans who plain do NOT like Obama or his chosen few Advanced Colored People. “”"”"”"”
ALL commentators, right and left, completely misunderstood the meaning or origin of Jesse Jackson’s anger at Obama when he offered to “cut his (Obama’s) nuts off” for “talking down to black people” during the campaign. Obama is a stuffy, pedantic prick to a whole lot of people all accross the political and social spectrum.
#2 Francis W. Porretto: “The critical factor here is whether the governed really, truly are on the verge of withdrawing their consent.”
You want to know what the march was about? See above.
This voter is forthwith withdrawing her consent. I shall henceforth be known as a “non-consenter.”
I believe for every marcher who was able to attend the 9/12 event, there are thousands around the country who couldn’t be there.
If I wanted to live under socialist/communist rule, I’d move to Russia. My advice: those who want that standard of living should just git.
15. Thomas_L……:
17. misanthropicus:
20. happi:
23. Fred Beloit:
26. bubblehead:
Reality escapes all of you.
Instead, you delve into right-wing rhetoric and silly words (brain dead, Kool-Aid drinker, troll, ACORN, O’Bummer). Your ignorance and isolation has driven this place into a Third World Banana Republic.
But maybe some good will come out these chaotic demonstrations. I’m an optimistic.
Here’s my story: I flew into Baltimore on Thursday night. I took two days of vacation from work to come to this event. Nobody paid me to attend.
On Friday night, 9/11, I took the train down from Baltimore to attend the commemration at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. There were probably a couple of thousand of us lining the sidewalks of Georgia Ave. at Elder, at the main gate. We had flags and banners supporting the troops. The largest banner I saw said, “You Did Not Falter / You Did Not Fail”.
The passersby were mainly supportive. Lots of car horns and thumbs-up, no middle fingers that I could see. There were a couple of dozen anti-war protestors, but they seemed fairly subdued. The DC cops were patrolling in cars and on foot. I came up to a group of five of them standing outside the gate and thanked them for being there. They seemed quite relaxed.
On Saturday morning, 9/12, I took the train down from Baltimore again. The early train was sold out, so I bought a ticket for the next one. I asked the ticket agent if it was typical for a weekend morning train to DC to be sold out; she said no.
I’m not a crowd estimator, but there were a *lot* of people on the mall that day. Contrary to what the press would have you believe, not all “white folks”, not all “old folks”, not even all Republicans. I saw several “Throw ‘em *all* out!” signs and one Bush-as-Joker sign along with several Obama-as-Joker signs. (I did see the LaRouchies’ Obama-as-Hitler sign — it was clearly printed with his Web site at the bottom.) I took a picture of one man (a good-looking one, too!
) with a huge sign, as tall as he was, saying that he was a Democrat and a union man, and was still disgusted with the Obama administration.
As we left the grounds, we picked up our trash and our signs and put them into the litter baskets, or neatly next to them if they were overflowing. We thanked the DC cops again as we walked. The only damage we did was to the lawn grass, which is unavoidable when you have hundreds of thousands of people walking on it.
I saw no fights, I heard no epithets. Plenty of flyers were handed out, but those didn’t become litter. There was a lot of free-market capitalism going on, in the form of button sales and so forth. (One guy was selling huge delicious-looking soft pretzels for 5 bucks from a cart as we marched along. I was tempted, but needed both hands to carry my signs!)
The atmosphere was very positive, even uplifting. And the bagpiper rocked, even if he did change keys in the middle of “America the Beautiful”.
I see the various lefty racists here are still as pathetic as ever… at least they’re predictable.
Can anyone here explain in detail what Obama has done to destroy America without using the words socialism, death panels, communism, and unsurper?
#78
Obama is trying spend us into oblivion. Let his Obamacare and Cap and Trade pass and we will be regulated into oblivion as well.
Well, if you are any good with going frame by frame, there is a wonderful time lapse on the ground by Sophia Lena plus a pan over the crowd during the demonstration. Love watching the clouds in the sky as a way of figuring out the time lapse involved.
I don’t know where some folks get ‘sparse’ as a crowd… and the fire dept. obviously missed quite a few people… but if this was a bunch of apathetic couch potatos, then 60,000 would be a HUGE number. What showed up was significantly larger. And you can compare it to the inauguration looking down towards the Wash. Monument… but this on a relatively nice early fall day.
Middleman: He has weakened America by snubbing our allies and cozying up to our enemies.
Hmm..I little better. I’m no fan of Cap and Trade personally. Obamacare is still a work in progress. The fact still remains that the current health care status quo is unsustainable. A slow bleed, so something has to be done.
Middleman,
Does spending $2 Trillion that he doesn’t have count for anything? His economic policy is a disaster, and you don’t need to use the words socialism, death panels, communism, and unsurper to say that. Unemployment is going to hit 10% soon, and is expected to hang out in that area for the forseeable future.
And inflation is likely just around the corner. The Fed has loosened monetary policy about as far as they can (they’d have to start paying banks to borrow money if they lowered the rate any more).
And then, Obama is trying to snatch defeat out of the jaws of victory in Iraq and Afghanistan. He may not be able to pull that off in Iraq, but Afghanistan is a distinct possibility.
Conversly, what has he done that is so good? I can’t think of any real accomplishment that he’s had. He reached out to Iran for the first half of this year as though he’d be able to do the impossible and convince the Mullahs to quit sponsoring terrorism and, well, trying to get freaking nuclear weapons! That worked as well as anyone over the age of ten could have anticipated, so now he sits and waffles as the countdown ticks away. Wonderful foreign policy.
He’s a failed President, and he’s barely been in office six months. Goid save us fron the next 3 1/2 years that are left.
I was there. I too met people from all over the country, from as far away as Hawaii and Washington State. I am not a good guesstimator but there were far more than 50,000 people there. The only problem that my sister and I had was this:
We were riding back to our hotel on the Metro on 9/11. My sister rec’d a call from a friend wanting to know all the details so far. She was quietly talking on her phone and I was listening to her intently to make sure that she didn’t say anything inflammatory. She didn’t. However, she mentioned that we met a lady from Nevada that lives in Harry Reids district. There was a professional looking woman (white for those who are interested) seated facing us working on a crossword puzzle-attractive and dressed to the nines. At the mention of Harry Reids name, her head popped up- she screwed up her face into a rage that I have rarely seen on anyone and said “ahh F**K YOU” My sister missed that exchange, I asked her to hang up and she did. As we walked down the stairs in Silver Spring-that same woman looked back at us and said “F**K YOU” again. I wanted to rip her throat out- so much for Kumbaya and free speech-but I said nothing. I was afraid to. And that scares me. She was a very angry lib. Shining example I would say.
We saw NO behavior like that in the crowd.
Another observation of interest: we walked all around DC on 9/11 to get our bearings. We went into several of the presidential gift shops to try and find tea shirts-(don’t know what we were thinking!) It occurred to us that rightfully we would find only Obama memorabilia. However, after we had that realization, we entered another shop across from the White House. There we found about 50% Obama parephenalia and the other 50% Conservative bashing, Bush bashing bumper stickers, tee shirts. I was appalled. We could not even find an American flag sticker to put on our posters. The only non inflammatory sticker that we found was one that said God Bless America. I am surprised it wasn’t on the close out table….
The event opened my eyes even wider to what it happening to this country. I feel very sad
addemdum: hit send too soon!
We could have found all the “Buck Fush” stickers we wanted-they were in no short supply. But couldn’t find an American Flag.
Yet we are supposed to stay mum while we watch our country being financially, morally, spiritually bankrupted. We are in a very sad time….
Sorry I can’t stop! One of my favorite signs “It doesnt’ matter what this sign says, you’ll call it racist anyway” HA I took video and lots of picures to send to the DC 12 website. My sign “if you aren’t wee wee’d up, you aren’t paying attention”
What a great group and a great time. I too took vacation and drove to DC, no one paid me, no one (except my sister who flew in from FL) asked me to go. It was reassuring to see that there are lots and lots of other Americans out there that are hugely concerned. Call us crazy all day long-we have each other
83. Enoonmai,
Any you don’t think Bush has to take any amount of blame for any of this?
Obama didn’t put us into any of these situations.
I don’t see how you can say Obama is trying to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory when he’s asked for a troop increase for Afghanistan.
More troops won’t do any good without Rules of Engagement that actually allow them to fight the enemy. 4 Marines died last week because their desperate request for air and artillery support was denied. See here: http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking%2BNews/World/Story/STIStory_427802.html
More troops won’t do any good without Rules of Engagement that actually allow them to fight the enemy. 4 Marines died last week because their desperate request for air and artillery support was denied.
I would give you a link, but PJM doesn’t seem to be allowing it through. However, if you do what I did and Google “4 Marines died”, the first link that comes up is a story about it at StraitsTimes.com.
84. Nosingin:
I was there. I too met people from all over the country, from as far away as Hawaii and Washington State. I am not a good guesstimator but there were far more than 50,000 people there. The only problem that my sister and I had was this:
We were riding back to our hotel on the Metro on 9/11. My sister rec’d a call from a friend wanting to know all the details so far. She was quietly talking on her phone and I was listening to her intently to make sure that she didn’t say anything inflammatory. She didn’t. However, she mentioned that we met a lady from Nevada that lives in Harry Reids district. There was a professional looking woman (white for those who are interested) seated facing us working on a crossword puzzle-attractive and dressed to the nines. At the mention of Harry Reids name, her head popped up- she screwed up her face into a rage that I have rarely seen on anyone and said “ahh F**K YOU” My sister missed that exchange, I asked her to hang up and she did. As we walked down the stairs in Silver Spring-that same woman looked back at us and said “F**K YOU” again. I wanted to rip her throat out- so much for Kumbaya and free speech-but I said nothing. I was afraid to. And that scares me. She was a very angry lib. Shining example I would say.
We saw NO behavior like that in the crowd.
Another observation of interest: we walked all around DC on 9/11 to get our bearings. We went into several of the presidential gift shops to try and find tea shirts-(don’t know what we were thinking!) It occurred to us that rightfully we would find only Obama memorabilia. However, after we had that realization, we entered another shop across from the White House. There we found about 50% Obama parephenalia and the other 50% Conservative bashing, Bush bashing bumper stickers, tee shirts. I was appalled. We could not even find an American flag sticker to put on our posters. The only non inflammatory sticker that we found was one that said God Bless America. I am surprised it wasn’t on the close out table….
The event opened my eyes even wider to what it happening to this country. I feel very sad
you post sums up what challenges lay ahead. thanks for posting
regards
Hey all you Bush haters. Why did you not get off your back sides and fill the mall against Bush. Don’t complain because you did not or could not gather enough people to have a march like the 9/12 march. Why didn’t you do it? Screaming at the TV doesn’t count.
How does one describe a life defining moment… I never believed that I could be involved in such an experience, I had allowed myself to become trusting and complacent, willing to allow others to be the watchdog and voice that should have been me. I have trusted network news to be the informant of issues in our Congress; misplaced trust… I have learned the lesson.
I have been surprising myself of late. Never in my 60 years have I become so awake to the actions of our Congress and the direction they are taking this nation. Their actions, self-interests and corruption are taking this great nation down and we must stop the death spiral. I am still defining how I can participate in this counter-activity, I know I have to study and read and listen to the overwhelming evidence and then I must make my voice heard, I must stand together to protect our liberty. The Tea Party Movement appears to be my choice.
I rode to DC this past weekend with a bus load of professionals, not radicals, nor extremists, etc. but professionals from every career. Physicians, pastors, engineers, state Senator, teachers, contractors, etc.. Our only agenda was to stand and be recognized as disagreeing with our nation’s leadership. The issues were many, but we were not special interest at all. I wish I had the vocabulary to express the very full heart, the sense of pride I felt participating; just being on the bus was an education. Then standing in Freedom Square literally crammed in together like sardines in a can and singing our Nation’s songs and facing the American Flag with our hands over our hearts.. Tears streaming and hearts full of pride, voices choked from emotion… The March was started 30-45 minutes earlier then planned because our numbers were so large, the DC police was concerned for safety, etc. The walk was slow and deliberate and respectful. We were in awe of the massive buildings, the monuments, the White House and the Capital, HUGE… and we were there, WE WERE THERE, exercising our God given right to make our voices heard, standing on hollowed ground given to us by our Nation’s founders, the signers of the Declaration of Independence, the authors of our Constitution and fought to protect by our Nation’s military. So many American hero’s… So many people from every walk of life, united in the conviction that we must make our voices heard, we must take back our nation, we must stop our President and Congress.
And the chants, the voices raised united… “We love Joe”; “You Lie”; “Joe for President”; “Flip the House” and many more… Believe me a common theme throughout this entire experience was to vote out every existing Rep, Senator and President as they come up for re-election. This Grass Roots Movement will be one to be reckoned with since we are founded on our Bill of Rights, our Constitution, our Freedom, our Liberty.
A revelation was the disappointment in our media and their accurate coverage of this historic event.. Our numbers were huge and grew all day as people rushed to get to some portion of the event, whatever their schedules allowed.. Stories abounded about our numbers, about buses stopped at the bridges and not allowed in because of space constraints in parking these huge vehicles… Why does our media down-play reality?? Who truly owns our media and the coverage they report? Where is our voice?? NOT IN OUR MEDIA!! Fox had the most coverage and is appreciated. Perhaps our media has become too complacent and mainstreamed to realize the significance of this event.
But one stand-out point that must not be missed, we were not individuals at this march, each one of us was representing hundreds if not thousands of folks back home that could not attend for various reasons…This Grass-Roots movement is huge, this Silent Majority is silent no more…
My heart is full, my cup runneth over from this monumental event and I WAS THERE! I stood up!! I took action… I took my seat on the bus… A sense of pride fills my heart and a search for answers, tickles my brain. Complacency is a disease; I plan to cure in myself. I will research and study and work to expose the fraud, the theft, the lies. And I will be in the background observing and reporting to those politicians that have the intelligence, the integrity and the conviction to get our country back on the right path identified by our Founders, our Forbearers’…
This event has become one of my life-defining moments. I pray I can keep the momentum. I must.
So, “the numbers are in dispute,” heh?
Check out this new high resolution, panoramic picture, taken from the top of the U.S. Capitol building, demonstrating the extent and size of the crowds that the MSM reported as containing variously “a few thousand people” or “60,000 to 70,000 people” (see http://iowntheworld.com/blog/?p=6500).
Pastor Lucas is currently a resident of Fayetteville NC. A proud American, distinguished veteran and a man after Gods own heart..
We are proud to be friends.
I also was on the Capitol Lawn while he was on Constitution Ave. 1.5 MILLION AT LEAST!!