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got a little teary eyed...

thanks for making a fine stand.

outstanding...

posted by hnav at March 18, 2007 10:49 PM

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Pam -- you haven't lost your radio voice! You did a great job tonight and I so appreciate you spending time with me on the air, bringing us the truth of what happened at the march and rally.

Looking forward to the next time we can chat on the air!

Andrea

posted by Andrea - Radio Patriot at March 19, 2007 01:10 AM

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Great coverage and photos, thanks!

absurd thought -
God of the Universe says
abandon the Iraqis

just like in Vietnam
nothing is worth fighting for
.

posted by USpace at March 19, 2007 01:25 AM

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Protokals of the Elders of Zion: "If two equal in power forces oppose each other, you Kreate synergy."

The Kommunist Manifesto: "If pro-synthesis and anti-synthesis oppose each other, you Kreate perfeKt synthesis."

Adolph Hilter: "If you divide people against each other, you Kan Konquer them all."

It really doesn't matter who's side your on, you labrats all belong to the Pyramid.

Witness the rise.....

posted by Pyre at March 19, 2007 02:10 AM

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On a lighter and less serious note...the sweet taste of revenge, laughter and remarKable entertainment over watching the Garden of Eden get trampled to death with both sides responsible for its impending doom. One side says "we must stay" which will descend the heavenly father's precious little garden into a wasteland and one side says "we must leave" which will descend the heavenly father's precious little garden into a wasteland. Either way...viKtory for a well laid plan with the help, support and finacing by the labrats!

KiKK us out will you...witness the rise. *****K****L******W****L*B**************K

posted by Pyre at March 19, 2007 02:27 AM

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Wish I coulda been there, too. We both could have camped out with Aaron and had a pj party!

posted by Kitty at March 19, 2007 07:41 AM

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More cheerful words from an Eagles' participant.
You know TF Boggs from FoxNews.

"..I blame the media as well. When we approached the protest site today media vans lined the road around the anti-crowd but were nowhere to be seen near the Gathering of the Eagles. Why? I don't know so I can't tell you, but what I do know is that it is a joke. I am sure whatever they put on the TV will be an exaggeration so don't buy the hype. Nothing out of the ordinary happened today no matter what the TV tells you.

What did happen today was a bunch of people from across the country came to D.C. in support of the military and our president. They made an impact on each other if not on the media. So I leave D.C. feeling better about our chances winning the war in Iraq after seeing the lame anti-crowd. If they are our only opposition then we are okay."

http://www.boredsoldier.blogspot.com/

posted by jng at March 19, 2007 06:06 PM

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I was there and I will be there again if the moonbats come back. Mud, cold and wind no problem. To our troops I say you take care of the enemy over there, we will take care of the domestic enemy. The Nam vets will cover the home front. Never again will we be quiet.

posted by Ed at March 19, 2007 06:31 PM

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There are plenty of things in our Nations past that were regretful, as a nation of good people it would be shameful had we not learned from those times. Our President,our Military,and people like those trying to support our country
seem to only want good for us and the rest of the world. I'd say they have learned and some still need to be taught. Continue to Believe!!
God Bless.

posted by Dave at March 19, 2007 08:43 PM

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Hey Thanks for your on the scene report. It echoes what many of my fellow bloggers on the scene also said.

Glad to see also that Rush Limbaugh picked up your item from American Thinker and that the success of the Gathering news got out despite the media's best efforts to ignore it.

This is the first time that anyone has answered back to Answer, and you can bet they didn't like it. Saturday was hyped to be some huge protest on the 40th anniversary of the big anti-Vietnam war and it flopped.

Worse still, we bested them in crowd numbers and spirit.

I still can't figure out what big $$$ lefty mastermind thought that a sea of black/orange and yellow signs was a good idea? Were the defeatists orginally planning their march for Halloween?

Thanks again for your report and for being the eyes and ears of so many who could not attend. I hope we build on the success of this event for the future and begin mastering the techinque of mass protest that has too long been the exclusive purview of the America haters.

posted by Mike's America at March 20, 2007 06:01 AM

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Just wanted to thank you Pam for the article you published at American Thinker. It was good to hear the details of a demonstration of which, for once, we can all be proud. Just 80 war protesters gathered in Providence, many of them Brown students. Unfortunately the Providence Journal provided front page coverage.

Like your blog, especially the name! Keep up the good work.

Mike

posted by crowd surfer at March 20, 2007 09:27 AM

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Thanks. It does my heart good to hear that people do support my husband. Please keep speaking out in support for the military. We need to hear it.

posted by Chrissy at March 20, 2007 11:33 AM

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I was at the protest in Washington D.C. last Saturday also. I was protesting the war and hoping for the impeachment of the president. It concerns me deeply that anyone could actually believe that any of us would even THINK of desecrating a monument that honors the men and women who have given their lives in a war ( whether or not it was legitemate) that right now with the point I'm trying to make, is irrelevant. It is not the fault of a serviceman or woman who HAS to do what the government tells them to do. That is not the issue here. You guys actually BELIEVE that we are against our country, that we do not care about the welfare of our soldiers, and that we are terrorists. I know this, because I have never heard so many hateful comments being spewed from across the way as I did that day while trying to promote peace. I was called a cunt a bitch a terrorist, etc., etc., etc. All because I personally do not believe that anymore people should lose their lives for the reasons that the govt. are trying to give us. I love this country, and the fact that our freedoms are being chipped away at slowly but surely, concerns me. I have a voice, as do you. That is one of our freedoms. My voice isn't spewing hatred, it is promoting love. If I believe that something needs to be done to keep our rights upheld by our govt., I will speak out to make that change, or to at least do what I can as a proud citizen of this country...not because I'm not patriotic, but because I AM PATRIOTIC. I want to see this country thrive, not go down the tubes and do things that I and so many others feel are unjust, all the while using our money, and doing these things in the names of the American people. That does not make me or anyone else who feels that way a terrorist, or unpatriotic. I want the troops to come home and be with their families. I am a woman veteran myself. Everytime we flashed a peace sign, and even when not, we were given the finger. Little kids from the pro-war side were giving us the finger even. There were hateful, immature signs. Horrible things that were being said, and sick name-calling. I found that to be sad and at the same time scary...scary, because if the people of this world do not get it together and start approaching each other with love and respect for their differences, we will all inevitably destroy each other through our own hate. I can hear some of you now...yah, yah hippie, keep talking your love shit..it's never going to happen......you know what?, it can.....
If there is light in the soul,
there will be beauty in the person.
If there is beauty in the person,
there will be harmony in the house.
If there is harmony in the house,
there will be order in the nation,
And if there is order in the nation.....
there will be peace in the world.
Don't feel so bad, we've been ignored by the mainstream media for eons too.
Peace, love and light to you anyways, whether you wish it for me or not.

posted by A M at March 20, 2007 02:01 PM

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Perhaps this repeats well some of the thoughts behind the Gathering of Eagles.

http://arosebyname.wordpress.com/2007/03/13/wednesday-hero-031407/

posted by jh at March 20, 2007 02:37 PM

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Well, AM, I was not among those hurling insults, as I do not agree with that sort of behavior. However, I heard plenty of nasty language from the peace marchers, so there is blame enough to go around. Many of those who were with the Eagles were veterans. Do you agree that it was okay for some to call them "motorcycle hooligans" and "baby killers?"

I'm sorry if you do not understand the reasons we are in Iraq. We went in because, after what happened on 9/11, our government (including a majority of Democrats, may I remind you), thought Saddam Hussein was a grave threat. He had flouted numerous useless UN resolutions, and the intelligence we had pointed to his having WMDs. That turned out to be wrong, but as hindsight is 20/20, we can only move forward. And no matter what, getting rid of Saddam was a good thing.

Were we to leave now, as you and others advocate, it would create a vacuum. That vacuum would be filled by the terrorists who have been fighting us in Iraq (and most of them are not Iraqis, but have come from other Middle Eastern countries in the name of jihad), and likely Iran, which is itching to spread its power and influence over its neighbors. Think about it: most of the violence, including the killing of civilians, is being caused by the terrorists. If you think it's bad now, just think of what would happen to the Iraqis if we were to leave before their military and police forces were able to withstand the onslaught that would certainly occur. Think of what would happen to those who have cooperated with the Americans. Think of the bloodshed then. Leaving now would mean Iraq would have no chance whatsoever. Then our presence there really would have been for nothing.

What so many people do not understand is that sometimes war IS necessary. Dictators and tyrants would run the world if no one stood up to them. Should no one have done anything about Hitler? A stable haven of democracy in the Middle East means that radical Islam and terrorism has one less place to go, and provides a model for other countries to aspire to.

Do you really believe that if we stand down that suddenly the world would be magically peaceful? If so, I have a bridge in Brooklyn to sell you. As I said earlier, tyrants do not care about peace. They'd be more than happy for us to get out of their way so that they could wreak their bloody brand of governance on those weaker than they.

This will not likely convince you. I have found that most "peace" activists don't want to listen to the other side, as they believe their views are morally superior to mine and those who think like me. But do think it over...

posted by Pam at March 20, 2007 03:52 PM

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Pam,
No, I do not think it is ok for anyone to call someone a babykiller, or call them hooligan bikers. I have p[lenty of friends who are bikers, and I love them dearly. As for the babykiller thing...that is wrong as hell. Anyone who hasn't experienced what the soldiers in Vietnam went through can never say shit about what they "think" that person went through. Unphathomable to most. My SSG in the military 20 yrs. ago told me some horror stories about Nam, and some of the things he himself had experienced. Can't even begin to imagine what him and others have gone through, nor would I pretend to try. So, no, I don't condone any kind of filthy talk like that.
Believe it or not, there are some things that you are saying that I agree with, and understand where you are coming from on certian issues, but I do feel like there is a huge misunderstanding and a lack of true listening where us "peace" promoters are concerned too. Again, my main message being.....we the people need to listen to each other, find a common ground, and work together instead of considering ourselves seperate in every sense of the word. Unity..not division. It starts within each of us, however small. I do appreciate you taking the time to respond to my original letter, and not being hateful. See, I even figured I would get horrible flack for posting my view, and I still may by some, but like I said ..thanks. Sometimes we let fear of opposition allow us to make judgements on how others will be, when in all actuality, it's what we expect that conditions our responses. AM

posted by AM at March 21, 2007 11:22 AM

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What good is a free press, if it is a false press? That question has been bouncing around in my head all weekend long. I have been dismayed at the lack of coverage of the “Gathering of Eagles” that occurred on St. Patrick’s Day in Washington, D.C.. Think of it this way: how many of you would continue to play in or watch a sporting event in which one team had control of the scoreboard and kept subtracting points from one team and adding them to the other team? I would immediately quit the game. Maybe that is why for about two years now, I have not subscribed to the local papers and quit advertising my business in them.
The Gathering of Eagles came about as the Vietnam veterans realized that the war protesters planned to begin their march near the Vietnam War Memorial, “the wall”. They looked at the previous protests and realized that graffiti and desecration was often done as a part of the protest. Earlier this year the steps of the Capitol were spray painted and a statue of a sailor was defaced. Additionally, on some of the websites there were threats to desecrate the wall, just to show “those baby-killers”. By the way, isn’t it about time that we quit insulting the heroes of America and respect the fact that they risked their lives for their country? They were all that stood between the people of South Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia and the spread of communism. We read about “The Killing Fields” in Cambodia, and we know that 2 million people were killed there. Guess the “domino theory” about communism was true after all. Anyhow, about 6 weeks ago Vietnam vets began contacting each other and planning to go to DC, just to form a human chain around the wall. Several people that I talked to and have read about since, had less than a week’s notice of the event and pretty much dropped everything and came running. One soldier standing next to me was just back one week ago from Iraq. He and his wife drove 12 hours through the New England blizzard to be there. My last words to him were, “Soldier, when you get back to Iraq, tell them about us. We came here to support you guys and as you can clearly see, there are more of us, than there are of them.”
That brings me to the main reason for writing this and posting it for the people of Venango County to read. With only 6 weeks to organize, hardly any advertising, and no promotion from conservative talk radio, the Gathering of Eagles drew what the park police unofficially estimate to be 30,000 people. This information is found on the main page of the official website: www.gatheringofeagles.org . I could tell that we outnumbered the war protesters, but I didn’t realize how badly until afterward. Eagles were everywhere!! On the other hand, the protestors had been planning their event for nearly a year and they were well financed and organized; yet they could only muster less than 10,000 people.
Let me briefly talk about who the war protesters were. They were organized by ANSWER (Act Now to Stop War and End Racism). According to the New York Times, this group was initially associated with the Workers World Party (communist) and now affiliated with a breakaway faction of that party called the Party for Socialism and Liberation. Many in the crowd carried Answer Coalition signs bearing the image of the Latin American revolutionary Che Guevara (again communist). The New York Times article went on to say that many in the crowd said that they were unfamiliar with the Answer Coalition and were puzzled by the many signs about socialism (These clueless followers are often referred to as useful idiots.) Many in the war protest crowd looked as bizarre as possible, some wore masks, others covered their faces with bandannas. Some of them were bussed in from Philadelphia since they would be receiving high school credits for attending a protest! Wow. If I were in a crowd and found out that many in that crowd were socialists, that would be a good time to get out while the getting was good...they had that choice! The war protesters had and still have the right to free speech, but under communism/socialism, guess what happens to the right to free speech ... that’s right, it is gone! Many people who seem to favor communism would not last a year under communism.
Now, let me describe what I saw at the Gathering of Eagles. I saw raw patriotism. The Eagles were primarily comprised of some of the greatest men this country has to offer. These guys didn’t just say they loved their country, they have proved it. What I saw at “the wall” was indescribable. It was more, much more than a family reunion. There were greetings between total strangers who had a common bond...they were there, they know what it really was. There were tears at that wall; I’m not ashamed to say that I wept there, also. 58,000+ brave soldiers are named on the wall. There is a reverential spirit there that can only be experienced. I know of no other experience that even comes close to the feeling of being at the wall. Being there with thousands of heroes is something that may never happen again in my lifetime, but it was worth staying up all night driving to be there. The Park Police had taken adequate measures to protect the memorial: you had to empty your pockets; no backpacks were going in; you went through metal detectors plus the wand, as well as a pat down. Even if they had not taken those steps, every time I looked over at the Vietnam wall, there were thousands of patriots who were not going to allow the communist-backed useful idiots a chance to do damage. This was real, this was serious to them...make no mistake, they are awakened and they are angry about the war protesters. Some of them have sons and daughters currently in Iraq and Afghanistan and their thought is: you may have disrespected me when I came back but YOU WILL NOT DO IT TO MY KIDS!!
We met people who jumped into Holland during World War II; we met one Swift Boat Vet; we stood shoulder to shoulder with some very fine people who love their country. We had the chance to meet Michelle Malkin, a conservative blogger, who posted a lot of pictures on her website: www.michellemalkin.com One of the pictures shows the two men from Franklin who accompanied me to Washington, D.C. Mr. Wade Rogers and Mr. Dan Reinsel were with me and saw the same things I saw. At one point, I stepped back and looked at the Eagles gathering on one side of the street and compared them to the other side of the street. On our side, I could see hundreds and hundreds of American flags. On the other side of the street, I saw 4-5 flags -- and one of them was desecrated. When the Eagles chanted, “where’s your flags, where’s your flags?”, the protestors realized their mistake. So they hastily found 6 flags and brought them up to the front row...that, my friends, was telling. You hold a rally in the capital of the USA and bring less than a dozen American flags??? I guess that makes sense if your sponsors belong to the communist party.
During the about an hour face-off, I was approached by a German reporter who asked why I was there. My reply was something along the lines of this, “I love our troops and my country!”
And I have a very compelling reason to be here. A young man who used to work for me, my oldest son’s best friend, gave his life for his country in Iraq. The memory of Jonathan Kephart is probably the biggest reason why I am here. Make no mistake, I am 100% behind our troops. If the war protesters think they are helping our troops, they are sadly mistaken. If the park police had not been directly between him and the protesters once they began their march, one of the soldiers fresh back from Iraq really -- and I mean really -- planned to go out and knock some heads. Maybe then, if these protesters were given a reality check from some of the troops that they are putting in harm’s way by encouraging the enemy, they might get the message that our troops do not appreciate their stupidity!!!
Getting back to that German reporter ... he reminded me about a similar march 40 years ago and asked if I thought that this march would have the same effect. My immediate answer was a loud “NO”.
He seemed startled and then asked why. I said, “Look around you. We outnumber them here at their staging ground. Look over at the wall. Almost everyone that you see over there is a part of our group--there are thousands over at the wall. Furthermore, there is our staging area over the knoll. There are thousands over there who cannot bring themselves to go to the wall but they are meeting old friends over there as well as listening to our speakers.” Most of us came here to confront the war protesters, though. Additionally, 40 years ago, there were people who were here in support of our troops. If you are a Vietnam vet, it is important to me that you read the rest of this paragraph. Either one or two weeks after the war protesters marched in 1967, Rev. Carl McIntire organized a March for Freedom. I was an 7 year old boy at the time. Why did I go? I was going because my dad was going. He said that there were young men from our church ( I’m still in contact by email with one of them; you can bet he will see this essay!) who were far away in a place called Vietnam fighting against communism and it was important to stand up for them. I told some of the vets during the day that back then, we filled up the lawn in front of the Washington Memorial. There were speakers who addressed the crowd. One memory I have is of Uncle Sam on stilts. Also, I can remember a man dragging the communist flag with its hammer and sickle, through the crowd. He was giving us the opportunity to spit on the commy flag, so I did! In telling of our rally back then, one woman said, “I was there, too, as a 13 year old girl. Welcome back to Washington!”
The soldiers who heard me said that was the first time they had heard about it. No wonder they thought all their country hated them; they were never allowed to hear the voice of those who loved them. When the soldiers from our church came back, they were welcomed back as the heroes that they are. So, let me tell you this, I supported the troops back then and I still support them today!
There was a group in D.C. on Saturday called Moving America Forward. They started in San Francisco, Ca. one week before the rally. They stopped at 25 places and held Support the Troops rallies. (Surprised to have not heard about it???) Their goal was to collect hundreds of USA flags to send to the troops in Iraq and Afganistan. They were given 10,000 flags from people all across the United States. Do not tell me that patriotism is dead in America!
One veteran posted his encounter with a young female British reporter. Their conversation turned to the fact that America is not imperial, but has liberated many countries in our history. This reporter asked what countries has America ever liberated? The veteran began to list: France, Spain, Belgium, and the reporter stopped him with a question that made his jaw drop: “When did America ever liberate France?” He said, “Have you never heard of Normandy?” This is who we are dealing with -- and uneducated public.
The confrontation: One radio station, WTOP in Washington, DC. said that “at one point the war protesters encountered counter-protesters” At one point??? I was there. We faced off for at least an hour across the street from them, voicing our displeasure with them. When it came time for them to march, they had to walk past thousands of us. There were only 2 lanes and a lot of police protecting them. They heard our voice and they heard it loud and clear. The term ‘communist’ came up often; so did ‘useful idiots.’ Indeed, they heard from us nearly half of their parade route. Many of us let them know that they were making Al Quaida strong and making our troops weak. On one side were the heroes, on the other side were the zeroes. They got a chance to hear what patriots think of their cowardice. We were not just a speed bump.
Lastly, often I have seen the term “barking moonbats” applied to this crowd. Until I see that they do know their history, the term stands. Their highest insult is to call someone a Nazi. The nazis killed their millions but the communists have more than tripled that body count in the number of their own people that they have massacred. The current threat that we face is from Islamo-Facists. Because of their willingness to obtain and use chemical, biological, and nuclear weapons, this group has the potential to kill more millions than nazism and communism combined! Would they do that? Well, in the Sudan over a 10 year period, they have killed over two million with just conventional weapons.
Until this crowd shows some respect for the heroes, dead and living, they deserve the term “moonbats.” But they are protected and propped up by our news media. The boo’s resounded for the press as they advanced in front of the march. Reporters were asked by many of us to just tell the truth, give the score accurately. At the time, they promised to do that. But we see that most are not interested in accuracy, only agenda. This was the first Gathering of Eagles, but I believe it won’t be the last. Just as surely as I believe that Americans will never let another plane be hijacked without fighting back, so I believe that wherever the moonbats gather, the Eagles will gather together to soar above them and let their voice be heard!

posted by David Foote at March 25, 2007 08:24 PM

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