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Title: Sunday Freeper Protest on the Mall
Source:
Self
URL Source: http://None
Published: Sep 25, 2005
Author: Self
Post Date: 2005-09-25 20:51:18 by crack monkey
Keywords: Freeper, Protest, Sunday
Views: 940
Comments: 25
I stopped by the freeper protest at about 1:00 today. It was on the mall up near 7th Street. I didn't know where it was but as I was passing Camp Casey I saw a 400 pound guy with a long beard and a shirt that said "Jesus and George W. Bush". I figured he would know where the rally was and he did. Said he was going there himself. As I was talking to him I noticed the guy had a white bullhorn that had the words "Jesus" and "No Fags" painted on it. The guy saw me pulling out the camera however and said no pictures. I didn't push it as some of these guys believe cameras capture their souls and stuff like that. To give the devil his due, I think the crowd count of 100 I've been seeing is a little low. I did a couple of informal counts and got a number closer to 200 or 250. It was hard to get a count as the rally was on the mall and there was no good elevated place from which to count. Some of the speakers were angry to the point of almost sounding hysterical. One woman kept hammering on the 100,000 figure for the Sept 24 protest, e.g., "We're not going to make a lot of noise like 100,000 people did yesterday". This made me think that the 100,000 figure is now a talking point. They don't want to concede the 250,000 to 300,000 figure so all mention of the demonstration is now going to be: "The 100,000 people who blah, blah, blah, etc." They had a couple of tents set up where they were interviewing people. People were lined up outside waiting their turn. I asked them what was going on and nobody would tell me. Sort of reminded me of a Scientology event with the creepy secrecy. The crowd wasn't as dorkey looking as the usual freeper crowd. Not so many 500 pounders waddling around and pimply faced skinny guys with buck teeth. People mostly looked normal. I wandered around for a while looking for the guy with the "No Fags" bullhorn. Figured I could sneak up on him and get a canded shot. No luck though, didn't see hide nor hair of him. Here is a crowd shot as I approced from the West end of the mall: Here was somebody from FR getting interviewed: The FR Booth: Counter Protesters. There were about 15 of these guys: Buttons on a counter protester. The monkey button was hilarious but she wouldn't trade it for any of mine. A sign maker: Another crowd shot. I took this from the back, the crowd extends forward to the big flag. All decked out for W: An ACLU = commie T-shirt: These must be staff for the protest. I saw others wearing these shirts: This guy looks like an old hippy. I would think that would piss the freepers off. 
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Begin Trace Mode for Comment # 8.
#8. To: crack monkey (#0)
Those shirts are the Gold Star Mothers (for war). The Higher than expected attendance can be explained by this being a coalition event out of freeper control. It has been the policy of the DC Chapter to ignore or at least not "disrespect" Cindy, todays crowd (speakers) was vicious toward Cindy thus the DC Chapter was not in control.
#14. To: Hmmmmm (#8)
That could explain why the crowd looked different as well. As I mentioned above, they didn't look like the normal overweight or otherwise nerdy freeper crowd. This crowd looked like more of a normal cross section of population. The 150 or so people at the Saturday rally had that Freeper look to it, and I suspect this was a pure FR event.
I believe what you're saying, but there may be some sort of internal conflict going on that accounts for the really weak turn out. Both myself and several of my friends independently spoke to people around the FR booth. We were all told in no uncertain terms that this was a FR sponsored event held in response to the Sept 24th anti-war rally. The FR people told me that the Gold Star moms were "participating". What you say about the Cindy Sheehan attacks is definitely true. The first speaker I heard absolutely ripped Sheehan.
The D.C. Chapter of Free Republic has disagreed with the (national) Free Republic Network in the past.
Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/LatestThese must be staff for the protest. I saw others wearing these shirts:
Replies to Comment # 8. Those shirts are the Gold Star Mothers (for war). The Higher than expected attendance can be explained by this being a coalition event out of freeper control. It has been the policy of the DC Chapter to ignore or at least not "disrespect" Cindy, todays crowd (speakers) was vicious toward Cindy thus the DC Chapter was not in control
#15. To: Hmmmmm (#8)
Those shirts are the Gold Star Mothers (for war). The Higher than expected attendance can be explained by this being a coalition event out of freeper control.
#19. To: Hmmmmm, Fred Mertz (#8)
End Trace Mode for Comment # 8.