Were you at the March on Washington?
Did you take pictures at the March on Washington? Help us put our digital archive together by uploading your pictures to Flickr.com and using 912DC as a tag.
If you have a large number of pictures, and would prefer to mail them on CD to the FreedomWorks Foundation office:
601 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, North
Building, Suite 700, Washington, DC 20004
Please check back soon for additional event updates!
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This march was incredible! Maybe now the Congress will believe us when we say “re-elect no one in 2010″. Such a classy crowd! We need to do more to put the ethics, morals, and manners back in our society. I am afraid that when you mix Hollywood with Wash. you can’t expect anything other than dishonest, rude, liars! I look forward to the other events and hope there will be an even better turnout! Great job to all the organizers!
One of the best videos of the march that I have seen and I’ve watched a lot of them.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZuObpNSDaE
More from the grassroots director of Freedomworks.
FreedomWorks’ March on Washington
9/14/09, 2:40 pm EST
Christopher Knight at the Culture Monster blog of the LA Times has been having fun detailing the communist origins of the symbolism in the Tea Party’s 9/12 March on Washington logo:
Knight is hoping someone comes forward with an explanation. National Affairs Daily has obtained it from the horse’s mouth. No, not Glenn Beck, but Brendan Steinhauser the Director of Federal and State Campaigns for FreedomWorks, which orchestrated the march and calls the shots for its subordinate group, Tea Party Patriots.
Below is the text of an email from Steinhauser to the Tea Party Patriots’ national director Jenny Beth Martin shooting down the Martin’s suggestion that the logo be changed.
By way of background, several Tea Partiers had been agitating for an alternate logo — an eagle soaring with a shield – instead of the angry fists in front of the Capitol dome, which they, too, recognized as steeped in socialism.
One activist from Canton, Ohio, posted his discontent to the Tea Party Patriots’ private listserv:
Wow.
We have enough real battles to fight without making ourselves look
like a bunch of Bolsheviks.
This is clearly an education issue.
But according to Steinhauser of FreedomWorks, the decision to “co-opt” the communist imagery was intentional. As he wrote to Martin: “If we want the politicians to pay attention, I believe it is imperative that we… maintain the populist imagery.”
Here is the email to Jenny Beth Martin in all its glory:
I talked to everyone here and there was consensus that we will keep the logo for the website. There are a few reasons for this. One is that the left (Keith Olbermann and Josh Marshall) thinks we don’t understand the connotations of the symbol, which we do.
It was a purposeful decisions to create a defiant image, raised fists against the statist policies of Congress and the president. I think it’s an edgy symbol that communicates the anger and the defiance of the protests happening around the country since early February. I think that we have to make sure this is a protest against what’s going on in DC, and we have to convey that image to the country and the world.
I fear that if we start to lose that edge, the politicians won’t take us as seriously, and will write us off. I’ve been studying and applying the tactics of the left for the last few years, and although I despise their bad ideas, they have us beat when it comes to symbolism, activism and dominating the public debate. I think we can learn from them and co-opt their symbols, some of their messages and even their tactics.
I think we have to remember that this is a March on Washington, which should conjure up images of the street protests in other countries, like Ukraine, Poland in the 80’s, Estonia, etc.
If we want the politicians to pay attention, I believe it is imperative that we keep our edge, tailor our message narrowly and maintain the populist imagery.
Brendan Steinhauser
Director, Federal and State Campaigns
FreedomWorks
601 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
North Building, Suite 700
Washington, D.C. 20004-2601
Tim Dickinson
Yo Sucks,
NEWS FLASH
We don’t care!
The march was incredible and everyone there had one theme and one theme
only-save our country.Do not allow the people in Congress to dictate how we
should live,how our money should be spent and to just leave us alone without
government intervention.
hello,…the march was awesome as was the energy and decency of the people. I saw a few signs that hurt us a little w racial or nazi slogans, but for the most part I think the march /tea party was a resounding success, and did my heart and patriotism alot of good. I got 130 pics, and took them in an unprejudiced way to show what all I saw. God bless all you God fearing , hard working Americans that participated! It was amazing to realize that most ALL there, were hard working, tax paying citizens! Thank you all again, it gives this Vietnam era Vet a warming of his heart. Keep up the PATRIOTISM, and dont give it up till “they pry it from under our cold dead fingers!” In GOD we trust!! (Williamsport Pa Tea Party Associated) Marlin
got a link to the photos?
we’d love to see them.
Fellow 9/12 Rally Attendees,
In the last day or so, Congresswoman Maxine Waters has called on the media to “get to the bottom” of why we were marching on 9/12 in Washington DC. She is directing the journalists to investigate and uncover the real reason(s) we were in attendance. In the first place, the journalists will have to climb out of the presidential Sleep Number to get this done. So as not to disturb them and their “activities”, I am suggesting that we who were at the rally contact Ms. Waters direct. This will prevent any revising or twisting of our personal stories as to why we were there. Of course she along with other left wing nut jobs and ex-presidents are suggesting that we were there because of one reason, we are all racists. We have been called every name in the book and I personally find their recent attack to be the most outlandish and ridiculous. She can be contacted at the following website, http://www.house.gov/waters/IMA/issue.htm.
The site requires zip plus 4 digit code. I used 90003-3034 and was able to send her an email. I read she has called us ‘Neanderthals’
Everyone needs to shoot her an email and explain (since they have NO clue) why we went to D. C.
God Bless!
Lisa
I would love to speak personally with Ms. Waters about why I was in D.C. Then, I would like to discuss the United States Constitution with her and measure her knowledge of the document and the ideas behind it.
edgycater.blogspot.com
Waters is not interested in truth, reason or logic. Write a letter to the editor of your local paper instead.
she wouldn’t understand if she was told…what a shi&bag….she will be one of the few lefties that will be hanging around because of the voters in her district…believe me these lunatics on the left will be barely hanging on and it’s not a bad idea to keep a few of them around as a reminder not to let this happen again…..and of course for the entertainment value….
President Obama is coming to the University of Maryland Thursday (9-16) to lobby for Obamacare. Many teachers have canceled class so we can go listen to the propaganda. I’m certainly not enthused. Would it be in poor taste to recycle my tea party posters and protest his campus visit?
correction: visit is Thursday (9-17)
You always have the right to protest. Just be prepared for the negative reactions.
Go for it. We need to stand up and be counted. Good luck.
I am unemployed and payed my way to March 9-12 in DC.
OOOps just noticed the date…hope it all went well.
Despite the lunactic ramblings of Jimmuh Cahtuh and that half-wit Maxine Waters, I did not see even one sign that could be construed as “racist” during the 9-12 march. Over a million Real Americans came together to vent their collective frustration with decades of government usurpation of American liberty. The numbers were especially remarkable considering the absence of any coverage by the mainstream media in the lead-up to the event. I’ve posted some pics from the event at http://www.flickr.com/edgycater.
edgycater.blogspot.com
Love your pix…makes me feel like i’m there all over again!!
Thanks, Tina! I just wish I had taken more. It was almost overstimulating. There were so many interesting people and creative signs that my attention was constantly jumping.
I was there with my husband and 2 sons. It was a great experience. I also did not see any signs that depicted any racism, and no swastikas either (I heard there were very few, but I did not see any). All I saw were good people coming together to defend America against a terrible wrongdoing that is being committed by the ones who are supposed to be working for we the people. As of Saturday 9/12 I now have a restored faith in this wonderful country and my fellow Americans. Thank you for posting these great pictures.
It was families that yours that were the most interesting to me. It was obvious this was not a gathering of professional protesters and agitators. There were all manner of family combinations. My son is in college and is kicking himself for not joining the old people for the rally. Next year, he will go. Politically attuned and active families are the key to conservatism’s future.
Edgycater,
May I use picture number DSCN1125 for a roll call I’m putting together? The leftists and media are claiming we only had 60,000 to 70,000 in attending the Tea Party on 9/12. I have created a signup sheet asking for people who attended to sign it and list the reason why they went in a comments area. I want to collect the data and send it to all media, the White House and my Senator who I know will take it before congress on our behalf.
As soon as I find the right picture, hopefully yours, I’ll be able to go life with the site.
Thank you for attending the march and for sharing your photos!
Michael
I attended with 5 friends from Michigan. All of us had different reasons for wanting to be there, I felt compelled to share this event with fellow Americans before we lose our right to assemble. Thanks for sharing your pics.
You are welcome, Diane. It was wonderful attending with my wife and seeing various combinations of family, friends, and concerned patriots. Make your reservations for 2010!
Mike, feel free to use the pic. Let everyone on here know where your site is. I don’t know if it was a million, but I do know it was far beyond the 60-70,000 level.
Really? so the witch doctor posters didn’t seem racist, to you? Just educated (or to use your cohort’s 1st grade spelling, edyoukatud) dissent?
Mr. Unidentified Leftist, I didn’t see the witch doctor poster of which you speak. The only sign I found objectionable was the “bury the bill with Kennedy” sign. That was in poor taste (however, the media has falsely reported those signs as saying “bury Obama with Kennedy”). With such a large crowd, I am sure there were some who crossed the border of decency. However, my wife and I covered a lot of ground and saw a large variety of protests that were overwhelmingly appropriate and accurate. Leftists and Big Media have attempted to divert attention away from issues involving individual liberty and state sovereignty. Obama was certainly parodied, but so were “whities” such as Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid, Barney Frank, Chris Dodd, and others. Isn’t it “racist” to say that Obama is too fragile to absorb the blows other politicians take? And, by the way, how concerned were you when Clarence Thomas, Condoleeza Rice, and other Black conservatives were shown as house maids or lawn jockeys with huge lips, speaking in broken English?
Ok. I never saw the images you cite – Clarence Thomas, Condoleeza Rice, and other Black conservatives were shown as house maids or lawn jockeys with huge lips, speaking in broken English.
We must follow different media outlets. Please post a link to the above images, as I would like to consider different perspectives.
And, are you suggesting that such images were posted by political moderates? I’m neither an extreme liberal nor an extreme conservative. I imagine that such images would have been the work of divisive, racist, individuals, and not a reflection on either conservatives or liberals.
Mr. Huh, I would suggest you do a Google search or, better yet, go to the Media Research Center site if you are truly curious (I do not record links of every image and every article I have ever seen). Exaggerated cariacatures of Condi and Clarence are pretty easy to find. But, surely, if you follow politics at all, you are aware of the manner in which Black Conservatives are treated. If not, you should read some of the works by Thomas Sowell, Walter Williams, and Shelby Steele (to name just three) who are Blacks who recognize the double-standards and mean-spiritedness with which Black Conservatives are faced.
You use the terms “extreme liberal” and “extreme conservatives,” but I have no idea what those terms mean. First, I reject the term “liberal” for today’s political Left. “Liberal” implies a devotion to liberty and that is not descriptive of their goals. Nor are they Progressive, as the ideas they pursue are not new or forward-thinking. Statists, yes. Leftists, yes.
What is an “extreme Conservative?” Is that someone who believes in absolute, 100% freedom for all? Conservatism involves a desire to maximize individual liberty. Conservatives actually understand that the Constitution places limits on the powers of the federal government. I guess that makes me an “ectreme Conservative” in your book.
Not at all….see I’m not racist so I don’t see that…I’m sorry for you if you do…I thought it was quite to the point…you know erwic..the helfcare thang an all….hang in there sunshine it’ll be over soon…..
Over a million, then? I thought Fox and Glenn Beck said that there were tens of thousands at your rally.
Here are some pix I took: http://www.flickr.com/photos/patriotmissle/ Pay close attention to #’s 026 and 028. Then go here : http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2009-01-19-crowd_N.htm and make your own estimate. Maybe not 1 mil. but certainly between 500,000-700,000. The media estimates (60-70k) would have fit neatly on the capitol lawn with room to spare.
Again, look at the crowd estimating tool: http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2009-01-19-crowd_N.htm
Tens of millions, tens of millions…hell if farraCON can get away with outrageous numbers so can we…we should threaten to sue the park service for not giving us a number…you know the fight fire with fire thing….look out it’s comin’ at you fast lefty
GREAT pics! Thanks for sharing. I didn’t see many of these signs when I was in DC so especially enjoyed them. I live in AZ and let’s hope we can dump McCain in 2010. Unfortunately, at the present time, we have no one running again him who I think could beat him.
Don’t be disheartened. There has never been a ship that can’t be sunk.
I think the newly announced Tea Party Express tour, the Liberty Tour, and upcoming local rallies are going to make a huge difference. For one thing, people who attended are unbelievably energized. And, their resolve is galvanized. Consequently, they returned with greater determination to make even a greater difference – and it is catchy!! I know our blue-dog is QUITE concerned. Perhaps he noticed the FIRE CONGRESS t-shirts.
The DC rally was phenomenal. It truly was a historical event.
I just hope they don’t make us return!!
My Trend Security is identifying Tea Party Patriots homepage as Dangerous. It sez close the browser and never return to the site. Anyone else experiencing the same thing?
Just got back from D.C. today (16th). Boy, do I have some reading to do to catch up!
What a day! Nothing else in my life can ever be as great as being in the crowd of thousands upon thousands of other Americans all wanting the same thing – to keep America the land of the free!
I have photos also and will be going through them to see what came out best.
We arrived at 10 a.m. thinking the march wouldn’t start until 11:30. We got off at Federal Plaza (?) and the place was packed from the time we got off the Metro. When we got out to the streets people were already marching by us so we watched for a few minutes before we figured out it had already started! We marched all the way down Pennsylvania and then into the parking area and turned right to almost in the area where the speakers were. It was a tough push, but the three of us made it.
Along the route I stopped to ask people where they’d come in from and it was Ohio, South Carolina, California, Maryland, Virginia, and all sorts of other states I can’t even remember now. Many were surprised we had come in from Nevada but I wouldn’t have missed this for the world.
Everyone was just great and I am so proud to be your fellow American! The families, the groups from hometowns and even the folks with their pets – everyone was so civil and polite. We were a community of man – all of us: white, black, Asian, Hispanics – the entire gamut! Such a good and close feeling from everyone!
Look forward to reading all the other posts. What a day…
Can anyone verify if emjem1963’s video is correct in his time frame? He seamed to enjoy making fun of blacks and people that don’t like high taxes and corruption so I can’t take him at his word, but I did hear speakers in the background and think this video could be useful. His video is cut up a bit, but the times where you can hear people speaking in the background may help verify or disprove certain estimates. I’m just looking for the truth. I’d thank him for providing the video, but he sounds like a real jerk.
I was going to be excited if it were more than 50.000, so if it does turn out to be 75,000 than that’s great considering everyone traveled there to see… no one famous. In fact the only person I recognized was Jim DeMint, and I didn’t even know he was going to be there. Me, I was on the lawn and could only see people as far as I could see. It took me 1hr to go a 1/4 mile, elbow to elbow, to the porta-podies and back, minus the 20 minuet wait. This was around 1PM.
Also, I e-mailed the DC Capitol Police to see if we can get a hold of any aerial photos that were taken, as there were a few helicopter fly-overs. Haven’t heard back yet.
Why is it so difficult to find an un-biased source to provide a decent estimate that everyone can agree on? Anywhere from 60,000 to 2 mil? Please. Might as well say there could have been 3 people or there could have been a billion.
Anyone know who to contact about the aerial photos?
Pete,
You can go ahead and be excited. By all accounts that I have read, definitely there were hundreds of thousands marching on 9/12. One photo shows the west lawn of the capitol full, the mall full two thirds down to the Washington Monument, while Pennsylvania Ave. is still full of marchers. That one photo represents well over a half million. What I can’t understand is why the DC Fire Dept. officially estimated 75,000. That’s just stupid.
Supposedly, university experts have made reliable calculations in excess of 1 mil. I’ve looked for evidence but haven’t found one yet. If you continue to search and you do find one, please post it on this site.
I sure will post an aerial photo if I can find one. No response from the DC Police, yet. (I’m not holding my breath)
We were there, from Idaho. By the time we were halfway down PA Ave, we received a phone call from a friend who had heard that the DC police had a count of 1.2 million. By the time we arrived at the south end of the water in front of the capital building, the Federal Parks people were saying between 1.5 and 2 million. After 2 hours of listening to speakers, people were still pouring in from Pennsylvania Avenue. We felt that it was truly history in the making–what a great air of patriotism, as we gathered as Americans trying to preserve our country and our freedoms. Our media is doing their level best to ignore us and minimize anything we attempted. Let them keep trying…it’ll be hard to ignore more than a million people! We are now writing letters to our legislators, telling them that WE WERE THERE (all of the 1.5-2 million of us!) and we expect them to take notice.
Next time, why don’t you ask your believers to sign something? That way, you should be able to prove your attendance, and to follow up with individuals who share your objectives.
Re: aerial shots
see http://WWW.RESISTNET.COM discussion for 9/11 We the People “Restore Our Constitution” March on DC2010
see the reply by Christine Drawdy
She was one of the event planners
I was there and it was amazing! I’m going again in 2010.
I drove from TX by myself. I left TX at 10:30PM 08Sep and arrived back at home on 23Sep at 2:30PM. I covered 3,116 miles. I’m chronologicallly gifted, but that will not keep me home! My husband will join me next year. I think he realizes he missed out on making a difference for our country. You have got to go! You will never forget the
experience. Promise.
1. Yes, I’m a real jerk
2. You can verify the speakers (as I did) using the CNN video. I think the speakers began around 1:00 PM, so add that to the time in the video to get the timing.
http://cspan.org/Watch/Media/2009/09/12/HP/A/23055/FreedomWorks%20Rally%20in%20DC.aspx
You can hear Russ Walker, Jim DeMint, Betsy McCaughey, and Mason Weaver in my video.
3. Metrorail is the main way to get to the Mall. You can verify the Metrorail numbers here:
http://www.wmata.com/rail/disruption_reports/archived_service_reports.cfm
You can see on this page that average Saturdays (using September 2008) get 360,000 one-way trips. On 9-12 there were about 438,000 one-way trips. 78,000 additional one-way trips translates to about 40,000 people (since most people take the train both ways).
Assuming that all the additional Metro ridership was for the rally (a generous assumption, because the Black Family Reunion was also there), and that an additional 20,000 people took buses (also generous) and that 10,000 took cars, walked from hotels, taxi, whatever, then you end up with about the official estimate range of 50,000 – 70,000. My snide comments aside, that’s a decent turnout. No need to make up crazy, unrealistic numbers.
4. If you don’t trust my video, I put a longer, less cut version here
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxl9z36OcZA
emjem
2 out of 3 Doctors Oppose Obamacare
http://www.investors.com/NewsAndAnalysis/Article.aspx?id=506309
Not only that, but 45% of doctors polled, said that they’d quit if the healthcare bill passed. Furthering the estimated shortage of doctors in the near future.
Link
What a blast! I was dressed in 18th Century garb and walked all around. I met people from Florida, Texas, Minnesota, Michigan, Iowa, Utah, Tennesse, Alabama, Vermont, California and Washington state. You guys are the best! We truly did Surround Them! Let’s keep this going. Forget the Ellite media. God Bless the USA!
DOMARI NOLO
Thank you for coming, I saw many people dressed in period clothing. Perhaps you were one of them
March on The Media!
Obviously, the “main stream” media are hard of hearing and seeing. About 2 million mad-as-hell taxpayers assembling in Washington, D.C. for the largest-ever (most well-behaved ever, most respectful ever) protest did not make it onto their radar screens (or our TV screens).
They need our help. Maybe we cannot repeat an assembly of 2 million mad-as-hell taxpaying patriots in one place, but surely those who longed to go and couldn’t would love to be a part of Operation “Can You Hear Us Now?” I’ll bet for every one patriot who went to D.C. there are 10-20 more who wished they could have been there as well.
Well my friends, HAVE I GOT A PLAN FOR YOU…
It’s called, “Operation: Can You Hear Us Now?” Here’s how it might work, but feel free to improvise!
Step 1: Contact all your freedom-loving, American-loving, free-speech loving friends and get together to plan. Draw from your local Tea Party group or 9/12 group or other friends. Protest all things you did in D.C. – plus the complicit media!
Step 2: Identify local left-wing media outlets (most likely TV, since no one reads newspapers anymore).
Step 3: Plan a tea-party rally for October 17th, 2009. If you have enough folks, visit multiple sites concurrently, otherwise pick your least favorite, liberally biased outlet as ground zero. Time it for max participation for the working (i.e. tax-paying) class. Before the AM news or at the evening 6 o’clock hour might be good (local time).
Step 4: Use your 1st Amendment Right to Free Speech right outside their offices or broadcast locations. Make sure you are on public property, not private property. Bring your signs, banners, flags, and voices to the event. Protest big government, small minds in Congress, and liberal media atrocities in reporting (or non-reporting). (Watch for the Free Speech media to attempt to have you forcibly removed by law enforcement – so stay on public property!)
Step 5: Be peaceful, respectful, but let them HEAR you and SEE you. Remember, they are hard of hearing and their eyesight isn’t what it used to be the last 8 years prior. They accidentally missed 2 million people protesting in D.C. in one of the biggest protests in US History. Bring your video to upload clips to the internet later.
Step 6: Complete your tea party with a cup o’ tea before leaving the premises. Go home (remember to leave no litter behind – we’re not liberals).
Step 7: Turn on the TV and see if they saw you. If not, smile and remember that November 2010 is just several more Tea parties away!
Thanks to some American heros (R.L., G.B., A.B.) for the idea. We can take it from here;)
I LOVE IT!
I think Oct.17th may be too soon to organize anything significant, but lets see if you’re game, I’m game. I’ll go on Tea Party Patriots tonight after work and see if I can get the new jersey groups fired up. I haven’t organized anything yet, but I’m ready.
If you’re serious, contact me and we can organize together.
My facebook account link is in my name. Contact me
AWESOME!!!!!
FOUND IT:
OPERATION: CAN YOU HEAR US NOW
Who are the American heros (sp) (R.L., G.B., A.B.)?
For several days I have been struggling for words to describe my feelings about participating in the March on our nation’s Capitol in Washington D.C. on September 12, 2009. I continue to struggle with this so I will just start. Note that this is the first protest my wife and I have ever participated in.
First off, I made close to 2,000,000 new friends from all over America that, I know in my heart, are willing to put their life on the line for my liberty. I will do the same for them. I pledge my life, my assets and my character to them. I love them all and they have my greatest admiration and respect.
They came from small and big towns in every state. Men and women. Adults, youth and children from all ethnic groups. Some carried signs to demonstrate their frustration. Some were silent. Some were vocal. One thing I can guarantee you is that for every one of us that was there, hundreds more wanted to be there. To those I say, do not be discouraged. Stay informed. Continue to attend local tea and liberty group meetings. Keep it clean and honest and reject those politicians and individuals that try to benefit from our movement.
Americans are plenty angry about the direction our country is heading. We will get it back, I assure you. It will take a continued commitment to call our employees on the carpet.
November, 2010, will represent a new beginning … the day we begin to fire congressmen and senators and replace them with men and women who believe the Constitution of the United States is a carved-in-stone set of principles and values. These principles and values are our greatest guarantee of liberty and protection against the tyrannical pursuits of our enemies.
About two years ago, after much careful research, I came to the conclusion that my government has been lying to me for many years. The realization that two-party politics, the federal reserve, banking & financial, oil & energy, political action committees, special interests, the media/government complex, the defense industry and strong forces both within and outside the United States are the ones really running our “government of the people, by the people and for the people”.
This sent me on an email and discussion crusade that resulted in fractured relations with both friends and family. This bothered me greatly at the time. But I no longer care. Liberty is far more important.
To the men and women in our military I apologize to the deepest recesses of my heart for voting for politicians that have sent you to a foreign land to protect their’s and their friends interests. I admire you for your willingness to volunteer and serve for their benefit. I did and most of my family did. But, you no longer need to do that. We need you here … on this front … America is in peril and we need true Americans to stand up and fight against these enemies from within.
These 2,000,000 new friends that have joined together in the task of taking back our government will prevail because it is our destiny.
If you care about your freedom …. your liberty … your individual rights … then it is time to take up the cause.
Welcome to the fight.
Yours for America and true liberty!
Benjamin Jones
Butler Township, Ohio, USA
Bjones5468@who.rr.com
Thank you for attending! I can say without a doubt, that it was the most important event of my life so far. It was an honor to spend the day with you and others like you.
Wow – 2 million friends? did you exchange business cards?
Planning a cookout?
Were you at the march? I was. You have no clue about what you are talking about. But when has that ever stopped a lefty? Including the President!
Your comment is definitely food for thought. I had, perhaps without enough research, thought that the tea party group were all far right wing believers.
Now, I see your comment that ‘To the men and women in our military I apologize to the deepest recesses of my heart for voting for politicians that have sent you to a foreign land to protect their’s and their friends interests. I admire you for your willingness to volunteer and serve for their benefit. I did and most of my family did. But, you no longer need to do that.’
Thank you for your comment. It has prompted me to learn more about your tea party movement.
The money power preys upon the nation in times of peace and conspires against it in times of adversity. It is more despotic than monarchy, more insolent than autocracy, more selfish than bureaucracy. I see in the near future a crisis approaching that unnerves me and causes me to tremble for the safety of my country. Corporations have been enthroned, an era of corruption in high places will follow, and the money power of the country will endeavor to prolong its reign by working upon the prejudices of the people until the wealth is aggregated in the hands of a few and the Republic is destroyed … I feel at the moment more anxiety for the safety of my country than ever before, even in the midst of war.
Here is a great photo, I’m no expert at counting people, but if I imagine the crown @ one of the larges football stadiums as like 100,000 I think this can compare. Plus we don’t know what time this was. I’d say peak was around 2 or 2:30.
http://www.moonbattery.com/capitol-view-big.jpg
This is a great shot!! Looks like there are some still marching down PA. I don’t know for sure but I’d say this was taken around noon or so.
I agree–probably around noon-there were more people farther down the mall around 2:00. We were there—this is real, and a great photo!
This is a fake photo. Do not be deceived. Do a Google search on 9/12 March and find the Christian Science Monitor article.
They have to use fake photos because they don’t have any that support the wild claims.
Well try this on for size instead of assuming it is the fake one Sue was mistaken about.
http://www.moonbattery.com/capitol-view-big.jpg
Hint: click on it this time and actually look at it before you make knee jerk comments.
Thanks, Pete!
Sorry for presuming they were one and the same photo as that depicted on the Christian Science Monitor article! Just a touch of jet-lag AND trying to make sure we all have our FACTS correct to avoid being accused of misleading. There’s certainly enough of that going on by the opposition!
I was there and that photo is REAL. I don’t believe there was a million people there but at the same time there was not “tens of thousands” as reported by the liberal elite MSM. The true figure was well over 250,000. The march itself had to start 2 hours early because there were simply too many people. Dick Army’s group low balled the estimate and was only expecting 25,000 to 50,000. They must of been smoking something lol.
I am 35 yr old gay male who went with a Vietnam vet from work, Dover, DE. We had to leave at 1:30 because he had prior arrangements. Some people were leaving and some were still coming off the trains at that time.
And I can tell you that dozens of people from our work supported the DC March but simply could not attend. 2010 here we come…
Metrorail numbers show an increase in ridership of about 40,000 people. If another 10,000 took buses, how did the other 200,000 people get there?
You colossal @$$!
That photo is real, and you’re bat-shit-jealous.
Please be polite; it helps to make your comments seem more valid.
Please be polite; it helps to make your comments seem more valid.
Inaug v 912
http://img36.imageshack.us/img36/5866/mallpicture23.jpg
The 912 movement is on the march
YouTube link here
Check out the estimates here:
The Real Number of Protesters – Zac Moilanen
Read it and weep, LV!
What an a_ _! We that actually attended know that the crowd was tremendous and much more tolerable than ANY liberal protest that has EVER taken place!
Nobody expects the spanish inquisition!
Hey LiberalVegas: we weren’t marching on the mall – we were marching to the Capitol, you idiot. If you were in DC on 9/12, you couldn’t possibly have missed us. Unless, of course, you were specifically looking everywhere that we WEREN’T. You’re just jealous!!!
I’ll try this again…
http://www.moonbattery.com/capitol-view-big.jpg
Only a moonbat can miss a march this big. You have your head as far up your butt as Obama! lol
please of course not. let the man do his job…. you folks blamed him for every problem two weeks into his administration. blame cheney/halliburton war machine, land plunderer
Today, Barack Obama just deficated all over our allies in Europe, and put Israel in a very difficult position. He is now a traitor to freedom and liberty. Keep supporting him, you fool.
We blame them both buddy! Bush was a big government guy and a fiscal socialist. Barak spent more than 7 years of Bush in his first six months. They are BOTH clowns and are both corrupt. Neither represents we the people. Don’t you get it yet? Just let him do his job?!?!? I don’t think so.
We’ve never kept any land of any country we have defended against tyranny anywhere we have been fighting…except of course, the land required to bury our fallen heroes…..you worthless sh%$bag
Well, except for all the land that is now the United States but that wasn’t defense against tyranny. That was just just outright murder and theft, so yeah you are right.
Great point marksman! Jeeez..what a worthless comment that was…except for all the land that is now the US…..
I’m sorry you hate America so much. Guess that’s what separates us and your ilk. BTW. We will win. You will lose. You commie puke.
Anybody catch Maxine Water’s request that those “teabaggers” be interviewed so she can know who we are? Those who had signs like “Obamacare” and “Bury Obamacare with Kennedy” are the folks she wants to have interviewed.
How many of us do you think will fit inside her D.C. office??
I just heard this on the news. The unmitigated gall of this stupid woman. Just who does this public servant think she is? I hereby request the same for her. I want her interviewed. Anyone ever hear this piece of work speak? dumb as a stump. She’s actually dumber than Joe Biden. I want to know whats on her mind & in her soul. All resentment, hate and emptyness.
Why wouldn’t you speak? I thought that you had a point to make; why would you not want to speak on the record?
Apart from your poor grammar, please speak up and educate the other 99% of your fellow citizens.
I can not find the words to describe the excitement and wonderful experience of being among so many people that shared the same feelings as mine. I attended alone, but made many friends, and can’t wait to see them again. I could not believe how many states were represented(probably every one), and was very happy to meet them for such a wonderful cause. “WAKE UP AMERICA”!!!!!
I am getting sooooo tired of going to the polls in my liberal state, and my vote never matters. Everything that I voted for on the 2008 ballot was a loser because of the people in the urban areas who don’t realize that they are not being represented. I don’t think either party has anything left to offer, with all of the corruption, and power struggles. I do know that the Democrat party wants to keep the poor where they are, and exploit them to the point of thinking that Dems are the only ones that can help them. Notice that the poverty stricken areas have been run by Democrats for years with NO improvement. [example: New Orleans]
BTW: I don’t care what the numbers are for attendance that day. This was an incredible crowd, with a wonderful attitude.
Thanks to all for being there,
Dennis, the Maryland Terrorist
Being a terrorist is a good thing?
Perhaps you would be happier in another state – or perhaps, in another country.
Go for it!
The 9/12 march was my first ever political event/rally. I went because I don’t want to pay outrageous taxes for the rest of my life, whether it be to pay for someone else’s heath care or to build more wind mills in a vain effort to combat the mythical man made global warming.
I had a wonderful time and still can’t get over how well it went. I am feeling very positive and hopeful now. Check out my pics at http://picasaweb.google.com/f22luke/912MarchOnWashingtonDC?feat=directlink
The money power preys upon the nation in times of peace and conspires against it in times of adversity.
It is more despotic than monarchy, more insolent than autocracy, more selfish than bureaucracy.
I see in the near future a crisis approaching that unnerves me and causes me to tremble for the safety of my country.
Corporations have been enthroned, an era of corruption in high places will follow, and the money power of the country will endeavor to prolong its reign by working upon the prejudices of the people until the wealth is aggregated in the hands of a few and the Republic is destroyed …
I feel at the moment more anxiety for the safety of my country than ever before, even in the midst of war.
So yesterday there were votes in both houses of congress about cutting off all taxpayer funding for ACORN. Below are links to the results.
House Roll Call –
Senate Roll Call –
75 Congressmen/women voted to keep funding them with our money. 2 more voted present and 11 did not note. 7 Senators voted to keep funding them. Another 9 Senators did not vote.
Now I don’t know about you, but to me, anyone that voted to keep funding ACORN needs to be removed from office and I mean right NOW. Not in the next election cycle.
Anyone that would vote to keep ACORN funded with tax dollars after all that has been exposed about this criminal enterprise over the last 5 years, from voter fraud to supporting skirting the law, are themselves, CORRUPT!
I can hear it already from the fringe left. “That was just a few rogue employees. ACORN does not support that type of activity and all those people were fired.” Oh really? I seem to recall that Dale Rathke was caught stealing money from ACORN and that Wade Rathke covered it up. It seems to me the rot goes all the way to the top.
In 2008, Project Vote’s executive director, Michael Slater, said allegations of voter fraud against ACORN are “absolutely false”. In most states, groups such as ACORN are legally required to submit all registration forms they collect. ACORN flags suspicious forms. Slater estimated that about 1% of voter registration applications collected by ACORN in drives could contain fictitious information.
I don’t believe it’s only 1% for a New York miniute. In my own state there were 7 ACORN workers charged with filing 1800 false registrations and thats just the few that were caught red handed.
But ok, for the sake of argument lets say it is just 1%. Sounds small doen’t it? But 1% of the American public that voted in the last election is 1,350,000 people. Since we elect by electoral college, meaning high vote getter in any state gets all the votes from that state, how many of you live where it was so close it could have gone either way? Would 1% fraud have made a difference?
There are those that say “yes, but no one voted under those phoney registrations.” Oh really? To prove the point that King County (Seattle, WA) voter registration roles were filled with phoney votes, she registered her dog. But rather than take steps to correct the issue, local officails charged her with voter fraud.
Since many states do not require government issued ID to prove you are a voter, who is to say how many fake registered voters names were used to cast phoney votes by ACORN operatives, convited felons, illegal aliens and duplicate voters. And now in my state, we have to vote by mail. I can do the math here. Fake registered voters=fake votes and since it is all by mail how can anyone verify the same person is not casting the votes for all 10 people registered at one address?
Now ACORN issues aside, let’s talk about just 2 people that voted to keep funding ACORN with our tax dollars. But is anyone surprised Charlie Rangel & Maxine Waters both voted to keep ACORN funding?
The code of conduct and ethics in both the house and the senate forbid criminals from holding office. Yet we have Charles Rangel, the man that rights the tax code, under reporting his income by over $2,000,000.00 (I won’t make that much in my lifetime) and not paying his taxes, yet he is still chairman of the house ways and means committee and he is still in congress. And another BIG question here. Since Charles Bernard “Charlie” Rangel (born June 11, 1930) has been in public office since the age of 36 (1966) and worked for a law firm making very little money, how did he become a millionaire on a public servants salary?
Did we not have a Speaker of the House resign a few years ago because he tried to pay a compliment to an old DEMOCRAT former KKK member on his birthday because a few race baiter’s called it a racist comment? Never mind that the democrats kept electing, and the Senate kept allowing a KKK Grand Wizard to be a Senator? For those that don’t know who I am talking about, a known RACIST named Robert Carlyle Byrd who has been in the Senate since 1959! See Senator Byrds own racist comments here.
And he is still in office? HOW? Byrd is President pro tempore of the United States Senate, a position that puts him third in the line of presidential succession, behind Vice President Joe Biden and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
Maxine Waters wants to socialize/nationalize private industry. “…..and guess what this liberal would be all about. This liberal would be about socialize..uh uh.. would be about, basically, taking over, and the government taking all of your companies.”
She wants those of us at the 9-12 rally, you know, us “Teabaggers” and “Berthers” (btw the only berthers I saw were LaRouche people) to be “talked to” and hounded by the press. You have to wait to the end of this clip but..
Maybe since she wants to talk to us we should all call her office and tell her personally why we were there.
Congresswoman Maxine Waters
2344 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: (202) 225-2201
Fax: (202) 225-7854
Chief of Staff Mikael Moore
Legislative Director Andrea Martin
Legislative Assistant Dan Spokojny
Legislative Assistant Kathleen Sengstock
Communications Director Michael Levin
Staff Assistant Donté Stewart
Staff Assistant Joseph Ortiz
Financial Administrator Mark Perkins
Congresswoman Maxine Waters
10124 South Broadway
Suite 1
Los Angeles, CA 90003
Phone: (323) 757-8900
Fax: (323) 757-9506
So yesterday there were votes in both houses of congress about cutting off all taxpayer funding for ACORN. Below are links to the results.
House Roll Call
Senate Roll Call
75 Congressmen/women voted to keep funding them with our money. 2 more voted present and 11 did not note. 7 Senators voted to keep funding them. Another 9 Senators did not vote.
Now I don’t know about you, but to me, anyone that voted to keep funding ACORN needs to be removed from office and I mean right NOW. Not in the next election cycle.
Anyone that would vote to keep ACORN funded with tax dollars after all that has been exposed about this criminal enterprise over the last 5 years, from voter fraud to supporting skirting the law, are themselves, CORRUPT!
I can hear it already from the fringe left. “That was just a few rogue employees. ACORN does not support that type of activity and all those people were fired.” Oh really? I seem to recall that Dale Rathke was caught stealing money from ACORN and that Wade Rathke covered it up. It seems to me the rot goes all the way to the top.
In 2008, Project Vote’s executive director, Michael Slater, said allegations of voter fraud against ACORN are “absolutely false”. In most states, groups such as ACORN are legally required to submit all registration forms they collect. ACORN flags suspicious forms. Slater estimated that about 1% of voter registration applications collected by ACORN in drives could contain fictitious information.
I don’t believe it’s only 1% for a New York miniute. In my own state there were 7 ACORN workers charged with filing 1800 false registrations and thats just the few that were caught red handed.
But ok, for the sake of argument lets say it is just 1%. Sounds small doen’t it? But 1% of the American public that voted in the last election is 1,350,000 people. Since we elect by electoral college, meaning high vote getter in any state gets all the votes from that state, how many of you live where it was so close it could have gone either way? Would 1% fraud have made a difference?
There are those that say “yes, but no one voted under those phoney registrations.” Oh really? To prove the point that King County (Seattle, WA) voter registration roles were filled with phoney votes, she registered her dog. But rather than take steps to correct the issue, local officails charged her with voter fraud.
Since many states do not require government issued ID to prove you are a voter, who is to say how many fake registered voters names were used to cast phoney votes by ACORN operatives, convited felons, illegal aliens and duplicate voters. And now in my state, we have to vote by mail. I can do the math here. Fake registered voters=fake votes and since it is all by mail how can anyone verify the same person is not casting the votes for all 10 people registered at one address?
Now ACORN issues aside, let’s talk about just 2 people that voted to keep funding ACORN with our tax dollars. But is anyone surprised Charlie Rangel & Maxine Waters both voted to keep ACORN funding?
The code of conduct and ethics in both the house and the senate forbid criminals from holding office. Yet we have Charles Rangel, the man that rights the tax code, under reporting his income by over $2,000,000.00 (I won’t make that much in my lifetime) and not paying his taxes, yet he is still chairman of the house ways and means committee and he is still in congress. And another BIG question here. Since Charles Bernard “Charlie” Rangel (born June 11, 1930) has been in public office since the age of 36 (1966) and worked for a law firm making very little money, how did he become a millionaire on a public servants salary?
Did we not have a Speaker of the House resign a few years ago because he tried to pay a compliment to an old DEMOCRAT former KKK member on his birthday because a few race baiter’s called it a racist comment? Never mind that the democrats kept electing, and the Senate kept allowing a KKK Grand Wizard to be a Senator? For those that don’t know who I am talking about, a known RACIST named Robert Carlyle Byrd who has been in the Senate since 1959! See Senator Byrds own racist comments here and here.
And he is still in office? HOW? Byrd is President pro tempore of the United States Senate, a position that puts him third in the line of presidential succession, behind Vice President Joe Biden and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
Maxine Waters wants to socialize/nationalize private industry. “…..and guess what this liberal would be all about. This liberal would be about socialize..uh uh.. would be about, basically, taking over, and the government taking all of your companies.”
She wants those of us at the 9-12 rally, you know, us “Teabaggers” and “Berthers” (btw the only berthers I saw were LaRouche people) to be “talked to” and hounded by the press. You have to wait to the end of this clip but..
Maybe since she wants to talk to us we should all call her office and tell her personally why we were there.
Congresswoman Maxine Waters
2344 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: (202) 225-2201
Fax: (202) 225-7854
Chief of Staff Mikael Moore
Legislative Director Andrea Martin
Legislative Assistant Dan Spokojny
Legislative Assistant Kathleen Sengstock
Communications Director Michael Levin
Staff Assistant Donté Stewart
Staff Assistant Joseph Ortiz
Financial Administrator Mark Perkins
Congresswoman Maxine Waters
10124 South Broadway
Suite 1
Los Angeles, CA 90003
Phone: (323) 757-8900
Fax: (323) 757-9506
More Hypocracies, read here http://stopthedestructionofamerica.blogspot.com/2009/09/more-hyprocracy.html
I know, its “writes the tax code”, not rights. Sue me for my train of thought going faster than my internal spelling/grammer correction algorithm can correct me.
Also somehow the Maxine Waters quote ended up a little off but I did link to the video so you can hear it yourself.
I was at the mall and at about 1 pm or so, there was a video played (right after Stephen Baldwin, I believe) of a gentleman dressed up in Colonial garb and playing the part of one of the Founding Fathers. I’d love to find a copy of this video… can anyone help me out or point me in the direction of the gentleman in the video?
Dave
go to youtube and type Thomas Payne into the search engine. All of that gentleman’s videos will come up. he’s a wonderful man.
That’s exactly the one I was looking for… thanks so much!
Dave
This page begins with these words: “Did you take pictures at the March on Washington?”
In answer, I’m writing that pictures are online at
http://912dc.dhwritings.com
As some of the other comments on this page said, the signs at the protest kept racist content down to a whimper — it would be easy for someone to attend and not see any, with just a travel path a little different from that of the person who did see one or two among the thousands. The signs often express frustration with the legislature, or with both parties acting as one monolith, or with the manner that previously-recognized rights have ceased to be recognized.
Thanks David. I enjoyed that a great deal.
Some grassroots commentary and pictures of signs:
http://outsidethecapitalbeltway.blogspot.com/2009/09/outside-going-inside-91209-taxpayer.html
Here’s my response to yet another stupid CNN report. The irony is, Campbell’s tagline is ‘no bias, no bull’. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!
___________________________________
Dear Campbell,
I don’t watch trash tv so was unaware of your ‘interview’ with Joe Wierzbicki until a friend mentioned it. After reading the transcript online and then picking myself up off the floor where I landed after laughing at your so called journalistic effort, I decided to write you a little note.
September 12, 2009 was the best day of my life.
Why, you ask? Did I go on an exotic trip? Find a winning lotto ticket? Get proposed too?
No – I did something for my country.
When was the last time you did that? Please note that I used the word FOR, not AGAINST.
Since you seem to have some difficulty in accurately gathering and reporting facts, as well as focusing on the correct issues, allow me to assist you.
Over a million people attended the Taxpayer March on Washington. We spilled over from the Capitol to the Mall, down Pennsylvania Avenue and the neighboring streets. The crowd consisted of men, women, old people, young people, children; farmers, doctors, factory workers, lawyers, bankers, waitresses, writers, veterans, and people from all other lines of work you can imagine. There was, however, a noticeable lack of snarky, elitist media types. I saw people with disabilities, as you can well imagine, and of all ethnicities and races – even African Americans! (And I’m not referring to the ones who were hawking NObama pins just to make a buck even though when I asked about their political views it turned out they were liberal. Talk about a lack of character.) It was a diverse crowd, and we were all united by our respect for the Constitution and what it stands for. In case I lost you, that is the document upon which our country was founded, upon which our laws are based, and the best model for government anywhere in the world. I know it’s been awhile since you may have heard of it, but you can find a copy in your local library…er, sorry, did I lose you again? My apologies, I tend to treat others as my intellectual equals and sometimes I forget that people such as yourself need a little bit of help. The library is a building which houses books, useful in one’s quest for fact-checking or just the accumulation of knowledge in general. I highly recommend it to you.
I took two trains and waited seven hours outside in the middle of the night in order to board a bus bound for DC that was stopping along the way to pick up other patriots. (Oops, my bad – there I go again, talking over your head. A patriot, as defined by Webster’s Dictionary, is a person who loves his country, and zealously supports and defends it and its interests.) When we arrived in DC around 10am Saturday morning for the rally, so many people had already flooded the area that they had begun marching towards the Capitol. As new patriots arrived, they filled in the ranks and kept things moving for over TWO HOURS. Every few minutes people would pick up a chant: “USA”, “Freedom”, “Don’t Tread on Me”- but mainly there was an overlying awed silence as we realized the sheer magnitude of the event. For many of us, including myself, it was our first protest, and everywhere I looked there were people stopping to introduce themselves, take pictures, and exchange stories. As for our signs, yes, they were angry, ballsy, and gloriously free in their expression. I never saw the witch doctor sign you kept harping on, but there were lots of posters depicting Obama as the Joker. Also teleprompter signs and the occasional ‘Liar’. I am not sure how any of these can be construed as racist, unless you are going by the modern re-definition of the term which now signifies any statement not in keeping with leftist ideology, or any statement made against a non-white person regardless of the content of said statement. And racism was not the theme of our march, though you so doggedly tried to make it so in your interview. Shame on you.
We were hardly an ‘angry mob’. Disgusted, fed up, and determined, yes – but also hopeful because we love our country, the vision of our founding fathers had for it, and we believe in our inherent ability to govern ourselves. Don’t worry Campbell, we’ll fight for your freedom too, whether or not you want it or even value it.
And that’s change you can believe in.
Heather Manning, reporting from Chicago
That was great Heather!
For people wanting a comparison of the 1-20 Inauguration and the 9-12 Taxpayer’s protest, I was at both, and my wife took these two pictures from more or less the same location.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/emjem1963/3937478887/
Video we took can be found here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AcQ8kmxrujs
Sorry, l linked incorrectly
Photo here http://www.flickr.com/photos/emjem1963/3937478887/
Video here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AcQ8kmxrujs
Funny how you took picture of the National Mall, when the crowd was on Pennsylvania Avenue!!!
You crook, phony, fraud!
LOL
Read it and weep.
Yeah, you tried this last week. Again, compare your video of you walking around the mall, that we were yelled at for being on the lawn repeatedly because we didn’t have a permit to protest there (which is why the sides of the mall and the streets have so many people in them), to this picture.
http://www.moonbattery.com/capitol-view-big.jpg
Yes. It’s a real picture. I know you would love to rain on our parade, but if you got at least double the people, if not more, you expected at some moonbat event you would be happy, too.
BTW, I have seen the long version of your video where you make fun of black people that were there. How tolerant of you. Guess if they aren’t on the democrat welfare plantation they are free game, huh? Loser. You are a racist pig.
Wow, you guys can rationalize anything.
Evette – I never claimed to be at the march, only the rally. If you read previous posts you would see that. However, many people claim the Mall was full of protesters, which is untrue. So, if a million people marched, where did they go after noon? And since Metrorail shows that 40,000 extra people rode metro that day, how did the other zillion people get to the march?
And Pete, what racist remarks?
And to both of you … my children resort to name-calling when they have no other arguments. Just saying.
Ever hear of a car? 90% of the people drove. Every stranger I spoke to came by car and some by motorcycle. You can’t wish away a million people no matter hard you try. It happened, get used to it. THIS is what demopcracy looks like! As the moonbats like to say. You just can’t believe it when it opposed to your progressive views.
BKLYN Ha ha ha! 900,000 people drove into downtown D.C.??!? Good one!! You can’t even park a Vespa down there on a Saturday. And even if every parking space in a 10 mile radius were open, it wouldn’t even add up to 20,000. You guys crack me up.
Some people need it spelled out very slowly. They drove to countless hotels in DC abd the greater DC area, parked car in hotel parking lot, got their way to protest any way possible, cab, bus, train, walk. It happened, get used to it. And, you’ll see it again and again. People will protest your massiah at every turn. That’s what democracy looks like. Get your ass off the couch like THE ONE begs you and counter protest a tea party so you can be tea-bagged. Stand in the middle of the SEIU thugs.
Some DC fire dept person makes a comment at 8:15 in the morning that “there’s got to be about 70,000 people in Freedom Plaze”, and that’s the number the lefty MSM & blogs grab, simply because it’s the lowest number mentioned all day. Where was that fire dept authority at 10:30. I didn;t get there until 9:30, my cab had to drop me off 4 blocks away. All other nuetral sources say, hundreds of thousands, 1.2 mil, 1.4, 1.7 mil. ……
Even if it were true and only 70,000 people marched, that is still an amazing thing for copnservatives. Fortunately, it’s not true, and the numbers were astronomical. The congress & the white house is beside themselves and leftys like you are in denial.
Whatever. You guys are going to believe what you’re going to believe. I know what I saw with my own eyes, and recorded and photographed. Your “reliable estimates” of anything over 100K are all assertions without proof, spouted by Malkin, Beck, etc. – people who have a horse in this race. Plus rumors that “somebody overheard somebody say something.”
If you want to see what 1 million on the mall looks like, here are pictures my wife took on 1-20 and 9-12, from pretty much the same spot.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/emjem1963/3937478887/
I saw your original long video you first posted. You laughed when you saw minorities, and yes, you called us names. Just thought I’d stoop to your level. You lefties love to throw the race card around at the drop of a hat, so I just thought I’d mimic you and Sal Alinsky.
If your willing to stipulate 100,000, which looks about right to me from the wide angle pic (though I’m no expert, could be more or less), sound like a huge success to me.
Hey Pete, love the picture of the Capital you’ve posted over and over. I wish I had enough money for a wide-angle lens.
The big difference in the pics your wife took is the fact that the 9/12 march did not have a permit for the mall…if you wanted a biased pic, good job….if you wanted an accurate comparison you would have taken a pic on Pa Avenue…..oh well lefties never have been accused of telling the truth or using facts to back up their arguments….
Yeah, I’ve heard that argument about permits many times now. So the argument goes that a million people marched, but the authorities only allowed as many as would fit between the Capital and 3rd Street onto the mall?
1. There were a half-dozen mounted officers just beyond 3rd Street, beyond the crowd. They were making no effort to restrict the movement of protesters, and never moved from where they were or even dismounted. In fact, I’ve been to many rallies on the Mall, permits or no, and I’ve *never* seen the police or anybody else try to limit the crowd’s movement. That would be a recipe for logistical disaster. If you really think the police did that, I’d like to hear confirmation from an authoritative source, like the park police.
2. I was there from Noon to 4, and didn’t see any backlog of protesters on any of the side streets or on Penn Ave, Constitution Ave, or Independence Ave. If you walked down any of these streets you saw maybe a few protesters on each block, walking to or from.
On 1-20, the Mall was full back to the Monument and beyond, standing room only, and Constitution and Independence Avenues were packed body-to-body, from the Capitol to the Lincoln Memorial. You could walk several block away from the Mall, and there was still a crowd. That’s what a million people looks like.
So, if there a million marchers and only 50K or so on the mall – where did they all go, and when?
And how did all these people get to the Mall and back? Making generous assumptions that favor the protesters:
o All 40K extra Metro riders were for the protest (unlikely, given the much larger Black Family Reunion)
o 500 chartered buses transported another 25K people
o Another 25K people walked from hotels, from Amtrak, drove, took cabs, parachuted, whatever …
…you still end up under 100K. When somebody claims that more than 100K people marched, I’d like to hear how they think they got there, and where they went after they marched.
Since according to posters here, everything I saw on 9-12 was a partisan hallucination, I figure I’d better back up any assertion with photos or video. Oh, wait, evil leftists are probably all wizards with photoshop too. Anyway, here are the police around 3rd Street, paying absolutely no attention to the protest.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/emjem1963/3948696340/
emjem….check the google sat photos from 1/20 and you will see the groups of people staggered along the mall. A picture from the steps of the cap would make it look like a massive amount of people…..
I’d like to thank looney louie farraCON for threatening to sue the Park Service over their estimate of people attending the million man march….that is why they no longer give any estimates of crowd size…
We’ll never know the number of people there, but they all paid their own way, and gave up work and personal time to be there. All without the free T-shirt, bus ride and twenty dollar bill. Wonder what the lefties pay on election day?
You’re toxic to democracy:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 4, 2009
Contact: Jan Nunley
Political Research Associates
617-666-5300
PRA releases new study, Toxic to Democracy
“Tools of fear”
build structures of violence, says Berlet
BOSTON – Charged with the fatal shooting of abortion provider Dr. George Tiller in a church in Wichita, Kansas, last Sunday morning, Scott Philip Roeder is a regular consumer of conservative talk radio, television, and websites. But did Bill O’Reilly, Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Glenn Beck—or any other commentator whipping up an audience with overheated demonizing rhetoric—actually help pull the trigger?
It’s not that simple, explains Chip Berlet, senior analyst for the independent think tank Political Research Associates (PRA), in a new study entitled Toxic to Democracy: Conspiracy Theories, Demonization, and Scapegoating. “They are not legally culpable for the assassination of Dr. Tiller, says Berlet, “but they must share some portion of moral responsibility for creating a dangerous environment.”
According to Berlet:
Right-wing pundits demonize scapegoated groups and individuals in our society, implying that it is urgent to stop them from wrecking the nation. Some angry people in the audience already believe conspiracy theories in which the same scapegoats are portrayed as subversive, destructive, or evil. Add in aggressive apocalyptic ideas that suggest time is running out and quick action mandatory and you have a perfect storm of mobilized resentment threatening to rain bigotry and violence across the United States.
Demagogues and conspiracy theorists use the same four “tools of fear,” which Berlet identifies as 1) dualism; 2) scapegoating; 3) demonization; and 4) apocalyptic aggression. The basic dynamics remain the same no matter the ideological leanings of the demonizers or the identity of their targets. Meanwhile, our ability to resolve disputes through civic debate and compromise is hobbled. The study focuses on the history and dynamics of conspiracism, but argues that it is the combination of demagogic demonization and widespread conspiracy scapegoating that is so dangerous. In such circumstances, “angry allegations can quickly turn into aggression and violence targeting scapegoated groups,” writes Berlet.
Conspiracy theories are widespread among right-wing populists in the Patriot Movement, which spawned the armed citizens militias and the Freemen in the 1990s—networks from which Roeder seems to have emerged.
Tracing the roots of conspiracism throughout U.S. and European history, Toxic to Democracy challenges it as a form of political analysis. Modern conspiracism is rooted in bigotry, especially antisemitism and racism. Conspiracy theories encourage demonization and scapegoating of blameless persons and groups—distracting society and would-be agents of change away from the real causes of social and economic injustice. It’s practiced by demagogues on the Right and on the Left—and both inside and outside the corridors of power.
What Richard Hofstadter famously described as the “paranoid style” in American political rhetoric can quickly move far beyond the conscious intent of those who practice it. “People who believe conspiracist allegations sometimes act on those irrational beliefs, and this has concrete consequences in the real world.” writes Berlet. Thus the tools of fear pointed to Dr. Tiller, and what happened is now tragic history.
===
Chip Berlet, a PRA staffer since 1982, specializes in investigating right-wing social movements, apocalyptic scapegoating and conspiracism, and authoritarianism. His articles on right-wing activity and government repression can be found in the Boston Globe, the New York Times, TheProgressive, The Nation, The Humanist, and the St. Louis Journalism Review. Berlet edited Eyes Right! Challenging the Right-Wing Backlash, and is coauthor, with Matthew N. Lyons, of Right-Wing Populism in America: Too Close for Comfort .
Toxic to Democracy is available in PDF format from PRA at http://www.publiceye.org/toxic2democracy/
For media interviews with Chip Berlet, contact PRA at 617-666-5300.
Political Research Associates is an independent, nonprofit research center that analyzes and monitors the Right and other anti-democratic movements, institutions, and trends. PRA is based on progressive values and committed to advancing an open, democratic, and pluralistic society.
Yawn. Get a life.
Hey, buddy. We’re not the ones biting off fingers and shooting pro-lifers these days. Besides, it’s Obama and his communist ilk that surrounds himself with Weather Underground and Black Panther types. …and wasn’t Tim McVeigh (sp?) an athiest that had a bunch of Iraqi telephone numbers when he was caught? Hardly a true right winger, now.
If someone drank the most popular softdrink before he murdered someone would you blame the softdrink, too?
The only people who create an atmosphere of violence are the left. Just look at all the hippy’s that used to throw things through windows, assault the police, etc. when Bush was in office. You don’t see any of us doing that, do you? And we have freakin’ guns! LOL!!!!
No we make our own signs, yell a bit, then acctually clean up after ourselves because we have respect for ourselves, and our country.
“Chip Berlet, a PRA staffer since 1982, specializes in investigating right-wing social movements, apocalyptic scapegoating and conspiracism, and authoritarianism. His articles on right-wing activity and government repression can be found in the Boston Globe, the New York Times, TheProgressive, The Nation, The Humanist, and the St. Louis Journalism Review. Berlet edited Eyes Right! Challenging the Right-Wing Backlash, and is coauthor, with Matthew N. Lyons, of Right-Wing Populism in America: Too Close for Comfort .”
Huh, and not one venue that practices journalism anymore. So you’re using a fellow lefty as a credible reference to make your case that we are violent. Is that the best you got? I named 2 off the top of my head, acctual recent events to show it’s the left that is violent. You used some guy who writes meany articles in liberal rags to vouch for you. Can you name something concrete that happened recently? Like union members beating up a black guy protesting @ a townhall meeting? Oooops. There’s 3 to one now. Moonbat.
Oh snap – I knew I left something off my Christmas list! “Dear Santa, please bring me a gun and lots of ammo…”
We don’t need guns we have truth…much more powerful…you’ll see..pussy lefty..LOL
Democracy = 2 wolves & 1 sheep voting on what’s for dinner. Democracy was only meant to apply to the election of politicians; not for 51% to decide they want to enslave 49%. Founding Fathers warned against a Democracy for good reason.
Did you cut and paste that all by yourself sunshine?
Pete, you’re good. I like the way you handle moonbats. Ever hear of the GOE? We counter these moonies at their every move all over the country? Actually, these moonbats ain’t so bad, I’ve grown to like them, they taste like chicken.
Oh, and how are those G20 protests going for ya? Violent enough? Oh yeah, it’s the right wingers that are the violent ones. lol
Good for you HPM. Now if there is a Katrina type emergency in your area you will be able to protect your family from violent gangs created exclusively by democrat policies. That is unless some left wing politician instructs the police to illegally confiscate them from you. But, that would never happen in America. We have a second amendment, right?
I’m proud of you. Now you are a citizen, not a subject. Next you should join the NRA to help protect those rights.
oops double post. Thanx. I’ll look into the GOE.
BKLYN, I can’t find anything with a google search…can you give me a little more info to find out about GOE. Thanks, Tim
Short memory: Bush broke the bank due to the two wars in IRAQ & Afghanistan. Bush Administration also set aside the 700 billion for the Wall St bail out they were not around long enough to allocate that much money
BTW: The IRAQ war may have been over by now if Rumsfeld& Co had not made such big F*** Up in the days after the Miltary war was won. There wer somany bad decisons made thatits surprisng we are where we are today. They did not have enough feet on the ground to secure the munitions stores of the defeated Iraq Army and the looted Ammo dumps are the source of the IED’s that are now killing our soldiers.
The Wall St crash happened after 8 years of a Bush Admin.
The Repubilcans suffered a crushing defeat at all levels in the last elections, so it’s pretty clear that majority of people voted for change and for better health care. Last time I checked, US was still a Democratic country and our votes counted, Mr. Obama and the Democrats won the election very convincingly.
Well now, I think with the cuts in funding to that wonderful group called ACORN and the investigations by true journalists into the groups tied to ACORN, we will see a different result in 2010….lame duck Obama with a republican house and senate…..nothing gets passed, government involvement is limited and people prosper….same as the 90’s…We will not become complacent again by putting another Bush in office though…only true patriots will be elected to serve and we will fight to return this great nation to it’s constitution. There will be exceptions of course as there are states that elect the pelosi’s, reids, frank’s, dodd’s & specter’s of the country…maybe we could get those states to seceed….never mind, they wouldn’t, they need our money…
To the moonbats that may not like this you better start working on your European destination now…I hear they will not let just anyone walk across the border, it takes time. Better pick up a copy of the rag that has produced those wacky wonderful folks of the middle east as europe is changing quickly from socialism to shariah…all because they fell for the PC Bullshit…no mo PC here…I don’t give a shit what you call me, if you’re not going to contribute…Get the hell out of the way!
Well Bush was a fiscal socialist and kept following Clintos leftwing housing policies. Same stuff Acorn was pushing for. Give loans to people who can’t pay it back otherwise your a racist. He was a republican progressive that grew the size of government (homeland security, medicare D, etc.).
You’ve gotta ask yourself. Is Obama really change or just a whole lot more of the same. People voted for change, not communism, marxism, etc.
No arguments there Pete. Bush did a good job protecting the country, but that’s about it. He was more liberal than his father and the lefties still hated him. They’re just screwed up individuals and few in number as we will see when the SHTF.
I was watching the speech from the UN by Libya’s crazy uncle Mohammar….I think he needs to use big o’s teleprompter….I had to listen to the big o too…more senseless babbling….The thing that I was most impressed with was the fine group of people assembled at the UN…these are the people running the world….while the camera panned around the room showing the different folks I realized we’re in deep s*&t….What are we talking with this group of lunatics for, shut the UN down and let them meet in Somalia…maybe they’ed clean up a piece of their own backyard…or better yet Tehran…beautiful this time of year and security will be no problem as these wonderful stewards of mankind have no enemies…
You are simply repeating what Moumar Gaddafi said about the UN. Interesting what type of people you agree with.
I heard mohammar say he wanted free medicine for all…and us to pay for it…did you miss that? It was the typical blame the US for everything BS we always hear from these mental midgets…I did have a couple of calls I had to take so I may have missed the part where he agreed with me about the UN…if so, I’d say he’s right….wonder who all these a-holes blamed before there was a US?
A bunch of underachieving dictators, commies, marxists, warlords, that are just jealous and want our stuff. We should leave the UN. It has become the League of Nations once again. It’s supposed to be a collection of democracies, not the freakin’ bar scene from Star Wars.
Just heard this guy on Cavuto (FBN). He wants to help organize us and is putting up the cash to start it.
After looking at this link I think our wonderful, super hardworking public employees need to experience a pay cut and some new retirement rules…..I’m going to get back on the site and research what he’s got going on….
http://www.thefreeenterprisenation.org/ohmy.aspx
My husband and I marched in D.C. It was awesome alright! So many good and decent people. AND WE DID NOT STOP THERE. I passed out INFO cards to everyone I could pass one to, during the march. The cards (pass-outs) contained all the sites on the net that could tell people about the big issues: “Cap & Trade”, “Health Care”, center for all congressional emails, addresses, phone numbers. Sites that show how every delegate to the House and Senate voted on any of the bills brought before congress. The Senate and House “floor calls” sites. I continue to pass out this info where ever I can ask: “Do you worry about what is happening to America?” and I get the big “YES” back. I then say; “Here is how you can help change it.” I then pass out the INFO card. I have found that RACE, Religion, party affiliation, AGE, or sex makes no difference, everyone has sincerely thanked me for the cards. So many hard working, trying to raise a family, too tired to watch the news, everyday people do not know what is really happening. These are the people who need to be given the news, wake them up. Before they are “blindsided”. Reach beyond your immediate circle of friends. When there is no longer: “Dancing With The Stars”, American Idol”, The Simsons”, and “Family Guy” to hide behind when you close that door, will it be too late???
The Lie Machine
GOP operatives are running a secret campaign to kill health care reform, and it’s based on Karl Rove’s old playbook
TIM DICKINSON
Posted Sep 23, 2009 9:01 AM
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Read Tim Dickinson’s full story in the new issue of Rolling Stone, on stands now.
On the first day of August, a mob of 200 right-wing Texans stormed the parking lot of a Randalls grocery store in southwest Austin. They were united in a single goal: Disrupt the “office hours” that Rep. Lloyd Doggett, the district’s congressman, had scheduled for his constituents. The protesters targeted Doggett for his role in crafting the House’s bill to reform health care, brandishing signs that read “No Government Health Care” and “No Government Counselor in My Home!!!” But their anger seemed to encompass a universe of conservative fears: higher taxes, illegal immigration, socialism. The threat of violence was thinly veiled: One agitator held aloft a tombstone with the name Doggett. Screaming, “Just say no!” the mob chased Doggett through the parking lot to an aide’s car — roaring with approval as he fled the scene.
Conservatives were quick to insist that the near-riot — the first of many town-hall mobs that would dominate the headlines in August — was completely spontaneous. The protesters didn’t show up “because of some organized group,” Rick Scott, the head of Conservatives for Patients’ Rights, told reporters. “They’re mad about the stimulus bill, the bailout, the economy. Now they see that their health care is about to be taken over by the government.”
In fact, Scott’s own group had played an integral role in mobilizing the protesters. According to internal documents obtained by Rolling Stone, Conservatives for Patients’ Rights had been working closely for weeks as a “coalition partner” with three other right-wing groups in a plot to unleash irate mobs at town-hall meetings just like Doggett’s. Far from representing a spontaneous upwelling of populist rage, the protests were tightly orchestrated from the top down by corporate-funded front groups as well as top lobbyists for the health care industry. Call it the return of the Karl Rove playbook: The effort to mobilize the angriest fringe of the Republican base was guided by a conservative dream team that included the same GOP henchmen who Swift-boated John Kerry in 2004, smeared John McCain in 2000, wrote the script for Republican obstructionism on global warming, and harpooned the health care reform effort led by Hillary Clinton in 1993.
“The insurance industry is up to the same dirty tricks, using the same devious PR practices it has used for many years, to kill reform,” says Wendell Potter, who stepped down last year as chief of corporate communications for health insurance giant CIGNA. “I’m certain that people showing up at these town halls feel that they’re there on their own — but they don’t realize they’re being incited, ultimately, by the insurance industry and the other special interests.”
Behind the scenes, top Republicans — including House Minority Whip Eric Cantor, Minority Leader John Boehner and the chairman of the GOP’s Senate steering committee, Jim DeMint — worked hand-in-glove with the organizers of the town brawls. Their goal was not only to block health care reform but to bankrupt President Obama’s political capital before he could move on to other key items on his agenda, including curbing climate change and expanding labor rights. As DeMint told an August teleconference of nearly 20,000 town-hall activists, “If we can stop him on this, the administration won’t be able to go on to cap and trade, card check and the other things they want to do.”
WRITING THE SCRIPT
The campaign to mobilize the town-hall mobs began with a script written by the right’s foremost fearmonger, Frank Luntz. Luntz rose to fame in 1994 as pollster for Newt Gingrich’s Contract With America, and crafted the Republican playbook on global warming. In a May memo, Luntz outlined a battle plan for conservatives to block what he branded the “Washington takeover” of health care — the most terrifying buzz words conjured up in his polls and focus groups.
The logic of the language is simple, Luntz writes: “Takeovers are like coups — they both lead to dictators and a loss of freedom.” For a third of all Americans, he adds, the top worry about health care reform is “being denied a procedure or medication because a Washington bureaucrat says no.” Luntz concludes by telling Republicans how best to play the fear card. “It is essential that ‘deny’ and ‘denial’ enter the conservative lexicon immediately,” he writes, “because it is at the core of what scares Americans most about a government takeover of health care.”
Distributed widely to Republicans on Capitol Hill, the memo framed the right-wing attack on health care reform. What Luntz describes as “the best anti-Democrat message” is by now familiar to everyone in America: “No Washington bureaucrat should stand between your family and your doctor… The Democrats want to put Washington politicians in charge of your health care.”
For the archenemies of Obamacare, however, Luntz’s anti-Washington script didn’t go nearly far enough. To amp up the panic, they decided to spin the “takeover” fear to its most extreme conclusion: Washington bureaucrats plan to institute “death panels” that would deny life-sustaining care to the elderly. That portion of the script was drafted by Betsy McCaughey, the former lieutenant governor of New York, who insists that her expertise as a constitutional historian enables her to decipher the 1,017 pages of legalese that comprise the House health care bill.
McCaughey first unveiled her “findings” on July 16th, during an appearance on the radio show of former GOP presidential candidate Fred Thompson. “I have just finished reading the House bill,” McCaughey declared. “I hope that people listening will protect their parents from what’s intended under this bill.” Citing page 425 of HR 3200 — a section that outlines the same kind of optional, end-of-life counseling that Republicans have voted for in the past — McCaughey uncorked a terrifying lie. “Congress,” she said, “would make it mandatory — absolutely require that every five years, people in Medicare have a required counseling session that will tell them how to end their life sooner.” The Obama plan, she added, is financed by “shortening your mother or father’s life.”
McCaughey has run this con before. During the debate over Clinton’s health care overhaul in the early 1990s, McCaughey — then an academic at the right-wing Manhattan Institute — wrote an article for The New Republic called “No Exit,” in which she claimed that Hillarycare would prevent even wealthy Americans from “going outside the system to purchase basic health coverage you think is better.” Even though the bill plainly stated that “nothing in this Act” would prohibit consumers from purchasing additional care, McCaughey’s claim was echoed endlessly in the press, with each repetition pounding a stake further into the heart of the reform effort.
McCaughey’s lies were later debunked in a 1995 post-mortem in The Atlantic, and The New Republic recanted the piece in 2006. But what has not been reported until now is that McCaughey’s writing was influenced by Philip Morris, the world’s largest tobacco company, as part of a secret campaign to scuttle Clinton’s health care reform. (The measure would have been funded by a huge increase in tobacco taxes.) In an internal company memo from March 1994, the tobacco giant detailed its strategy to derail Hillarycare through an alliance with conservative think tanks, front groups and media outlets. Integral to the company’s strategy, the memo observed, was an effort to “work on the development of favorable pieces” with “friendly contacts in the media.” The memo, prepared by a Philip Morris executive, mentions only one author by name:
“Worked off-the-record with Manhattan and writer Betsy McCaughey as part of the input to the three-part exposé in The New Republic on what the Clinton plan means to you. The first part detailed specifics of the plan.”
McCaughey did not respond to Rolling Stone’s request for an interview.
ASSEMBLING THE TEAM
Armed with the script prepared by McCaughey and Luntz, a tight coalition of deep-pocketed groups took the lead in mobilizing the town-hall protests. The two primary groups — Americans for Prosperity and FreedomWorks — actually grew out of the 2003 breakup of an outfit called Citizens for a Sound Economy that had been integral in the fight against Hillarycare. Indeed, the same “Tobacco Strategy” memo in which Philip Morris boasts of shaping McCaughey’s writings also reveals that the tobacco giant paid Citizens for a Sound Economy to engineer a “grassroots” revolt against health care reform by staging demonstrations in the home districts of key congressmen. “The goal,” states the memo, “is to show the Clinton plan as a government-run health care system replete with higher taxes… rationing of care and extensive bureaucracies.”
Americans for Prosperity, which has taken the lead in the current fight against reform, is a front group for oil billionaires David and Charles Koch, co-owners of the world’s largest private oil and gas conglomerate. The Kochs, who provide much of AFP’s budget, have a strange affinity for mock uprisings: Matt Schlapp, one of the original “Brooks Brothers rioters” — the GOP activists who disrupted the Bush-Gore recount in Miami-Dade County — now serves as director of federal affairs for Koch Industries, orchestrating the firm’s political efforts in Washington.
To head Americans for Prosperity, the brothers tapped Tim Phillips, one of the Republican Party’s most notorious dirty tricksters. Phillips served as a strategic consultant to George W. Bush in 2000 and reputedly took part in the smear campaign in South Carolina that portrayed John McCain’s adopted daughter as his mulatto love child. That same year, Phillips was linked to a nearly identical smear campaign in Virginia that portrayed the primary opponent of Rep. Eric Cantor — a Jew — as the “only Christian in the contest.” Under Phillips, AFP became a driving force behind the Tea Party protests against Obama’s economic stimulus plan, and the group organized the Austin mob that attacked Rep. Doggett. Boosted by the mobilizing effort, AFP now boasts 700,000 members and chapters in 24 states.
The second group behind the town-hall mobs is FreedomWorks, headed by former House Majority Leader Dick Armey. An ideological crusader against the safety net, Armey denounces Medicare as a form of “tyranny” and backed George Bush’s attempt to privatize Social Security. At a 2004 event promoting the benefits of private accounts for “regular folks,” Bush appeared onstage with a “single mom” from Iowa — who, upon closer examination, turned out to be the Iowa director of FreedomWorks.The stated goal of the group, which has received funding from the archconservative Scaife family and corporations like MetLife, is to become “a grassroots juggernaut capable of going toe-to-toe with the unions, extreme enviros and the MoveOn.org’s of the world.” Armey, however, unabashedly compares FreedomWorks to a lynch mob. “We used to use the old saying in the West, that you got outta town just one step ahead of the hangman,” he says, explaining why George Bush’s budget-busting policies didn’t inspire the same outrage among his 400,000 followers. “That’s pretty much what happened with Bush. And poor old President Obama walked into town, y’know, just at high noon.”
After FreedomWorks orchestrated the original Tea Party protests last April, it ostensibly handed over the reins of the movement to a third group, called the Tea Party Patriots. But internal correspondence from the group’s private listserv obtained by Rolling Stone makes clear that FreedomWorks is still calling the shots. In June, after activists on the list began advocating to change a Tea Party logo, a top official from FreedomWorks stepped in and shut down the discussion. “I talked to everyone here,” wrote Brendan Steinhauser, director of federal and state campaigns for FreedomWorks, “and there was consensus that we will keep the logo.”
The Tea Party Patriots listserv also disseminated the playbook used to instruct the town-hall mobs in the tactics of disruption. Titled “Rocking the Town Halls — Best Practices,” the guide was written by a Connecticut tea partier named Bob MacGuffie, who outlined how fewer than three dozen activists could effectively silence a U.S. congressman. “The goal is to rattle him,” the memo states. “Yell out and challenge the Rep’s statements… have someone else follow-up with a shout-out. Set the tone for the hall as clearly informal and free-wheeling. It will also embolden others who agree with us to call out.” In a listserv posting on June 13th, an organizer with the Tea Party chapter in New Haven brought the memo to the attention of Jenny Beth Martin, the national coordinator of Tea Party Patriots. “Hey folks!” the organizer wrote, attaching a copy of MacGuffie’s memo. “We here in CT have developed a strategy for holding our elected officials accountable. We show up en mass at the ‘town hall’ meetings they have!”
Martin immediately knew she’d struck gold. “Showing up en mass at town hall meetings is very good strategy,” she replied. “We want to make sure they feel the heat about these government-run health care bills that will be coming out of committees soon.” Within three weeks, a July 7th e-mail from Martin reveals, the group had appointed a “Nationwide Town Hall Coordinator” to oversee the protests. The goal was straight from the Luntz script: to use the town halls “to inform American Taxpayers of what the implications are if government bureaucrats take over our health care.”
The fourth group behind the town-hall protests, Conservatives for Patients’ Rights, has direct connections to the health care industry. Its founder, Rick Scott, is the former CEO of Columbia/HCA, the world’s largest hospital conglomerate. Scott was ousted from the company after it was caught overbilling taxpayers for Medicare treatment; it eventually pleaded guilty to criminal fraud and paid a record $1.7 billion in penalties. Scott now runs a chain of urgent-care clinics that serve uninsured Americans fearful of being bankrupted by hospital emergency-room visits. “He is one of those people who’s gotten very, very, very rich off of sick people,” says Potter, the former CIGNA executive. “He doesn’t want that cash cow to go away — so that’s why you’re seeing all his money there.”
Indeed, Scott has bankrolled Conservatives for Patients’ Rights with more than $5 million of his own fortune. “We have invested a lot of time, energy and resources into educating Americans over the past several months about the dangers of government-run health care,” he boasted in August. “And I think we’re seeing some of the fruits of that campaign.” To block reform, Scott has also hired CRC Public Relations, the firm that orchestrated the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth campaign against John Kerry in 2004. CRC enjoys high-ranking connections to the right-wing establishment, with a client list including the RNC, the National Republican Senatorial and Congressional Committees, the Federalist Society, the Parents Television Council and the Christian Coalition.
Lefty pussy..LOL
Why make it a secret? That’s what I hate about the GOP and why I left them. Yes they are trying to kill Obamas health care bill because he is a commie puke. Big secret.
As far as writing the script, the CBO was good enough. I didn’t find the Freedom Works website until a day before I had left for DC. And I had planned on going for weeks. I never got any pamphlets before I went to confront my congress woman at our town hall.
The lie machine? Can you name one lie? If there weren’t death panels (sure it was a slight exaggeration), then why did they remove that part after it was exposed. There was no enforcement provisions in the bill to stop illegals from getting it, so after Wilson said “you lie” they added it. Kind of an admission of guilt if you ask me.
I’m sorry your big hope turned out to be a red diaper baby. Better luck nextime. ‘Till 2010 and 2012 you can expect us to fight this tool tooth and nail.
“Grassroots is the lie. It doesn’t count as grassroots if Corporate Lobbyists, Fox News, and The Rebublican Party organize your protest and tell you how to respond. That’s why no one pays attention to you.
You represent the very people who put this country into this recession!
Here’s a Fox News producer directing your actions at the rally!
From Gawker:
“Fox News has been accused of riling up winguts for the wacky, psychotic 9/12 protests. And while Glenn Beck and company deny such antics, there’s now proof. We’re nearly speechless..
http://gawker.com/5363771/relatively-inexperienced-fox-news-producer-in-912-video-scandal
The above video shows a Fox News producer egging on the crowd, a crowd the improbably named newsman Griff Jenkins described on air as “absolutely grassroots.” It was, he declared, an “uprising.” It sure is. Indeed.
Fox executives, of course, have an excuse for the apparent breach of ethical, balanced conduct: the girl’s simply young and “inexperienced.”
The employee is a young, relatively inexperienced associate producer who realizes she made a mistake and has been disciplined.
Hmmm. This looks pretty experienced to us, but perhaps it’s just youthful exuberance — something of which we know nothing.”
Pussy lefty..LOL….a small handful of us could have whooped ass in Pittsburgh on those pussy lefties…narrow minded pussy lefties…it’s comin’ fast!
Ohhh a big tough guy on the internet eh? What is your address and phone number?
I’m going to change my affiliation from GOP to Independent too. I hope a lot of the freedom loving Dems that realize what a mistake they made do the same. A lot of good people were guilted into voting for o because he’s black…well, my ancestors died in the civil war freeing slaves so I don’t owe anybody shit…In fact I think I’m owed something…Where’s my 40 acres and a mule? Even though I had absolutely nothing to do with slavery or stopping slavery I should be eligible for some kind of handout…right?
My ancestors came from Europe and I’m damn glad they did….If my ancestors came from any of those shithole countries in Africa I’d thank God every day for being here…Oh well, that’s just me…narrow minded lefty pussies..your days are few…
This.
The GOP has left us all behind for their big business pursuits at everyones expense. Of course the Dems are worse but I am not a fan of the lesser of two evils.
We should start a Christian Constitutional party or something.
Mike Huckabee and Sarah Palin would easily lead us to victory.
Check out my coverage of the event at:
http://voltronsplace.blogspot.com/2009/09/march-on-washington-dc-september-12.html
Great coverage of that wonderful event, FF. I enjoyed reading of your experience. We had a great time too. I’ll never forget it.
Greetings, all —
I officially launched a new website today that was spurred by my attendance at the 9/12 DC Tea Party.
I covered the Tea Party as a freelance photographer. Being there was such a moving experience for me. I had hoped to get the photos online before now, but it took me a little while to edit the almost 3,000 photos, whittle them down to 300+ finely tuned images, and then set up the website.
Please check out the new website and photo gallery at 912Photos.com
I was proud and honored to be one of many Americans who converged on DC on 9/12/09.
Stay “Fired Up!”
none of you have the slightest clue. get some education, then talk, otherwise shut your pie holes
My 22 year old son and I drove from mid-Michigan to be in DC for the 12th.
With a side trip to shanksville PA on 9/11 for the Flight 93 memorial.
As we came out of the subway and saw the massive sea of humanity marching down PA ave. we knew we were witnessing a historic event.
You can tell just how much it scares the left wing, by how hard they try to dimnish the size of the crowd.
I’ve been to Large gatherings before, this was much larger than 100,000.
I Blogged about the march Here.
A slideshow of pics I took from the march are here.
I tended to take more crowd shots, I was trying to chronicle the size of the crowd, because I knew we’d have Useful Idiots calling us liars. I don’t know why I would have cosidered such a thing….
p
We spent much of the time on the north side of the capitol lawn, but I did get some good shots of the march down PA ave from federal triangle east.
Unlike Michelle Obama, I’ve always been proud of my country, but I was never as proud of my CountryMen(and women of course) as I was on 9/12.
The silent majority has found it’s voice, and it scares the lefties Silly.
Blinded by the white. Wrapped up like like a douche into the FreedomWorks night.
Nice try dingbat,
Guess what?
I’m not white.
You libs are so Boned.
p
I saw your photos and you are definitely white. You may claim to have 1/18th Cherokee blood and once shook the hand of a Mexican but your redneckery is clearly prevalent.
You and your kid needs to diet btw. Fat asses like you are the biggest burden on our medical system.
Also, your photos showed nothing but open space and never made the case for anything past 7,000 people, if that.
Oh snap, we got one that can count…LMFAO@U
K… now I really have to go…See ya’
Keep running away Evette
It’s duece…K…”Wrapped up like a duece another runner in the night”…I just don’t want you to embarass yourself any further…you welcome….Dumbass..LOL
That’s right. You are a duece. As in a number 2.
Well said.
I am white and blackilicious is a Dumbass…LMFAO@U B
You are like that white dog poop I find on my lawn.
See you later Evette.
You described the experience well. Like you, I found everyone warm, inviting and anxious to speak with others. We all knew what is happening now in our government just didn’t feel “right.” (No pun intended.) THAT’S why we were there. We flew in from Nevada.
We all know you guys think from the gut. It’s the only nerve signals that work in your bodies.
Your brains have shut down due to lack of exercise
Maybe if you had put actual though into it rather than just feelings, you could have done something that was actually worthwhile rather than wasting your time at your clan rally.
So this is what you’re doing since they shut down APORN…nice gig…dumbass
I bust up can rallies, yes. It’s like being a Marine but honorable.
What’s a can rally…I want to go to one so I can meet you Dumbass…LOL
It’s a myth that whites are afraid of blacks…LMFAO@U…Dumbass
I mean clan. At first I thought maybe the sheet covering your head was blocking your view but yes I made a typo.
well liberal whites aren’t afraid of blacks anyway.
you conservatives act like you are going to catch a disease around us though.
Not me Dumbass…I have a few black friends and quite a few associates, but they think like I do…conservative and they can’t figure out what the hell is the matter with liberal blacks…you’re just being used and you do not know it…c’mon..where’s those street smarts.
White libs just kiss your ass…Dumbass…
U.S. most admired country globally: survey
Mon Oct 5, 2009 2:40pm EDT
By Patricia Reaney
NEW YORK (Reuters Life!) – The United States is the most admired country globally thanks largely to the star power of President Barack Obama and his administration, according to a new poll.
It climbed from seventh place last year, ahead of France, Germany, the United Kingdom and Japan which completed the top five nations in the Nation Brand Index (NBI).
“What’s really remarkable is that in all my years studying national reputation, I have never seen any country experience such a dramatic change in its standing as we see for the United States for 2009,” said Simon Anholt, the founder of NBI, which measured the global image of 50 countries each year.
He believes that during the previous administration of George W. Bush the United States suffered in the world ranking with its unpopular foreign policies but since Obama was elected, and despite the recent economic turmoil, the country’s status has risen globally.
“There is no other explanation,” Anholt said in an interview, referring to the impact of Obama.
The global survey, conducted by GFK Roper Public Affairs & Media, involved 20,000 people in 20 rich and developing countries around the globe. They were asked to rate 50 nations in categories such as culture, governance, people, exports, tourism, landscape and education.
Canada took the biggest hit in the latest survey, falling to seventh from fourth place, while China climbed several spots to 22nd, which Anholt believes in due in part to the successful staging of the Olympics.
China has always scored low on human rights and environmental policies but high on cultural heritage.
“It is the first time China’s profile has risen,” said Anholt, who has been doing the annual poll since 2005.
“Since the Olympics its score for tourism and its people has risen and that has helped to stem its decline,” Anholt explained.
Italy maintained the sixth spot in the survey for the second year, while Switzerland came in eight, followed by Australia in 9th place and Spain and Sweden, which tied for 10th place.
At the opposite end of the survey Colombia and Kenya tied for 47th place. Angola was number 49 and Iran came in last at number 50.
New York Times
October 10, 2009
Barack Obama Wins Nobel Peace Prize
By WALTER GIBBS and ALAN COWELL
OSLO — In a stunning surprise, the Nobel Committee announced Friday that it had awarded its annual peace prize to President Obama “for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples.”
“He has created a new international climate,” the committee said in its announcement.
Beck calls his audience “zombies,” O’Reilly dismisses Beck’s flu vaccine conspiracies: “That’s nuts”
October 09, 2009 5:44 pm ET
From the October 8 edition of Fox News’ The O’Reilly Factor:
http://mediamatters.org/mmtv/200910090052?lid=1069566&rid=35870712
I have posted the pictures and video I took here:
http://weareboilingfrogs.com/about/pics/
What a great day.
Gal…..hello?
Beater?…are you there?
Jethro?
Shiner?
Post American?
We TROUNCED YOU and your Post American bleeding heart progressive entitlementistic gimme gimme ideas up here in Mass. with a resounding Brown Victory.
Prying the seat from your machine.
Where’d you all go? Hiding under the apron strings of momma? BO has forsaken you.
We told you we are here to stay and now we are coming for you and your leaders…………….
Aporn, whatta joke!