Tight Constraints on Pentagon's Freedom Walk

[northzax]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/08/AR2005090802140.html

Tight Constraints on Pentagon's Freedom Walk
Event Remembering 9/11, Troops to Be Kept 'Sterile,' Limited to Preregistered

By Petula Dvorak
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, September 9, 2005; Page A01

Organizers of the Pentagon's 9/11 memorial Freedom Walk on Sunday are taking extraordinary measures to control participation in the march and concert, with the route fenced off and lined with police and the event closed to anyone who does not register online by 4:30 p.m. today.

The march, sponsored by the Department of Defense, will wend its way from the Pentagon to the Mall along a route that has not been specified but will be lined with four-foot-high snow fencing to keep it closed and "sterile," said Allison Barber, deputy assistant secretary of defense. (/snip)

now, when was the last time an anti-war protest had pre-registration, limited access and credentials? especially an outdoor concert on the Mall? backfire, this will backfire...

[Itchinjim]

1. Are they still planning to march?!!!!

After NO?! What a bunch of friggin' dopes!

[KoKo]

2. I read here Bush is going to the Gulf Coast on Sunday. Will he lead a

prayer breakfast then come back to DC to preside over the 9/11 Freedom Walk festivites.

Is this what Rove and Huges and the mighty REPUG PR MACHINE have cooked up to celebrate 9/11 and Katrina? A huge TWO FER...big bang day to remind folks who's in Charge and is keeping them safe? :eyes:

I think it could backfire, too.

[northzax]

3. my email to WJLA, ABC-7 on the matter

Sirs,

I am very dissapointed in WJLA's decision to continue sponsorship and providing advertising for the "America Supports You Freedom Walk" this Sunday. According to the lead story on your website this morning, anyone not 'pre-registered' cannot participate, or even attend the concert, given with taxpayer dollars on federal land. In seven years of living in DC, I have never come across an event on the Mall that is not open to the public, and to have a local news operation 'sponsoring' and advertising this event is disturbing, to say the least.
You have a fine news operation, and fine programming, but knowing that you use this department to support the closing of streets and parks, paid for with my tax dollars for an unprecendented private partisan event, leads me to the following decision: if you continue to sponsor this event, I have no choice but to delete WJLA from my channel line-up. I will probably miss, for a while, waking up to GMA, I can always get Alias and Lost on DVD, I suppose, my fantasy footbal team will suffer from missing MNF, and my nightly nightline fix, but I can no longer financially support a news organization with such poor judgement.

I will watch, on Sunday, to see your reporting, I hope you cover the fact that the streets of DC were closed to DC residents, that the Mall was sealed off and the remaining media banned. Otherwise, goodbye.

Sincerely,

northzax

[LynneSin]

5. I'm boycotting my ABC channel for Accuweather

Ricky-boy is now blaming katrina damage on the National weather service but anyone with 2 brain cells knows the real reason is because Santorum get's donations from Accuweather

[LynneSin]

4. Freedom: Chain linked parade roots and background checks to join

:crazy:

I remember seeing John Edwards do a campaign speech last year which was the first time since Clinton back in 92 that I had seen one of the top guys in the presidental race do a campaign speech.

I fully expected to have my bags checked and that there would be a long line to get into the event.

I was amazed that outside the yellow taped off area that was to designate where to go to for the speech - nothing else was done to check who was going in to hear Edwards speak.

That is what America is supose to be about. I would never attend a protest in DC if I had to pre-register and be chainlinked in as I march.

THis isn't a parade for the people - it's for the media. I'm sure it'll also be on C-span to show the few hundred people willing to go through tight security just to march on the dead!

[sinkingfeeling]

6. Wonder how many fed employees are mandated to show up for

this 'freedom' walk.