Inspired by a fellow DUer’s
thread about this event, I stopped by to partake of the festivities. I arrived at about 11:45 since I wanted to hear Rep. Dennis Moore speak, scheduled for the noon hour. There was an impressive-sized crowd with all the pageantry one would expect of a Fourth of July celebration on Main Street, USA: color guard, fire fighters and police officers (in ceremonial mode), military officials, bands, politicians, vintage aircraft flying overhead, speakers and speeches, and hundreds of American flags stuck in the ground around the Merriam marketplace. Many people had brought their picnic-like lunches there to eat while the celebration commenced.
Standing near me was one lone protester. He was wearing a t-shirt that he designed with magic markers. The front of this shirt read, “Impeach Bush/Cheney: the crimes continue” (there was a message on the back of his shirt but I can’t remember what it said). He also carried a sign that read on one side, “Such courage from our troops; such cowardice from our Congress,” and on the other side, “End the Iraq Occupation NOW." There were many attendees who passed by and read his messages, but no one spoke to him until a 20s-something fellow came over to him and said, “Why don’t you just go home!” I also heard the word “socialist” muttered (why is it when you don’t agree with a freeper-type, you’re automatically a “socialist”?). As I was trying to figure out how anyone could derive “socialist” from the messages, a short “discussion” ensued between the demonstrator and the freeper but was quickly broken up by a member of staff that oversaw the festival. I thought, “Oh, no; here we go: They’re going to ask the demonstrator to leave." But I was pleasantly surprised when they asked the freeper to back off. Then they asked the demonstrator if he was all right. One member of the staff stood with him for several minutes after the freeper returned to his picnic table. Then I heard the staff member ask the demonstrator if he wanted someone to go to his car with him—the protester was getting ready to leave as he only stayed long enough for Rep. Moore to speak during which time he held up his sign for him to see. The protester thanked him for his offer but declined. He left and I watched as he got into his car and pulled out of the parking lot without incident. Then I left.
I was really impressed the staff who oversaw this event. Their courtesy and desire to help this one lone voice of dissent was impressive and welcomed in this day and age of screeching freepers and “first-amendment zones.” I got the impression the tide has indeed turned on Bush and his war, and that many of the people yesterday who read the signs of the demonstrator might actually support his message.
But the main idea I got from this trip (that we on DU had known all along) is that one can support the troops and criticize the Bush Administration at a patriotic event. This person proved it.
Oh, and yes…Rep. Moore brought his guitar and sang “This Land is Your Land”
Hey, Congressman…here’s a new verse for you:
To hell with George Bush,
And his goddamn family.
I’ve had enough of
Their oil-igarchy.
This land is our land,
Not for the Bush Clan.
This land was made for you and me!
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