Supporting Our Troops In Oklahoma City
Sunday, 8. June 2008, 23:40:13
Report on Saturday's OKC Peace Rally (with "Eagles" counter-demo)
At 10:50 am, when Nathaniel Batchelder and Tom Gallagher arrived, there was one "Eagle" in place with a couple flags and a sign saying, "We support the troops." Batch introduced himself, but she - a no-nonsense and physically powerful woman - wasn't interested in much conversation. Batch said to her, "We support the troops too," and she replied, "But we support the mission." Batch let it go at that.
John Walters arrived with all our signs and flags and "the regulars" began setting up our stuff. By 11:15, there were about a dozen of us and no other Eagles had arrived. Her "Eagles" flags and sign began to look more and more like just part of our rally, which was fine, but I'm sure I wasn't the only one feeling some sympathy for her (and some relief).
Several came specially to offer a nonviolent presence had there been a difficult confrontation with "Eagles: - Tom Gallagher, Margaret Cox, Ellen Watson and Gail Sloop are all skilled in non-confrontational peace-making, and it was clear that "the peace forces" were ready, had there been "a situation."
When Warren Henthorn (Gold Star Dad whose flag proclams, "Let them not be forgotten," she thought she had an "Eagle" ally. "No," clarified Warren, I definitely want peace and the troops home." When Michael Trapp arrived with his large America flag, she thought he must be an "Eagle" too. "No," said Michael, "I'm with the peace movement."
By the time our large signs were stretched from Meridian Ave east for some 75 yards, her "Eagles" flags and sign really looked like "part of us." There was lots of supportive honking, and - I believe - only one or two apparent negative reactions to the call for peace. The tide has turned on the war.
Be sure to watch the 5-minute video by BraVe New Films, documenting US Senator Jim Inhofe's votes AGAINST things the Troops need: body armor, vehicle armor, medical services and psychological services and post-service care. It is shocking that Oklahoma's US Senator (up for election) poses as pro-troops and pro-war policy, but has a terrible rating by veterans' groups who know that Jim Inhofe has voted AGAINST services they needed. http://bravenewfilms.org/blog/41105-oklahoma-vets-and-jim-inhofe We shall persistently do what we can for peace, human rights, economic justice, environmental sustainability.
Nathaniel Batchelder, the Peace House Oklahoma City www.peacehouseok.org
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From: Engineer from 9/11 Truth has this to add
It was really pretty funny. There was only one hater there, who at first we thought was a man but turns out it was a chick. She planted 4 big flags, which were 2 US flags and 2 Gathering of Pigeons flags. Actually the flags say Gathering of Eagles. She stood by the side of the road, amid her flags, holding a sign that said simply, "Support our Troops". It really looked like she was with us, and we didn't tell her. She got flipped of and screamed at by her own kind, it was awesome. One guy on a motorcycle almost jumped off of it to come at me. He flipped me off and looked right at me and said, "Fuck You!" So I nodded and smiled at him. That made him madder. He started screaming, "I'll bomb Iran!" and the pigeon lady tried to hold her sign up so that he would recognize her as a fellow war lover. He should have known she was on his side because of course she was, her sign said "support our troops."
The pigeon lady kept turning around and taking our pictures. It was creepy. I'm sure I'm totally dogged out on some webpage somewhere right now.
**************************************
I was invited as I am every Saturday. But I work nights and Saturday mornings belong to my wife, however had I known the war hawks would have been there I would have been for sure. When I awoke in the afternoon and read Batches email, I'm like oh man, I missed it.
At 10:50 am, when Nathaniel Batchelder and Tom Gallagher arrived, there was one "Eagle" in place with a couple flags and a sign saying, "We support the troops." Batch introduced himself, but she - a no-nonsense and physically powerful woman - wasn't interested in much conversation. Batch said to her, "We support the troops too," and she replied, "But we support the mission." Batch let it go at that.
John Walters arrived with all our signs and flags and "the regulars" began setting up our stuff. By 11:15, there were about a dozen of us and no other Eagles had arrived. Her "Eagles" flags and sign began to look more and more like just part of our rally, which was fine, but I'm sure I wasn't the only one feeling some sympathy for her (and some relief).
Several came specially to offer a nonviolent presence had there been a difficult confrontation with "Eagles: - Tom Gallagher, Margaret Cox, Ellen Watson and Gail Sloop are all skilled in non-confrontational peace-making, and it was clear that "the peace forces" were ready, had there been "a situation."
When Warren Henthorn (Gold Star Dad whose flag proclams, "Let them not be forgotten," she thought she had an "Eagle" ally. "No," clarified Warren, I definitely want peace and the troops home." When Michael Trapp arrived with his large America flag, she thought he must be an "Eagle" too. "No," said Michael, "I'm with the peace movement."
By the time our large signs were stretched from Meridian Ave east for some 75 yards, her "Eagles" flags and sign really looked like "part of us." There was lots of supportive honking, and - I believe - only one or two apparent negative reactions to the call for peace. The tide has turned on the war.
Be sure to watch the 5-minute video by BraVe New Films, documenting US Senator Jim Inhofe's votes AGAINST things the Troops need: body armor, vehicle armor, medical services and psychological services and post-service care. It is shocking that Oklahoma's US Senator (up for election) poses as pro-troops and pro-war policy, but has a terrible rating by veterans' groups who know that Jim Inhofe has voted AGAINST services they needed. http://bravenewfilms.org/blog/41105-oklahoma-vets-and-jim-inhofe We shall persistently do what we can for peace, human rights, economic justice, environmental sustainability.
Nathaniel Batchelder, the Peace House Oklahoma City www.peacehouseok.org
***************************************
From: Engineer from 9/11 Truth has this to add
It was really pretty funny. There was only one hater there, who at first we thought was a man but turns out it was a chick. She planted 4 big flags, which were 2 US flags and 2 Gathering of Pigeons flags. Actually the flags say Gathering of Eagles. She stood by the side of the road, amid her flags, holding a sign that said simply, "Support our Troops". It really looked like she was with us, and we didn't tell her. She got flipped of and screamed at by her own kind, it was awesome. One guy on a motorcycle almost jumped off of it to come at me. He flipped me off and looked right at me and said, "Fuck You!" So I nodded and smiled at him. That made him madder. He started screaming, "I'll bomb Iran!" and the pigeon lady tried to hold her sign up so that he would recognize her as a fellow war lover. He should have known she was on his side because of course she was, her sign said "support our troops."
The pigeon lady kept turning around and taking our pictures. It was creepy. I'm sure I'm totally dogged out on some webpage somewhere right now.
**************************************
I was invited as I am every Saturday. But I work nights and Saturday mornings belong to my wife, however had I known the war hawks would have been there I would have been for sure. When I awoke in the afternoon and read Batches email, I'm like oh man, I missed it.
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