This ain't Hell, but you can see it from here

Category: Gathering of Eagles

  • Sheehan begs facists to protect her from Nazis

    COBDanny at Crotchety Old Bastard sent me this story of Mutha Sheehan’s latest attempt at throwing the spotlight on herself;

    At the School of the Assassins in Columbus, GA and in Charlotte, NC, we ran into similar problems: police presence that seemed to be there to foster violence. At both places the neo-Nazi, pro-war fascist group “Gathering of Eagles” came out to mostly try to intimidate us from our mission. At Ft. Benning, after we complained, the police kept them separate from us, but in Charlotte, the police refused saying that the Eagles had their rights to “freedom of speech.” But the Eagles’ freedom of speech has included physical threats against me and actual physical force against kids and women. When the Charlotte police were told this, they said that they couldn’t keep them apart from our group until the Eagles actually did something. So I chose to stay away from the rally rather than going and perhaps cause them to hurt someone else because of my presence. Freedom of speech is one thing, but I don’t believe the First Amendment protects violent speech, especially if it is one of the neocons or their media supporters calling for increased violence in the Middle East.

    I guess we should forgive her for emboldening the Islamofacists who continue to kill our troops – all for the sake of her free speech. And I’m sure calling the Gathering of Eagles Nazis and neocons will certainly make them much less violent, you pustule on the backside of humanity. Oh, did you know your heartthrob, Hugo Chavez, was a graduate of the School of the Americas – dumbass.

    The Gathering of Eagles’ blog tells a different story in Charlotte;

    Sheehan, one of the best-known opponents of the war in Iraq, stayed in her car during the antiwar rally at Bryant Park that drew about 125 people.

    Instead of addressing the crowd — some of her supporters said there was concern about her safety — Sheehan moved to Talley’s Green Grocery in Dilworth.

    In a police memo dated July 19, Capt. Doug Gallant, who reviewed and evaluated the event in Bryant Park, said he was “quite frankly, surprised there have been complaints….”

    The police memo says the 14 officers on hand noticed no displays that violated North Carolina law. One protester began using profanity, the memo says, and an officer asked the person to stop cursing.

    The memo also says that police didn’t have to bring in physical barriers, like bike racks, to keep the groups away from each other. At one point, Sheehan’s security advisor said she had concerns about the Gathering of Eagles, and officers asked the group to move back, creating a buffer of at least 25 feet.

    Imagine that, Sheehan was scared of people who disagree with her. The truth can be frightening, can’t it? It must’ve broken her shriveled little heart to ask the facist police to protect her from the Nazis. It’s been my experience that the Gathering of Eagles guys are law abiding citizens who wouldn’t harm a fly – unless manhandled by the wrong people – true Americans in every sense of the word.

    SWAC Girl has photos and independent reporting on the Charlotte event as does Daily Progress, and the Journal of Civilized Man.

  • Gathering of Eagles/Rolling Thunder rally for the troops (Updated)

    Every Memorial Day weekend on Sunday, Rolling Thunder, an organization of mostly Viet Nam veterans, comes to DC for their motorcycle ride from the Pentagon to the Vietnam Memorial. It’s an hours-long parade of thousands of participants from across the country to insure that America doesn’t forget the men and women who died for this country in that unpopular war.

    This year it’s a little different – today they partnered with the newly-formed Gathering of Eagles, which has it’s roots in the internet. When Vietnam veterans felt that the Wall was threatened by anti-protesters back in March of this year, they hastily assembled an internet gathering point and made plans to protect that monument from being defaced. On March 17th, they gathered around the three Vietnam memorials and the Korean War Memorial and lined the protest to the Pentagon. Crowd estimates were about 20,000 pro-troops participants to about 4,000 anti-war protesters.

    I reported on that event and brought you pictures and videos, so I felt it my duty to you and the rest of the nation to bring the same to ya’all this time, too. It doesn’t look like the traditional media is going to cover the event – I didn’t see any journalists there for the three-and-a-half hours I roamed the area. No trucks, no shoulder-carried cameras. Nothing on C-SPAN’s schedule. I remember when they used to cover Rolling Thunder’s event, Brian Lamb himself interviewing participants, but none of that anymore.

    Traditionally, Rolling Thunder gathers to remember the Vietnam veterans, but this year, the day before their customary ride, they partnered with Gathering of Eagles to show their support for the next generation of warriors. There probably weren’t 20,000 this time, but the were a few thousand there, as you can see from the following pictures.

    Parking was no problem, apparently;

    The biggest crowds were at the Vietnam Memorial;

    Patriotism was the theme of the day;

    Here’s a tribute for all of you patriotic motorheads;

    That’s a little too much powerplant for my taste, though.

    Click the “View Show” buttons below for two slide shows of other pics.

    Maybe the crowds weren’t the size of the crowds back in March, but I think veterans have made their point – once again. And apparently, the media doesn’t care. I’ve even been watching Fox News Channel for even a mention of the event – and there’s nothing. Anywhere. If there were this many anti-war protesters, or half as many anti-war protesters, the news trucks and journalists would be swarming all over it.

    Shame on the media for neglecting to give America the whole story.

    UPDATE: Jim Holt at Gateway Pundit reports on the anti-US protest at the West Point graduation and Gathering of Eagles’ counter protest entitled “Battle of Bullhorns; Eagles and Moonbats clash” and Rob at Say Anything reports on the court order that kept ANSWER outside of West Point at “Court: West Point Can Deny Access to Smelly Hippies“. Silent_man wrote a detailed After Action Report of the West Point event on the GOE blog. Urban Infidel has more great pictures of the West Point event.

    Skye has more pictures of the DC event at MidnightBlue. Big Dog reported “Great Day in DC; Not a Moonbat in Sight“.

  • Rolling Thunder/Gathering of Eagles Rally II

    I know I’ve mentioned this before, here and all over the internet, but next Saturday, May 26th from 1100 – 1500 (that’s 11am to 3pm for ya’all civvies) at the Lincoln Memorial, Rolling Thunder and the Gathering of Eagles are jointly conducting a rally in support of our troops. I’ll be there and try to get some picures for ya’all.

    But this weekend, the GOE organization in New York City countered some moonbat Guantanamo theater in Times Square. I guess they had the lunatics frightened.

    Urban Infidel captured the moonbattery with her camera.

    Spree at Wake Up America declares “War Protesters Not Welcome“.

    Conservative Thoughts demonstrated their support for Navy, Marine and Army recruiters in my old stomping grounds in Canadaigua, NY as members of the Gathering of Eagles’ Operation Recruiters Appreciation.

  • Code Pink; US troops “terrorists”/new GOE Rally

    Redhunter has all of the Freeper links to the dust up that happened outside of the Walter Reed gate this last Friday when Code Pinks aging hippies decided to interupt a Canadian TV crew interviewing the DC Freepers supporting our wounded troops. But to summarize, some old bag said our troops were the terrorists in Iraq. After getting some nasty, bleeped responses from the Freepers and consulting with another old bag, she corrcted herself to mean our troops were “terrorizing” – as if that made the comment better.

    Odd what the Left thinks “supporting the troops” means.

    Now, I’ve been to the Walter Reed main gate on Friday nights, and when I confronted the Code Pinks hags, I was escorted away from the scene by Metro police last Spring when Code Pink first started their protests. 

    Yeah, that was the crowd, and that was the cop protecting them.

    Here’s the rest the contingent;

    The little old bag in the front begged me to take her picture and when I told her she was too fugly, she sicced the cop on me – demanding that I apologize or she’d file assault charges. I didn’t apologize, but I moved along as the officer demanded.

    Doesn’t look like the Freepers enjoy the same protection from Code Pink, though, looking at the video they’ve linked up. I didn’t see any cops on the Freepers’ corner in the video.

    It looks like the Code Pinkers have abandoned their post on Friday nights – the Freepers appear to occupy every corner at that intersection of Georgia Avenue. Despite the fact that they had a major protest planned in DC yesterday, according to Ankle Biting Pundits’ Patrick Hynes. Seems that they would have had a bigger crowd for Friday.

    Sweetness and Light has a characteristically long post on the worldwide “Impeach!” movement and points out that the Washington post didn’t even have a picture of the protesters.

    See the mighty Code Pink website report of the nationwide Impeach Bush protest – they have even linked to YouTube with a stunning video of 164 yellow plastic cups stuck in a fence to spell “Impeach!” some-damn-where in California. Those folks are so fearless. What a bunch of ‘tardbats.

    According to ANSWER’s website, another protest is scheduled for May 23rd – a Wednesday. I suppose they figure that if they have protests during the work week, fewer counterprotesters will attend – cuz we have jobs. Code Pinks plans another Mother’s Day protest in Lafayette Park across from the White House. I think I’ll skip that this year – I got escorted by Park Police out of that one, too.

    I guess the Leftists are getting all of their protests out of the way before the Memorial Day Rolling Thunder event happens and all of those patriots from the Gathering of Eagles will be back in town.

    Speaking of Gathering of Eagles, May 26th from 11:00 -3:00 will be the GOE and Rolling Thunder coordinated “Support Our Troops” rally at the Reflecting Pool east of the Lincoln Memorial for the largest troop support rally ever held in the nation. Clear your schedule.

    Completely unrelated but while I have your attention, Mike at Flopping Aces channeled Doctor Suess yesterday, and wrote this hillarious piece about Harry Reid. Kept me giggling all night.

  • Mr Smash and the Moonbats

    If you haven’t read it yet, go see Smash‘s series “Marching with moonbats”.

    This pesky job is getting in the way again today, so I don’t know how much I’ll be able to write until this evening. So visit the Blogroll listees.

    Don’t forget to sign up for the MilBlog Conference – notice I’m on the list.

  • Gathering of Eagles wrap up

    Wow! What a weekend. I’d like to thank the people who visited more than 43,000 times since 3pm Saturday and special thanks to Charles Johnson at Little Green Footballs, Curt at Flopping Aces, Michele Malkin, Crotchety Old Bastard and all of the rest of the bloggers who linked me up to their front pages. I’m honored.  

    Mostly, I was truly humbled by the reaction and the traffic. The emails were just wonderful, even if I didn’t answer them all. Thanks so much. But honestly, it was just a continuation of the high I felt from being surrounded by my brothers and having several exhilerating discussions with them on Saturday morning. It was probably one of the best weekends I’ve ever had. Thanks to all.

    I suppose I should mention that I was linked up to less savory websites, too. I deleted the trackbacks, pingbacks and brokebacks because (mostly to my glee) they had some nasty things to say about me and us in general. The worst, though, were over at (surprise, surprise) the Huffington Post. And that’s mainly what this blog entry is about – clearing up some of the misperceptions of this blog and some of the reports I read from the MSM.

    First to the throngs of Leftists who are mad because I didn’t approve your comments, ya’all pretty much said the same things – it was as if you were working off talking points or something (that would never happen, though, would it). So I put up one negative comment that pretty much said everything the rest of you said.

    The same thing was evident in the HuffPo comments. Everyone was just yapping about “why aren’t the veterans over in Iraq if they support the war so much” – mostly the reason we veterans aren’t in Iraq fighting the al Qaida is that we’re too old and the military won’t take us back. Most of us probably would go – but, one thing we all realized looking at our generation all around us at the march – we’re all pretty old. One veteran told me, “Geez, we’re older than the WWII guys were when we came back from Vietnam.”

    But, betcherass, alot of us have our kids over there. So quit wearing out that stupid, ignorant cliche and find something else to bleat incessantly.

    And, yes, the video I took of the protesters’ area could be deceiving – if you didn’t bother to read that I had written that I got there at 8:30 am – 3 1/2 hours before the march started – while the hippies were still enjoying room service in the $600/night hotel room that their parents had paid for. The videos compared the participation early on. I know reading comprehension is problem for the Left who like uber-life-sized puppets and pretty yellow signs with Hitler-Bush pictures, so I’ll give ya’all a pass on that one. It was my fault so next time I’ll put up crayon drawings.

    And, yes, I am worse than Fox News (or Faux News which ya’all think is so clever apparently) – they’re the number one cable news network. We’re all worse than Fox News – that’s why they’re #1.

    But Fox News was just as bad as the other networks in their coverage of this event. All of the news trucks were parked on Constitution Ave – the little “S” part that divided the veterans from the Leftists. They were directly behind me as I filmed the protester’s part of the area. There were no TV news people interviewing the veterans early in the morning. They had thousands of people they could have been interviewing before the parade of clowns and they didn’t take advantage of that opportunity. Now, I know the Left is more spectacular and more flambouyant, but c’mon guys – you missed half of the story this weekend.

    As far as numbers go, I’d say the estimates of 30k veterans is probably right – but I’m no math whiz. If you look at the map of the event I posted from the Gathering of Eagles on Thursday night below, veterans occupied the area from the shaded area right (east) of the Vietnam Memorial all the way west to the Lincoln Memorial – every square inch, with exception of the part that the Park Police had fenced off around the Wall. 

    The Left was pretty much confined to the area west of the “S” portion of Constitution. Granted there were probably more that straggled up at the last minute, but that area was never full the whole time I was there.

    I read some report from AP  (can’t find the original story now, AP’s changed their links so often since Saturday) that claimed some poor hippie girl had her sign torn up and she was crying to reporters that some big biker dudes had accosted her; I doubt that it happened. For one thing, I can’t find the story on the web except where it’s been quoted by bloggers and as we’ve learned from dealing with AP, stories that turn out to be untrue, mysteriously disappear.

    The veterans stayed south and east of Constitution. The only Leftists that ventured over to our side were trying to provoke veterans. They paraded through our ranks waving their signs and shouting at the top of their lungs – even calling us “baby killers”. I guess some platitudes never get old. And most of them were tiny hippie girls. I never saw any of them get physically abused or their signs taken away – although I can’t vouch for any comments that might have been sent their way. All-in-all, veterans remained fairly civil. I guess, generally, they just wanted to protect the Wall, like they said – and they respect free speech. A concept lost on the Left.

    But I will admit, I saw one 60s-era hippie (who’d probably been at the Lincoln Memorial since 60s in a pot-induced state) get his sign mishandled on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. The sign was something clever like “End the Bush-it” or a reasonable facimile. A burley biker-type grabbed the pole the hippie had holding up his sign. Immediately, three other burley biker-types forced the first to release the guy’s sign and the old hippie went merrily on his way – uninjured and feeling safe deep in veteran territory – waving what he thought was a clever slogan. Veterans policed their own ranks – and they aren’t so pleased as the Left to get thrown in jail, or have their own thrown in jail. They have jobs.

    And I’d like to know which part of my original report could be considered spewing hate. Sure, I don’t like ya’all on the Left, but the only thing I really “hate”, per se, is wet toilet paper. So I don’t know where ya’all got that.

    I guess none of ya’all see the irony in claiming that my videos and photos are somehow misleading, while at the same time you claim that you put more trust in the national news organizations’ pictures and videos. We all took pictures and posted pictures that would appeal to our particular audiences – to say one set is more trustworthy than the other is just lying to yourselves. I never claimed that the media’s pictures or videos were false – merely that they didn’t bother to show both sides. I, at least, showed both sides. I guess that’s spewing hate, huh?

    But what really gets me ta-gigglin’ is the email I got that claimed I somehow manufactured the number of veterans in my pictures. I guess if you weren’t there and your only frame of reference was that you saw the shoddy coverage by all of the networks, you’d doubt the numbers. But, please don’t tell me what I saw and filmed, OK? I’ll admit that I own a copy of Adobe Photoshop – but that damn thing keeps me confused. I’ve just recently figured out the cropping thing. Thanks for thinking I’m more adept at this computer stuff than I really am, though. I guess it’s like the “Bush is an evil genius/Bush is an idiot” paradox ya’all have goin’.

    And Michele Malkin’s prediction that the Left would put up the Washington Post’s one picture of a veteran in full blown insanity mode came to fruition on a leftist blog called “The Populist” (which seems to have a partner bog called DC Direct both written by someone in Michigan. Editor’s Note: The hardcase just sent me a comment and announced he’s not from California, so I’ve adjusted the entry to reflect what his IP address said. I’d post the comment, except he accused me of doing things with the President I’ve never been close enough to him to accomplish. I just broke the links to his websites because he doesn’t deserve the traffic) who wrote a piece called “Gathering of Eagles, and Just a Right Wing Nutjob Concert” which used the stereotype of mean biker-dudes who “flexed their collective testosterone stoked muscles and fists at those concerned about this so-called War in Iraq.”

    But on the other hand, several Pro-War rally participants stooped to destroying other people’s personal property. A sign was ripped up, by a Pro War Attendee. Which shows the new low that this Pro-War, Right Wing nut jobs will go to. To further their cause. 

    So this person who didn’t bother to attend, succumbs to the stereotypes and linkless news reports. I’d like to see some proof that some Leftists’ signs got destroyed. I didn’t see it and I walked the whole area about 10 times during the 4 hours I was there. That’s why my pictures are of the whole event, not some little corner of it like most of the media’s pictures.

    I resent being called “pro-war” – no one is more anti-war more than those who have to fight the wars. However, we’re not intellectually crippled by the fact that, in some cases, war is a neccessary evil. If you fool yourself into thinking that all wars can be avoided with a few kind words, you’re more a danger to yourself than anyone else.

    And you don’t try to make yourself sound more intelligent by insinuating that Michele Malkin and Ann Coulter are secretly lesbian lovers, gumball.

    YouTube has a video of one protester who tried to get to Wall – she was stopped by the Park Police and a companion with more commonsense. So, she flips off the vets.

  • Gathering of Eagles

    I gotta tell ya, I haven’t felt so much at home before in DC as I feel today. I’m going to leave the crowd counting to the experts – but not the Washington Post who wrote this crap this morning;

    Thousands of protesters, marking the fourth anniversary of the war in Iraq, began gathering this morning for a march to the Pentagon, but many of them were met by a peaceful rally of veterans groups and war supporters near the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.

    It was a classic example of grass-roots politics in Washington and of the strong emotions that the Vietnam War still exerts more than 30 years after fighting there ended.

    Get that? THOUSANDS of protesters were met by a “rally” of veterans. Sounds like the veterans were outnumbered, doesn’t it?

    The only “grassroots” were on the side of the veterans who had come at their own expense and with very little organization. I met four veterans who had driven up in a car from the Florida Gulf Coast and got into town the night before – that’s grassroots!

    Anyway I got there at about 8:30 this morning (after my regular Saturday morning breakfast of SOS at the Walter Reed messhall) and here’s the video I took of the THOUSANDS of protesters. As opposed to this video I took of the Gathering of Eagles a few minutes before. Quite a difference from what the Post reported, huh?

    Here’s what the protesters saw across the street that separated the two sides;

    There were this many veterans;

    And this many protesters;

    Pretty intimidating huh?

    As the morning went on the crowds on both sides grew and the Park Police began putting up barracades to keep the sides separated;

    Let me just pause here to tell ya’all that the Park Police were real pros. The Wall was well protected – they’d set up metal detectors and hand searched everyone who went to the Wall. This in effect kept the protesters away because they didn’t want to wait in a long line to get to the Wall. The Park Police stayed out of the way, but kept a close eye on the event. Real pros.

    Now, back to the event.

    Apparently age doesn’t always bring wisdom, in the case of these folks;

    And despite the fact that ANSWER and the coalition of weasels have tried to deny that the Truthers are a part of their movement, the Truthers were there;

    And I don’t even want to think about what makes some “Queers” more radical than others;

    The only TV interview I saw being taped was with a supposed “Iraq veteran” who opposed the war. He looked a little old and pudgy to be a recent veteran, though, so I have my doubts. We all remember the Stolen Valor vets of the Vietnam Era, and the media that was more interested in their anti-war comments than their acceditation.

    A few times, the veterans would chant “USA” so loud it could probably be heard at the White House. The protesters tried to shout them down (in those testosterone deficient high pitched squeals that make them the moonbats that they are), but when that failed, they just turned up the music on their speakers – a weak answer to the real passion they faced over the police barriers.

    I’ve been to veterans rallies before. The “Kerry Lied” rally in September 2004 outside the Capitol comes to mind. But this one was so different. There was so much more backslapping, hugging, handshakes, “Welcome home” wishing than I’d ever seen.

    In my opinion, this Gathering of Eagles rally has done more for the healing of the wounds these veterans have been burdened with for forty years than any wall or memorial could ever. It was if they’d finally been given the opportunity to face their oppressors. There were no sorrowful stares, no sympathetic words. It was all smiles and laughter.

    All of those years of anger that had been bottled up was directed against their common enemy – moral and intellectual laziness. The world had to listen to them, the citizens who had sacrificed and paid the price and came home to the disapproval of the citizens who had never spent an uncomfortable moment in their lives.

    One veteran told me, “We’re here because those guys who are fighting in Iraq deserve better than what we got when we came home. No one stood up for us, but by God, we’re standing up for them. And if we don’t, who will?”

    Welcome home, brothers.

    UPDATE: Welcome LGFers and Sweetness and Light folks

    Michele Malkin has photos up on her “blog burst” now. Curt at Flopping Aces has a round up of several blogs.

  • 36 hours until the Gathering of Eagles

    If you can get here, be there. Here’s the link for their website and all of the “paragraph 4” info you’ll need. I’ll be there about 0830 coming in on the Red Line to Farragut North station. I lifted the map from their website;

    UPDATE: The weather here has turned nasty and there may be snow on the ground by tomorrow, but the hippies are still crowding into town. I’ve seen large groups of them wandering the streets with their handlers for two or three days now.

    Two I talked to this morning were attending a conference on how to effectively protest. They were looking for a barber – sheesh, who’d have guessed a hippie would need a haircut to protest. the weather may make many stay in their cozy hotel rooms (paid for by their parents) or in the countless coffee shops on Pennsylvania Ave.

    And the Washington Post takes a nostalgic look back 40 years. Of course they mention the veterans that will be with the smelly hippies, but not a word about the Gathering of Eagles.