Military Families Honored in D.C. Rally; Moonbats Attack

My previous post on Saturday's huge anti-war rally in D.C. drew quite a bit of traffic (was it in the hundreds, the thousands-- who knows?), due no doubt to a plug from conservative syndicated columnist Michelle Malkin on her blog. The least I can do is salute her with a link to the right.

A photo similar to the one the right should have led at least one local news story concerning what the Washington Post called a "tiny" Families United for Our Troops and Their Mission rally on Sunday near 4th & Independence Avenue. It represents the climatic moment in a speech given by Gary Qualls, of Temple, Texas, when he raised a cross bearing the name of his son, who was killed in Iraq.

Qualls caused men in the crowd to dry their eyes as he read portions of the final letter from Marine reservist Lance Cpl. Louis W. Qualls. He told the story of reading the letter and then, within the hour, experiencing the horror of a visit to his home by military representatives, who had come to tell him that his son was dead. Qualls finds comfort in his belief that his son died for a righteous cause.

Anti-war activist Cindy Sheehan did not even mention her son at the Saturday rally, despite the fact that her fame began with her standoff in Crawford, Texas, where she demanded that Bush meet with her and tell her why her son died in Iraq. (Likewise, the Washington Post declined to quote Sheehan's speech beyond "This is amazing!" Sheehan's claim that America condones torture was not sufficiently newsworthy for Post reporter Petula Dvorak, who was fascinated by the announcements that a child named Adam had lost his mother and then found her.) Click on photo above for full-size view of the stage flag backdrop.

At the Sunday rally, Qualls said, "I have a surprise." He said he went to the location of the Sheehan vigil, where crosses bearing the names of soldiers killed in Iraq had been placed by anti-war protestors. He then pulled out a large cross bearing his son's name and announced, "This is the first cross repossessed from Cindy Sheehan's unholy vigil."

Perhaps Sheehan did not mention her son because she had already capitalized as much as she could on the sympathy card. As famed Watergate celebrity G. Gordon Liddy declared at the rally: "Cindy Sheehan is whoring her good son's name, her son who died in the cause for freedom."

Meanwhile, across the street from the rally, a group of approximately 15 counter protestors engaged in intermittent chanting that competed with the rally speakers.

Upon closer inspection, it becomes apparent that something quite interesting occurred. One of the protestors is clearly praying. In any other context, public prayer such as this would cause one to be in danger of heckling from liberals-- catcalls of "Bible thumper" or "religious extremist." But if the person of faith joins an anti-war protest, she can peacefully lie down like a lamb next to lions.

Later, there was a changing of the guard, and the hard-core Moonbat Special Forces arrived.














This second shift did not "do dialogue." Anyone dressing like a quasi-ninja and wearing a bandana is not interested in an exchange of ideas. These people gathered together to taunt families that had lost sons in the war on terror.

The Washington Times described the Moonbat attack:

Several police officers were sent across Fourth Street Northwest when more than a dozen anti-war protesters taunted the Gold Star mothers, fathers and supporters as they left the Mall after the three-hour rally.
"Fascists go home," protesters said. Others held signs that read: "Impeach Bush" and "American People Supporting a Dictatorship."
"Why should they do that? Why is the war my fault?" Mrs. Ellsworth said. "I gave my son, so why are they screaming and yelling at me?"

And so the discussion between left and right continues in the land of free speech.

More photos . . .

This banner was designed by D.C. Young Republican Jen Neuren and manufactured by former DCYR Rob Hagman.

3"Have you forgotten?"

"God Bless Our Soldiers-- Liberating the World of One Tyrant at a Time." A woman making an independent documentary of both protests Saturday and Sunday questioned whether this is a case of mission creep.