San Antonio Rally for America - Take THAT anti-American protesters (56Kers many pics)

**daveleau** · March 1st, 2003, 07:55 PM

Story about the pro-America rallies.

Glen Beck's site for The Pro-American Rally

About 10,000 showed up for an invigorating Pro-America, Pro-troops rally at San Antonio's Verison Amphitheater. Even the poor weather could not dampen our spirits as many showed support for troops, support for President Bush and his policies and support for America.

During the rally, we sang the NAtional Anthem, God Bless the USA, My Country Tis Of Thee. We said the Pledge of Allegiance and when it came to the part where we said "Under God", everyone shouted it and it was three times as loud as the rest of the Allegiance. The Declaration of Independence was read to us. A WWII flag was displayed and Glen Beck gave an inspiring speech. It included a part honoring a Vietnam Vet who struggled after returning to the US because of our society's DESPICABLE treatment of our vets. The key to this part is to NOT LET THIS HAPPEN EVER AGAIN. Our citizens owe so much to those who have server and given their lives and we should NEVER dishonor them or ourselves by doing anything but honoring our HEROES.

Pic when we got to the Amphitheater.

Patriotic man helping us chant "USA! USA! USA!"

SO TRUE!!!

Some patriots behind us.

The above pictured chanter poses for a pic.

Have YOU forgotten about 9/11? Did we have as much a warning from the Muslim terrorists who flew into the WTC?

Pics of the crowd

A great patriot!

More below...

**daveleau** · March 1st, 2003, 08:00 PM

Man on stage reads the Declaration of Independence.

A Patriot with our friend's flag...

A pic I forgot to rotate..

A motivated patriot.

How can we ever have peace when there is a mass-murderer onthe loose who has it out for the US and is working on nukes?

A very beautiful and a very rough looking attendee.

A motivated but camera-shy attendee.

Vintage WW2 flag sent to Glen Beck for his tour.

Love it and appreciate it or leave it, period.

**ClubMed** · March 1st, 2003, 08:06 PM

Don't think I have seen any anti-American protests anywhere.

**Gomer** · March 1st, 2003, 08:07 PM

jingosim is alive and well...

why does anti-war = anti-american?

got nothing against the above rally tho

**vass0922** · March 1st, 2003, 08:07 PM

Very cool

Umm you may want to put a warning for 56k'ers in the subject line

**ClubMed** · March 1st, 2003, 08:08 PM

Originally posted by Gomer
why does anti-war = anti-american?

Yup, that's what I was getting at.

**daveleau** · March 1st, 2003, 08:15 PM

Every anti-war rally has had anti-American comments. They are not centered around anti-Americanism, but it is present in every anti-war rally. If you haven't heard it, you haven't been listening. Look at the rallies that got out of hand and looting and plunder ensued. It has happened at least twice so far this year.

This was not a pro-war rally. This was a rally in support of our troops and for America in general. Some pro-war sentiment was raised, but it was always preceded with a hope for a change of Saddam's heart to fully disarm before we have to act.

**Gomer** · March 1st, 2003, 08:19 PM

Every anti-war rally has had anti-American comments.

for example? "Every" is a pretty ignorant statement. There was one here in Lansing a couple of weeks back and I saw nothing "anti-american" about it.

No so far has said anything about the above being "pro-war."

Yer painting anyone who is anti-war with a pretty broad brush there.

**daveleau** · March 1st, 2003, 08:39 PM

Ok Gomer. I will play your semantics game. Every anti-war protest I have read about or seen on TV or on the web has talked about how the military is a bunch of baby killers, are trying to brainwash the public, are dishonest and corrupt, that the government is lying about Saddam, that Bush is the next Hitler and we are out for oil or imperialism and not out for the safety of the US even though we have shown no perpensity for this in the past and there is no proof for this.

Is that a fine enough brush?

I would post the link if I could find it again, but there is a great example that a guy did. He taped a video documentary of the anti-war protestors and there were tons of anti-American rhetoric in between anti-war statements.

I also didn't say that anyone said this was a pro-war rally.

**ClubMed** · March 1st, 2003, 08:44 PM

I find it quite unfair and very naive to call an anti-war protest anti-American because some minority within the group makes anti-American comments.

Is the whole of America racist because you have some morons in the kkk? Equally is it fair to label an entire demonstration of tens of thousands of people anti-American because some of them make such statements?

If it is not fair in your opinion, then why bother to mention it in your title and post but to taunt the anti-war people?

**daveleau** · March 1st, 2003, 08:46 PM

Originally posted by daveleau
Every anti-war rally has had anti-American comments. They are not centered around anti-Americanism, but it is present in every anti-war rally. If you haven't heard it, you haven't been listening. Look at the rallies that got out of hand and looting and plunder ensued. It has happened at least twice so far this year.

I think you should re-read this post, CM. I made no such assertion. I made no unfair or naive statments. Please read next time before you start saying these things about me. It only makes you look like the one who has the problems you are trying to connect to me.

**ClubMed** · March 1st, 2003, 08:48 PM

Point taken, but, you are posting this for us, the community, who here is anti-american?

**daveleau** · March 1st, 2003, 08:50 PM

No one. Stop making stupid assumptions.

**ClubMed** · March 1st, 2003, 08:51 PM

You are supporting a war based on stupid assumptions Dave. Keep your famous cool.

**Gomer** · March 1st, 2003, 08:55 PM

ah well

edit:
wasn't playing a semantics game. Anyway, may take my ball elsewhere.

**daveleau** · March 1st, 2003, 09:04 PM

I didn't say your ideas on the war were stupid, I said your idea that this thread was pointed towards someone was stupid. Why are you so sensitive? Did you think this thread was meant for you? Sorry to tell you CM, it wasn't. Again, you mis-read what I plainly wrote. Please read my postsin this thread fully before responding to avoid a third confused post for this thread.

You are trying to provoke me and I am not in the mood. My ideas on Iraq are based on video, sattelite, and documented fact. I am for peace and hope for a change of heart by Saddam. I pray for him to change so we can resolve this peacefully. Your ideas seem to be made on assumptions (oil or imperialism? Give me ONE shred of documented proof that we are going to do either, the great liberal thinkers on the board have not been able to do so so far, but go ahead and try - BUT DO SO ELSEWHERE- don't crap up my thread. Start your own).

Asking if I was pointing this at someone directly is a baseless assumption since I said nothing to lead you to believe that. I wanted to show pictures and report on the rally, which is the first of many to come in the series. The anti-American sentiments have not been strong here and this was pointed at no one.

**daveleau** · March 1st, 2003, 09:08 PM

Ok, Gomer. If you think this is jingoism, then I am sorry. If you want to PM me exactly what is jingoistic, I would be glad to listen, but I couldn't disagree more.

Again, I would invite you to re-read what I posted. I said every one I had seen had some anti-American ideas but they were not centered around anti-American ideas. That is why I was so stern in the reply. You twisted my words.

**Gomer** · March 1st, 2003, 09:15 PM

jingoism

n 1: an appeal intended to arouse patriotic emotions [syn: flag waving] 2: fanatical patriotism [syn: chauvinism, superpatriotism, ultranationalism]

jin·go·ism ( P ) Pronunciation Key (jngg-zm)
n.
Extreme nationalism characterized especially by a belligerent foreign policy; chauvinistic patriotism.

na·tion·al·ism ( P ) Pronunciation Key (nsh-n-lzm, nshn-)
n.
Devotion to the interests or culture of one's nation.
The belief that nations will benefit from acting independently rather than collectively, emphasizing national rather than international goals.

If you think this isn't jingoism I am sorry too.

**daveleau** · March 1st, 2003, 09:25 PM

I know what jingoism is. But thanks for posting that in case someone didn't know off-hand what it meant.

Fanatical patriotism is flag waving over something that is completely wrong, like the killing of innocent jews in Germany. I don't think there is anyone who thinks the war effort is 100% wrong wihtout any doubt. There is too much evidence supporting why Saddam to be ousted for people in-the-know to have 100% assurity that the war is wrong. The people who have anti-war leanings are typically thinking of imperialsim or oil field seizure. There is no history or current evidence to support this. It is an assumption.

So, no. I do not think supporting the troops is Jingoism.

**Gomer** · March 1st, 2003, 09:31 PM

did you breeze past the first definition?
n 1: an appeal intended to arouse patriotic emotions [syn: flag waving]

fanatical
adj : marked by excessive enthusiasm for and intense devotion to a cause or idea; "rabid isolationist" [syn: fanatic, overzealous, rabid]

as I may or may not have said in my PM (watching hockey right now) Pro-American rallies are the very essence of the word Jingoism.