I didn't go undercover, but neither did I wear attire that I would want to wear to such a rally--like my "Imagine No Liberals" t-shirt. I wore a cruise ship t-shirt, jeans, and flip-flops. OK, so the flip-flops put me a little undercover! I carried nothing with me but my camera. I parked about a block away and approached the rally.
I was there for about 40 minutes, by which time I had enough pictures--and had had just plain enough--and came home. Have you ever seen a news report about child pornography, where they blur stuff out but you still know what nastiness is in the picture, and you feel so dirty that you almost need to take a shower? Or has someone near you said something off-color but you didn't speak up, and later you just felt icky for letting them get away with it? Well, then you know how I felt mingling with those people, taking their pictures, and actually talking to them. I don't know if they're fools or demons. Perhaps some are one or the other, some are both--the two categories are not mutually exclusive. I'd make a horrible spy; I could only maintain my facade of neutrality for 40 minutes.
Click on the pictures to get a better view.
Here they are, getting set up on two corners.
There's so much wrong with this sign, starting with the fact that there's never been a Palestinian state to give back land to.
This next picture is not family-friendly at all. But it's out there on the street, in view of anyone who passes by.
The subtlety of a 2x4. And what stake do the Hispanics have in this fight, anyway?
Read the signs. These people are obviously committed to peace. (Actually, they should just be committed.)
It wouldn't be any fun if we didn't somehow equate the Jews or Israelis to Nazis, now, would it? BTW, how do those Israelis hide their cattle cars and concentration camps so well? I've not seen a single picture of either, not even from al-Jazeera or al-Reuters. Heck, I haven't even seen a doctored picture.
Apparently the UN can't please anyone these days.
There's our new hero, the democratically-elected head of Hezbollah! (The democratically-elected part is a joke. Keep looking at the pictures below and you'll get it.)
It wouldn't be a real protest without some 60's reject banging on the bongos (bongoes?) like a chimpanzee, no that ain't workin'. That's the way you do it.... (He wants 60's, I'll throw in some 80's.)
Is the Israeli flag also upside down on this sign, or just the American?
I wonder: Do these kids even know what they're protesting?
Peace in Lebanon. I'm all for it. Get rid of the terrorists who indiscriminantly kill Israelis, and there would be peace.
Can't you just hear the singing? "All we are saaaaaaaayiiiiiiing, is give peace a channnnnnnnnnnnnnce." Rest in Peace, John.
The man in this post carried this banner. He denied being a Muslim, but made sure to let me know that his vast research has proven to him that Hamas and Hezbollah have been mischaracterized as terrorist organizations. In fact, according to him, Hezbollah began as a purely defensive organization that has no interest in one inch of Israeli real estate.
Apparently, the Israeli-Hezbollah war is President Bush's fault, or something.
Do you recognize this flag? It's the flag of Syria. You know, Syria--the good guys.
Don't you just love consistency? Am I the only one that sees the irony of having this banner at this rally? Hezbollah and its leadership were elected by--whom, again?
Feinstein??? The left's best friend, short of Joe Lieberman? Eating their own, and I hope they enjoy the feast.
Guess this guy didn't get the "Respect Democracy" memo (two pictures up).
Ah, a Veteran For Peace. I wonder how this particular veteran would feel if McClellan had won the election of 1864 and sued for peace with the Confederacy, as was his campaign plank. See kids, sometimes peace isn't the best option.
While some are acting a bit too odd for me, I admire them standing up for that cause. Although a couple are just stupid.
ReplyDeleteHonestly, I saw nothing to admire.
ReplyDeleteAdmire these treasonists? You have GOT to be kidding. Either that or a you are a fool who does not recognize the cost of freedom. Please get an education. Perhaps try living in another country for a while. Our liberty is unique and special. You will thank Darren for his service to our great nation when you mature and have some perspective. Thank you Darren, so very much. You and other fine people like continue to ensure our saftey. God Bless you.
ReplyDeleteEven if some of them are wrong, at least they're voicing their opinion! Power to le people!
ReplyDeleteI see nothing noble about voicing stupidity.
ReplyDeleteInteresting how difference of opinion between you and them makes them treasonists. I see nothing here indicating treason. BTW, sometimes treason is necessary to for the betterment of a country - Declaration of Independance, anyone?
ReplyDeleteI can't believe I'm reading this! Did you ever learn what happened to so many of the signers of the Declaration of Independence? To juxtapose any thought of those who risked their lives, their forturnes, their sacred honor to lead the fight for independence with this lot of selfish, moronic tyranny-promoters is perhaps the most ignorant thing I've heard for at least . . . well, only about 20 minutes, since I usually have the news on my TV and there is no monopoly on stupidity. Intelligence, the ability to think logically, and the ability to understand the probable outcome of the actions one espouses, now THAT is very rare indeed.
ReplyDeleteI only wish that these people - and those of you who see even the slightest good in them - could actually get what they wished for without the rest of us having to pay as well. In Cambodia, the Khmer Rouge shot anyone seen wearing glasses, because glasses implied education. Do you like going to a church of your choice or even not going at all? Not possible under the tyrannies some of these signs and banners support, where even being the wrong flavor of Muslim can get you and your babies blown to bits with bombs as you leave your worship service.
Please, for a change, actually think of the consequences of what you say, rather than just how it makes you feel.
Sedition and treason are not "just voicing their opinion."
ReplyDeleteHere's a little information for our misinformed leftist. First, the law against sedition:
ReplyDelete18 USC 115 Section 2388:
Whoever, when the United States is at war, willfully makes or conveys false reports or false statements with intent to interfere with the operation or success of the military or naval forces of the United States or to promote the success of its enemies; or
Whoever, when the United States is at war, willfully causes or attempts to cause insubordination, disloyalty, mutiny, or refusal of duty, in the military or naval forces of the United States, or willfully obstructs the recruiting or enlistment service of the United States, to the injury of the service or the United States, or attempts to do so—
Shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than twenty years, or both.
And here is the definition of treason, article III section 3 of the Constitution of the United States:
Treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying War against them, or in adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort. No Person shall be convicted of Treason unless on the Testimony of two Witnesses to the same overt Act, or on Confession in open Court.
The Congress shall have power to declare the Punishment of Treason, but no Attainder of Treason shall work Corruption of Blood, or Forfeiture except during the Life of the Person attainted.
There is nothing in the Declaration of Independence that would imply support for terrorist cheerleading, marxism, or any other type of leftist nonsense.
And what is it about hippie protest signs and backward 'N's, anyway? Is it supposed to be some kind of protest against literacy, or the imperialist Roman alphabet?
ReplyDeleteDeclaration of Independance, anyone?
ReplyDeleteSome people need to make a Declaration of Intelligence. If they can.
I was looking at the street signs trying to work out where the corner is, and finally recognized "Land Park" on one of the signs. So I guess the original Tower Records is still open on that site. Given the news about the company I'd been wondering.
ReplyDeleteKudos to you Darren for picking up the ball and running with it! Next time we need to team up.
ReplyDeleteHey Anonymous (the one who said "Declaration of Independence, anyone?"), I'll try to ignore the fact that you are equating these people with our founding fathers and I will simply point out to you that the writers of the Declaration of Independence were denouncing and fighting tyranny, not embracing it like these tools at 16th and Broadway. Are you saying that embracing Hezbollah and Hamas is for the betterment of our country? I know of at least 241 dead U.S. Marines who would differ with you... if they weren't dead.
Nice work... I was lucky enough to have a friend do the interviews posted on my site. I don't know if I could have hung out there as long as you did without throwing a punch.
ReplyDeleteI disagree with them, but they're hardly treasonists.
ReplyDeletePerhaps, Bill J, but they're certainly "idiotists".
ReplyDeleteSedition....".....when the United States is at war". So, what does this mean? Whose definition of "war". IIRC, it is our US Congress that has the constitutional power to declare that the US is at war. And, IIRC, the last time they did that was in December of 1941.
ReplyDeleteSo, following that train of thought, there is no war and therefore can be no "sedition".
As a parent, I would object to that "make love, not war" sign. My boys are young enough to NOT see such on a public street. IMO, such a visual in such a location is NOT part of free speech.
IIRC, it is our US Congress that has the constitutional power to declare that the US is at war. And, IIRC, the last time they did that was in December of 1941.
ReplyDeletePerhaps that was the last time they used the magic words "we declare war" (although what FDR asked in 1941 was a declaration that a state of war exists, which isn't the same thing either) in order to placate the gods of war or whatever, which will not recognize a war unless those magic words are used.
The courts, however, have been taking a much more open-minded view.
Congress did declare war with the AUMF. Deal with it.
I remember when my daughter was in high school I was bored so I scanned through a copy of what I thought was an innocuous teen mag-Seventeen. Imagine my surprise when they had an in depth interview with a paid protester. She discussed how to avoid getting handcuffed, how to combat tear gas, how to get away from a police officer, great stuff for young minds. And I guess the most worrisome part was the fact that she was PAID to protest. In short, in most of the protests in large cities there are paid organizers, paid sign painters, paid protesters-some of whom travel just like any other working stiff. I would love to have some sort of FBI style recognition system to scan protests at say the G8 or GreenPeace rallies or Anti-Anwar rallies or alleged "peace" rallies to see how many of these protesters overlap. I know they scour the local campuses for protesters, heck someone tried to get my college kids to come down to Farmers Branch and protest the discussion of enforcing some illegal immigration laws by promising them beer, even though two of them are under age! Wow...so that's how they do it...in the 60's it was LSD and pot, now it's just beer. And probably light beer at that.
ReplyDeleteIf you consider them treasonists... I'm suprised you learn to type.
ReplyDeleteI don't consider them treasonist either. If one has the right to burn an American flag, one should have the right to paint the pictures portrayed here.
ReplyDeleteAt the same time, I think the messages reap of ignorance and I'm totally disgusted with them. In the end, they are making a total mockery out of the right to public assembly by their inability to have knowledge of the subjects they are protesting about. The comments about Hezbollah, the Syrian flag, the portrayal of Israeli nazism.......it all makes protesting seem less valid. I mean, come on, Hassan Nasrallah???? Bashar Assad??? Does anyone remember the assassination of Rafik Hariri? What about Nasrallah's praise of suicide bombers against Israel?
Idiots.
Powerful post.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know things were this bad in Sacramento.
Thanks for bringing this to everyone's attention.
So, Polski3, in your view, there have been no U.S. wars since WWII?
ReplyDeleteIn any case, hard to decare war on non-states, a fact which allows you to continue to live in denial, perhaps even until congress no longer exists or has the ability to officially bless it for you.
"So, following that train of thought, there is no war and therefore can be no "sedition"."
ReplyDeleteThe courts have consistently and unanimously ruled against that idiotic line of argumentation. There is nothing in the Constitution that requires any kind of official declaration of war from Congress.
Free speech does not include sedition or treason.
There is no such word as "treasonist." The word is "traitor." How did you get out of grade school?
ReplyDelete