Here’s my anti-war buddy Pat Alviso’s account of getting thrown out of yesterday’s Sarah Palin rally in Carson. Pat runs the Orange County chapter of Military Families Speak Out, and her son, as she mentions here, is due to be sent out on his third tour in Iraq. Last years protests at Loretta’s office are legend in the local blogosphere, and I’m always associated with them, but I was more of a bystander, it was mainly organized by Pat and her group, along with Iraq Veterans Against the War. And, as I never tire of reminding people, those protests were a success, in that they helped Loretta decide to stop voting to fund the endless, pointless occupation of Iraq. (One thing I would have done differently in the following essay is not to demonize “Republicans” so much, since I know not all of you are war supporters or Palin supporters.)
Confessions of a Palin Party Crasher
By Pat Alviso
Military Families Speak Out
Today I decided that I needed to see the great communicator Sarah Palin in person at the giant Home Depot Stadium in Carson, and voice my opposition to the many public statements she has made recently about supporting the troops, implying that she in effect is ready to abandon them in Iraq and Afghanistan. You see, my Marine son, Beto, has already done two tours in Iraq and is about to be deployed for his third. This is why I found it particularly offensive when she said at the debate that we just can’t fly the “white flag of surrender”, and felt compelled to brave a sea of red, right wing republicans who were sure to throw me out of the arena. I was able to get a ticket from a passerby who didn’t want to use her ticket. I dutifully covered up my Military Families Speak Out T-shirt and joined the flag waving crowd entering the Home Depot Stadium. After all, if my son can just buck it up and go out for another tour, I can do this.
So here I was among huge throng of Republicans who would normally be calling me names, and were telling the Palin demonstrators to go back to Cuba and accusing even Iraq veterans of not knowing the words to the song “America the Beautiful”, while they sang their way into the stadium. I was really out of my element and quite worried as I found myself lost in a swarm of pro-war and damn-the-torpedo people. No one even batted an eye at the guy next to me with the “Guns, God and Glory” T-shirt. Just the whole wrong-headed thinking of this group filled me with enough indignation to get me through at least the airport-type security check.
I was beginning to wonder what had I been thinking when I decided to go all alone into this wild crowd of thousands of rabid Republicans? Had the whole Republican Party membership come to my community? This was not going to be pretty. My knees were starting to wobble, but because I was alone, at least it was easy to get a seat. It would be a long time before Sarah Palin to show up. I seriously thought about forgetting the whole thing and leaving because people were so hyped up.
A guy behind me was actually trying to impress his friends by joking that he tried to run over those Obama people on the way in, but didn’t and said if he had, he would have put the car in reverse and run over them twice. I cringed. Then I felt sad because the guy sitting next to me with his two pre-teen girls looked at their daddy and laughed after he laughed. They waited, but got the signal. I knew it would take awhile before Palin entered and was actually amused by a conversation between a couple.
A husband told his wife to look across the stadium at this woman who was wearing pink. He was proud that he could detect that she was wearing pink, but it had no words on her shirt so she must be a protester. He told her to watch the action. I knew that in this crowd could get ugly, and was starting to get cold feet, but then I looked up at the sky, and lo and behold, buzzing right over all those heads was a small pesky plane with the most wonderful banner that read, “ Sarah Palin, Thanks but no thanks.”
Ah- a sign from the gods, I thought. It has to be the Courage Campaign folks. Can’t overlook that message- COURAGE!
Then out trotted my old nemesis, my representative in Congress, Dana Rohrabacher- the one who promised that he would call for the troops to get out of Iraq when the Iraqis want us out, which we all know was several months ago. [That’s true – something else I haven’t written about – V] Also, the same caring guy who called military families, and a Gold Star family member traitors for wanting the troops home. My newfound courage got me thorough that tired and broken accordion.
I considered moving my seat to another one, though, because there was a sweet old woman who was sitting on my right who was going to give up her seat to some much younger demanding woman who said she made 50 phone calls to get these seats, waved her tickets and none of those seats were reserved! How dare the Republican Party treat her like that! I knew that if I were tossed out, the old woman would be in the way and they might hurt her if the police had to stomp over her to get to me. There really wasn’t much aisle room, and she was having trouble getting up and down anyway. There wasn’t any place else to move, but I did tell her not to give up her seat, though.
Right before Palin came out, the LA Chapter leader of the National Organization for Women, Shelly Mandell of all people, pranced out to introduce Palin saying she wasn’t speaking for the organization, but as a private citizen. If she was speaking as a private citizen, one would have to wonder why they felt the need to introduce her with that title. When she said she was a lifelong Democrat the crowd booed her loud and clear. As if wasn’t bad enough to be labeled a traitor by other women. Then she actually said, “This is what a feminist looks like”, twisting a favorite line of real feminist activists, “This is what democracy looks like!” Sadly, one guy said,” I can’t believe she actually admitted to being a Democrat!”, missing the whole point of getting someone on the other side to speak out for you to make you look non-partisan.
Anyway, in sails Sarah Palin fresh as a daisy. She started talking about a slogan “written on her Starbucks coffee,” (sorry all of the peace activists I know don’t think the giant Starbucks corporation is very folksy), and for me it was the moment of truth. I could just sit there and who would know the difference? But the sound of her voice- that same one that I knew would soon start talking about sending off our families to fight in an endless, pointless war and dare to call it patriotism, would soon be singing the same song. I couldn’t stand it. I just couldn’t let her use her son’s name again to justify this war. She would be sure to mention that because her son got the orders to go to Iraq, just like mine did , that it’s patriotic to keep sending them. That’s it. That’s the only reason to continue the war- because they are already there. The lesson for them is say nothing, let the senseless slaughter go on indefinitely or your don’t support the troops.
That was it for me. The crowd got quiet. I held my sign up and took off my outer sweatshirt. I was surprised how long it took for them to catch up with me. About two applause lengths. My neighbors started asking me to put down the sign. I did off and on, but when others put their signs up, mine went up too. Then two staffers in the red shirts and brown khakis trod past the dear old lady and put their sign over mine and a man, also a staffer, sat in my seat. I couldn’t sit back down. One person grabbed my, “Troops Home Now” sign, and tearing part of it. Then the crowd started turning on me like a McCarthy party on a commie. The rest of the sign got ripped out of my hands and someone hit me with a red pom pom! Two quite older men started yelling at me to leave. One kept screaming right in my ear , “USA”, trying to hurt my ear.
Then the seat stealing staffer asked me if I had a ticket. I told him I had one. When he asked me to give it to him, I went to get it from my purse and then thought better and said , “ No, I have one all right, but you took my seat and they took my sign and you will take my ticket. Besides, I am not doing anything disruptive!” Then the two other staffers tried desperately to put their McCain signs over mine. I was familiar with this dirty trick, because that’s what the Schwartzenegger staffers did to me when I showed up at another republican rally in Placentia. Maybe because it was taking away from the limelight, but at least Arnold had the courtesy to tell them to leave me alone.
Not so with the Palin lions. They wanted blood. To hush my sole weak “Troops home now” shout, a whole slew of angry Palinites began yelling in unison, “USA! USA!” This caused Palin to have to stop and make some remark about how free speech was why her son was fighting in Iraq. [Good for Sarah – V] Clearly the mob was having none of that! A really nice young African American cozied up to me and said to trust him and that the Palin people wanted to talk to me and it was a good thing. I wasn’t biting. One woman said her son was in the military and I said so was mine. More folks screamed for me to go, making more noise and fuss than I ever could. Even the sweet old lady turned on me. “Get her out of her. I don’t want her here”, she said in her new found authoritative voice.
Finally, Mutt , (or was if Jeff?) showed up asking me to leave or they would get the sheriffs. Once again I reminded them that I wasn’t doing anything wrong. The man, the daddy of the pre-teens, told them to leave me alone and that I was entitled to my opinion and he just wanted to hear Palin. But no, the sheriffs came. I ignored them. Then tromping across the re-energized old woman they plucked me right out of my seat. I knew it would be stupid to go limp, (Protest 101), so I started screaming, “Bring out troops home. Stop the war. Bring our troops home! All the way up and out of the stadium. I was completely surrounded by at least three sheriffs- they had to be sheriffs because they had very shiny badges and greenish uniforms. All that work and all you can see of my big party crash is one single hand slightly above a group of sheriffs, raised in the classic peace sign. They can’t take THAT away from me.
http://www.cbs2.com/video/?id=79229@kcbs.dayport.com
Give me a break, Vern.
Pat shows up at the Palin rally with the deliberate intent of disrupting it and ruining it for the thousands of people who had waited for hours in line to see the candidate they’re excited about. Then she’s offended when those people are upset at her disruption.
Now she pulls this “I’m just a feeble old lady” act. Can she be any more dishonest or self-absorbed?
Matt, you made me re-read the whole thing. Where is the “I’m just a feeble old lady” thing? It’s not in there. That wouldn’t be Pat’s style. You must have read too quickly, thru her description of another old lady. So there goes your “Can she be any more dishonest or self-absorbed?”
AND. One lady holding up a sign saying “Troops home now” RUINS the event for THOUSANDS of cheering Palinistas? I imagine her aim was to get her message onto TV, which she’s managed quite well over the last few years. Reading her story, she didn’t begin “chanting” until her sign was taken away.
AND. I imagine what would happen at a Democratic or Obama rally if someone held up an “Obama is a socialist” or “No white flag in Iraq” or some stupid sign. That person would get quizzical stares and eye-rolls. We’re just a little different that way.
Oh, and I’m not at all a Palin supporter obviously, but props to her for her freedom of speech comment (as farfetched as it is to connect our occupation of Iraq to defense of our First Amendment, but I quibble…)
She’s got to be “tolerant” of free speech. Look at the liberties she’s taking with her so-close-to-slanderous remarks about Obama palling around with terrorists. Sarah Palin is a shameless pig, but at least she’s a pig who can dress up with lipstick and high heels …
And kudos to Pat Alviso. She could have stayed on the sidewalks, surrounded by like-minded folks, but she did what most of us here commenting would not have the fortitude to do: she spoke her message amidst a sea of hostility.
I have watched Pat advocate tirelessly for MFSO for several years now. Pat was the one who stayed up all night in frigid temperatures guarding the
then-2000 + crosses clinging to several blocks of fences to pay tribute to the soldiers who had died in Iraq, while the majority of us went home to our warm beds.
Pat Alviso is a real American hero.
Vern:
I did read too quickly and mistook the references to an old woman for Pat referring to herself.
That aside, I think it is ridiculous to complain about being ejected from a rally amidst upset Palin supporters when she was deliberately trying to disrupt and ruin for them an event they had spent several hours getting into.
Good for you admitting a mistake, Matt, but I still don’t hear this as “complaining,” but as just “reporting.” Reporting what most of us would consider a gross over-reaction. She definitely went there expecting something like that.
Jubal,
To quote one of your heroes; “Sometimes democracy is messy”
I was a volunteer staff working this event and watched this whole thing transpire, can’t say that Ms. Alviso is much of a truth fan! She was much more than disruptive and disorderly, she glorifies in her ability to promote herself and amp her ego at the expense of others.
Pat Alviso even promotes herself on her son’s volunteer sign up – what a silly old bat with a few issues she should work out in therapy rather than a rally.
Glad to see that the crowd didn’t take her lightly, she got tossed out succinctly and no one even knew she was there. Waste some more time, ol’ Pat, just stay out of everyone’s way for once. Stick to “teaching” at alternative schools – just what we need to shape the minds of already at-risk teens!
Hmmm… “She was much more than disruptive and disorderly… and the crowd didn’t take her lightly.” Also, “no one even knew she was there.”
Which is true? Either? Or does PatLies lie? Ya dillwad.
Go ahead, Vern, tell us you were there. Then I can call you out as a stinkin’ coward since you fired off with a little attitude towards me.
Pat Alviso lies bitterly and is so horrid for the actions that resulted in an elderly woman being injured. I notice that she didn’t mention that in her little fairy tale. Her version of the happenings are truly laughable, just as you attempt to paint her as a hero I call her an outright liar, a troublemaker and a manic egoist hell bent on destroying the day for others. She can’t even be qualified as a ethical egoist, just a sad little troubled bitter woman.
You defend her? Good for you, keep it up because it seems she might need some defense after the medical evaluation of the elderly woman is submitted to the authorities. The more the pot is boiling, the more the scum needs to be removed from the top.
Ya Major Dillwad – Vern Troyeresque
So many people rooting for Palin of the A-team
There must have been more protesters than this one woman, Pat.
I beginning to think that McCain/Palin will have a “cake walk” to the white house next month in heavy voting. And I am talking about here in California.
LOL Troyeresque, good one. Maybe that’ll help folks get past the old 80’s Ernest P Whorl “hey Vern” stuff.
So – new twist, eh, or another confabulation? Now an old woman was “injured” because of Pat? If this was true why did you leave it out of your first comment? Would this be the same old woman Pat described in her story and originally was trying to defend from some bullies? (…there was a sweet old woman who was sitting on my right who was going to give up her seat to some much younger demanding woman who said she made 50 phone calls to get these seats, waved her tickets and none of those seats were reserved! How dare the Republican Party treat her like that! I knew that if I were tossed out, the old woman would be in the way and they might hurt her if the police had to stomp over her to get to me. There really wasn’t much aisle room, and she was having trouble getting up and down anyway. There wasn’t any place else to move, but I did tell her not to give up her seat, though.)
Let’s pretend you’re not making this up. How did an old lady get “injured” while you were busy tossing out a lone protester “succinctly” with nobody even noticing? The plot sickens…
It actually stretches credulity a little that one volunteer staff guy who happened to witness this little row in a huge crowded stadium – in CARSON, no less – also reads and comments on the OJ blog. Color me skeptical.
Try this one on for size, we’re all thrilled that Ms. Alviso has identified herself. Get ready for some fun.
Legal type.
Assault with intent to do bodily injury to an 83 yr old woman is just too much to ignore.
And now you seem to be a little closely connected to her and helping to promote her activism, encouraging her.
Thanks again.
You thrill me, you little mental midget but at least you got the Vern nickname I threw.
Your wide brush painting lies is what stretches credulity, more than any of the relaxed fit jeans that Pat owns in her entire wardrobe. Color you every shade of the rainbow.
This was a just amusing, now off to do the real things that get people elected. Thanks again, such loud boasting has benefited the Republican Party more than you know as of this moment. That summons server is salivating at a job made this easy, I hope that they are able to serve Pat in front of her students to offer a real lesson.
Cook! How’s it hanging brother? Can always count on you for some lighthearted humor. The A-Team, led by Palin – Today California, Tomorrow the Eastern Seaboard! On to Nov. 4, LMAO. Good one.
“PatLies.” Bark, bark, woof, woof. If I believed a word of your comments I would raise your summons server a first amendment attorney. (Pat responsible for the overzealousness and paranoia of GOP security? I think not.) Keep trying, brother.
This was a just amusing, now off to do the real things that get people elected.
Same here. Laterz…
My my my my! The nastiness flies! And it will get worse.
Why would you vilify someone like Pat Alviso who stands up for what she believes in? And peacefully I might add.
Vern said: “How’s it hanging brother?”
Is this a proper manner of speaking in a public discussion forum?
Maintain proper decorum please.
Mr. Nelson that will 2 demerits for you sir.
Signed – blog monitor
Blog monitor, obviously you haven’t met Robin Cook.
I was referring to his big white Santa-like beard!
oddcatoutsaid – “Why would you vilify someone like Pat Alviso who stands up for what she believes in? And peacefully I might add.”
This political rally was a private event. The campaign paid for the use of the facility. As such they could boot out anyone for any reason. And, if that person did not leave peaceably they could be charged with trespassing, disturbing the peace and possibly resisting arrest.
She was treated very lightly if she was not hauled off to jail and given what would have been a very expensive ticket.
McPain what a team. One of my favorite teaching opportunities is to explore the gang-rape and execution of the Iraqi girl by our troops…. o and her family got to watch. My students are fascinated by the glory of war.
Ho Ho HO I got me a new red sled (maroon) to go with my Santa suit.
I just hope that while we all are watching our favorite candidates, in their run for office, like president, congress, mayor, council or school and water boards. I just hope,
That,
The scum-sucking money changers of Wall Street don’t make off with all the Christmas Presents.
Why doesn’t Pat denounce her son for his volunteering to be a Marine? If he is going on his third tour, chances are he re-enlisted at one point. And if he is a mere victim of the US miltary machinery which is per se corrupt, then what matter a dishonorable discharge if he wanted to really get out?
I think I want to hear Beto’s opinion on all of this. And if that is a picture of him that she is holding, why use one taken when he was a child and not one of him as a man?
Stephanie,
Because Pat IS NOT DENOUNCING THE TROOPS; she is denouncing the shameless, selfish, and nonsensical policy that put our troops in Iraq.
Would you want to sacrifice your child for a war justified on false pretenses? So you could pay a little less for gasoline? To vindicate our president’s grudge?
Whether or not my child agreed, disagreed, or was utterly indifferent, I would find it untenable to contemplate one more life lost, especially the life of my child, for reasons as farcical as the ones justifying our presence in Iraq.
PatLies,
Sad, sad vituperator. You should know better: libel is not becoming.
Careful there, buddy, that cause of action discourse could backfire in ways you never fathomed possible …
Now, tell us more about the elderly woman’s victmization???
oddcatout said: “Why would you vilify someone like Pat Alviso who stands up for what she believes in? And peacefully I might add.”
Since the venue was rented and paid for by the campaign, they may disallow anyone they wish from their event.
If Ms. Aliso resisted being thrown out she could have been charged with trespassing, disorderly conduct and resisting arrest.
I think that Ms. Alviso was treated very lightly if she was not thrown in the pokey and charged with several misdemeanors.
Longboobs,
But the men and women who volunteer for the military are its life source, are they not? And by their conduct, they assist to further those “shameless, selfish, and onsensical” policies.
Unless, of course, you choose to infantilize them and not recognize the decision they made and the actions they take. As John Kerry said, this is what happens when you don;t get an education.
I would still like to hear from her son and how he feels about it.
Typical McCain/Palin tactics. Here is a librarian that was charged with tresspassing and given a citation for a sign that says McCain=Bush. Why do republicans find that so offensive?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zfB4ZqgUlgw
Stephanie,
John Kerry nailed the education deficit on the head. I think that’s the biggest threat this country faces. That so many people have such a superficial understanding of what’s going on in this world that they can drink up someone as embarrassing as Sarah Palin is proof positive of that!
How many 18 to 22-year-olds do you know who can have a cogent conversation about foreign policy or the economy? Wonder how many who could find Iraq on a map? Wonder how many can name not 1, but 2 Supreme Court justices; who can name their US Congressional representative? I would be surprised if 3 out of 10 could answer and it’s probably even less.
I know my view of this world has changed substantially since I was 22. You don’t have to characterize it as infantalizing anyone; it’s just a natural course of intellectual progression (that of course, improves with education) that leads to a more critical viewing of our nation’s policies. And, it sounds like you’re suggesting we attach legitimacy to a war because, often due to a TRUE lack of choice (i.e., college, employment), some choose to enter the military.
So again, I ask: Would you want to sacrifice your child for a war justified on false pretenses?
“As John Kerry said, this is what happens when you don;t get an education.”
Stephanie, I always thought what he meant was that you’d be an ignoramus like George W. Bush – who couldn’t find Iraq on a map before he started dropping bombs on it.
But the men and women who volunteer for the military are its life source, are they not? And by their conduct, they assist to further those “shameless, selfish, and nonsensical” policies. Unless, of course, you choose to infantilize them and not recognize the decision they made and the actions they take.
Wow, for years we’ve been hearing from the Bushie dead-enders that to criticize the war is to criticize the troops, but this is the first time I’ve heard someone try to justify that canard with logic. Kudos on that, Richer. It’s still rancid BS.
It’s not infantilizing them to point out that, even though they volunteered for one reason or another, they didn’t come up with the lame-ass evil idea to invade and occupy a country that never attacked us, or that they had nothing to do with all the Keystone Kops missteps in strategy and tactics since then.
It doesn’t take away from our respect for their courage and sacrifice for us to insist they shouldn’t be there, killing and getting killed, losing limbs and getting burned and paralyzed, getting their brains rattled into Muhamad-Ali-ness, filling the rest of their lives with nightmares, just for – what? – to justify the fact that they’re already there?
Even if SOME of them agree with the policy, it’s totally American and patriotic for us to say “Get back home you fools, what are you doing?” And here I will note again that, although our troops are not allowed to speak critically of our President’s policy, the two candidates who have got the most contributions from our active duty military are the ones who THEY KNOW want to get them out of there — Barack Obama and Ron Paul! The troops do NOT support this stoopid war.
Here is a librarian that was charged with tresspassing and given a citation for a sign that says McCain=Bush. Why do republicans find that so offensive?
And one of Sarah’s first acts as Mayor was to try to fire a very popular librarian who refused to ban some books that the Wasilla Assembly of God disapproved of. What’s this ticket’s problem with librarians? And when will Laura “Pickles” Bush come out and make a brave stand against McPain?
There is no such thing as a “good war” unless of course you want what the “enemy” has or you want to convert them. Either way there is no good to come of it. Why can’t we admit that and try to prevent that? We need to at least try.
ciao
peace
ms m
“Here is a librarian that was charged with tresspassing and given a citation for a sign that says McCain=Bush. Why do republicans find that so offensive?”
It would have been nice of the dems to have treated this one as nicely as Pat Alviso was treated – Pat received no charges.
But hey – there is no double standard !
No idea what you’re trying to say here, Hugh Mann. Are you saying “dems” charged and cited the librarian? Actually treatment of Pat and the librarian was somewhat similar, by Republicans who don’t like dissenting speech. I think you just made a boo-boo.
Should anyone really object to removing protesters from a public event convened to express ideas. Protesters always get tossed they have from several of Obama and McCain’s rally locations as well. I think it quiet normal. Isn’t the crowd there to hear the political candidate speak? Any candidates first amendment right to free speech is also being interfered with, no matter what the protesters purpose or intention. They can exercise their first amendment right as well but how about outside.
anon: Protesters always get tossed they have from several of Obama and McCain’s rally locations as well.
I’d like to hear more details of protesters who were just holding up a sign getting thrown out of an Obama rally. Not sayin’ it never happened, just hadn’t heard of it, and I would be surprised if it went down anything similar to the way it does at Republican events. (i.e., the crowd trying to cover up the protestor’s sign with their own sign; drowning out whatever they say by absurdly yelling “USA! USA!”, excessive force from the security, etc. etc.)
I figured out Hugh’s confughsion! Another case of someone reading too fast. He assumed the librarian holding a “McCain = Bush” sign must have been a Republican who got busted by Democrats. LOL, I have to say, or even maybe, LMAO. NO, HUGH. You miss the whole irony. McCain’s people found a sign saying “McCain = Bush” to be so offensive that THEY had this lady cited. Keep searchin’ and searchin’ for the fabled “double standards,” buddy.
I wonder if Pat expected a different end result, because I highly doubt she did or she wouldn’t have a story would she?
So which is it…
The rest of the sign got ripped out of my hands (ok that sucks)
Then the two other staffers tried desperately to put their McCain signs over mine (ok if someone riped the sign out of her hand and tore part of it how did this even happen)
I think that any of this having happened is very unfortunate, some are not understanding of peoples opinions, we have a lot of that here. I’m very sorry that Pat was able to even have a story to tell.
Dang Hugh! You sound like a….dare I say? Scary dude! ;-}
oddcatout,
I sound scary? In what way? Pray, please explain.
I did misunderstand the post. How is that “scary?”
Vern – I do not care if protestors are rep or dem. If they are asked to leave, they should leave or face the legal consequences.
As far as the treatment Pat or the other person received from the Republican rally attendees, it sounds pretty mild to me. I can only imagine the treatment a rep protestor would receive at a dem rally. That scenario is probably not survivable.
I can only imagine the treatment a rep protestor would receive at a dem rally. That scenario is probably not survivable.
*sigh* You really need to meet more Democrats, “Hugh.” It’s not healthy to live in such fear of the “other.”
Treatment troublesome Republican protesters might receive from a mob of vicious Democrats, as depicted in Monty Python’s “Piranha Brothers” sketch:
Vercotti: … Anyway a week later they came back, said that the cheque had bounced and that I had to see Doug.
Interviewer: Doug?
Vercotti: Doug. (takes a drink) … I was terrified of him. Everyone was terrified of Doug. I’ve seen grown men pull their own heads off rather than see Doug. Even Dinsdale was frightened of Doug.
Interviewer: What did he do?
Vercotti: He used… SARCASM. He knew all the tricks… dramatic irony, metaphor, bathos, puns, parody, litotes and… SATIRE.
[Cut to map.]
Narrator: By a combination of violence and sarcasm, the Piranha brothers by February 1966 controlled London and the South East…
Took me about ten minutes to come up with this example for you.
Protesters interrupt Democratic convention’s interfaith service
(Created: Monday, August 25, 2008 9:03 AM EDT)
DENVER, Colo. — Anti-abortion protesters interrupted the first official event of the Democratic National Convention — an interfaith gathering — Sunday afternoon at the Colorado Convention Center.
Several hundred people who attended the event were greeted by a small band of pro-life advocates as they entered the heavily-guarded downtown facility. The group held huge posters showing gruesome pictures of aborted babies while an organizer shouted anti-abortion messages over a bullhorn.
The event, held at the Wells Fargo Theater inside the convention center, was historic. The Rev. Leah Daughtry, CEO of the 2008 Democratic National Convention, said it was the first interfaith celebration ever at a national Democratic gathering.
It began with a musical prelude by a Denver-based Christian choir. But it was interrupted three separate times by a different man who shouted anti-abortion slogans.
One man yelled out that Barack Obama “supports the killing of children by abortion.” Another man called Obama “a baby killer.” The third man screamed, “You are not Christians.”
Each time, a police officer or security guard escorted the men from the auditorium without resistance.
Many in the audience ignored the intruders. Others tried to drown them out with chants of “O-bam-a.”
The third interruption was the last.
Sounds like it’s pretty much the same no matter which party you protest at.
Thanks Carl, but I was really looking for something a little more comparable. I kind of wondered what would happen if someone at a Democratic rally – a big boisterous one comparable to the Palin one – held up a sign the crowds disagreed with, something somewhat inoffensive like “Troops Home Now” – maybe “Stay the Course?” – would they have the sign ripped from their hands and be dragged out?
It’s hard to draw a parallel with this scene. First, it’s not a boisterous rally, it’s an attempted interfaith religious service. Second, the protesters were holding up huge “gruesome” pictures of aborted fetuses and yelling “Baby Killer.” Third, they were escorted out (granted they went without resistance as I guess that was the plan.)
I’m still pretty sure that if somebody just held up a critical sign at a Dem rally they’d just be ignored, maybe ridiculed.
Vern said: *sigh* You really need to meet more Democrats, “Hugh.” It’s not healthy to live in such fear of the “other.”
Vern,
You would be very surprised by the democrats I know and work with. Check with Art P.
Well, then stop saying things like “I can only imagine the treatment a rep protestor would receive at a dem rally. That scenario is probably not survivable.” I suppose that is just an attempt at “HUGHmor.”