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AmericanProtest.net > Weekly Column |
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Pink Nightmare in Berkleyby Wayne Boettcher It's not unusual to see an "anti-war" protest in California. And it's not really strange to find radicals there who go to military recruiting offices and vandalize them. However, it is becoming more and more common today to see patriotic Americans fighting back against left wing propaganda, vandalism and lies. And on October 17th, 2007, that's exactly what happened on the Left Coast when a radical socialist group went on a rampage against the US Marines. It all started with Code Pink's previous vandalism and protests of a Marine Officer's Recruiting Station in Berkley, California. The wacky activists chalked sidewalk messages accusing Marines of killing children and "people for oil and greed." They also attached a sign to the window calling the US Marines "assassins." Dressing in bizarre pink items apparently culled from thrift stores, the clownish activists of Code Pink are also known for visiting Hugo Chavez in Venezuela and supporting Cuba's Fidel Castro. The leader of Code Pink, Medea Benjamin, once personally facilitated a $600,000 "donation" of supplies and cash to the "other side" in Fallujuh, Iraq shortly before the famous battle in 2004 where some brave Marines were killed. One Marine from that combat action that I know of, Lance Corporal Josh Lucero, blocked a terrorist grenade with his own body, laying down his life to save two other Marines. After his death many other troops came forward to say how they, too had been saved, helped or encouraged by the indefatigable Lucero. Later his courageous sister joined the Marines and is now serving her second tour in Iraq. Another brave Lucero brother joined the Army; he had a hummer blown out from under him by an IED but escaped with minor injuries thanks to good armor. Their father, Michael Lucero who is an Airborne Ranger veteran, mother and other siblings support both the troops and their mission. Code Pink is also responsible starting a protest of wounded troops at Walter Reed Medical Center with flag draped coffins in 2004. In that action FreeRepublic.com and ProtestWarrior.com eventually defeated them with counter-protests that overwhelmed the protesters with larger numbers carrying patriotic signs, banners and flags. Ashamed, the peaceniks dropped the flag draped coffin display and the worst of their signs. Code Pink doesn't show up there much anymore but a few stragglers still carry on their traitorous tradition. Another Code Pink endeavor was to sponsor an Iraqi woman in 2006 to traverse the country telling lies about our troops committing atrocities. Ironically, the propagandist once worked for Saddam Hussein's "Federation of Women" which was known to help torture women in prewar Iraq! It's hard to believe there can be people like the Code Pink members in America but there they are. And here they were at the Marine Recruiting Center in Berkeley, California. But this time Melanie Morgan of MoveAmericaForward.org was on the scene. Encouraged by conservative columnist and blog pioneer Michelle Malkin, MoveAmericaForward.org led the way in recruiting patriotic citizens to stand against Code Pink with banners, American flags and signs of troop support. MoveAmericaForward.org is a non-profit organization that supports the troops, their mission and American principles in general. It has attracted celebrities such as author "Buzz" Patterson, singer Diana Nagy and many other America supporters. They sponsored a trip to Iraq for Gold Star families to see and report the truth of what was happening there. The group has created advertisements to chastise anti-troops politicians. They also provide care packages for US military forces and send pharmaceutical supplies to Afghanistan and Iraq. Though the time was set for noon, both sides tried to get there first, arriving before 8:00 am. As more and more people arrived, it became clear that pro-Americans would outnumber the "Pinkos." Estimates range from 300 to 500 patriotic citizens who eventually arrived, with 100 to 150 left-wing activists taking the anti-American position. At first the two sides mingled but with all the shouting and pushing, the police soon relegated the angry peaceniks to the other side of the street where they haphazardly displayed their large banners. The protest and counter-protests surged back and forth. The pro-Americans sang patriotic songs. The Pinkos burned or mutilated American flags and tried to slash a Marine flag. The pro-Americans proudly and respectfully displayed American and Marine flags. The Pinkos flew the American flags that they didn't burn upside down. A pro-American shirt read "Peace through superior firepower." A Pinko shirt said "F*** Bush." The pro-Americans had a sound system with big speakers. The Pinkos had a bullhorn. The pro-Americans had a trailer with a giant well-made "Support Our Troops" sign. The Pinkos had an old moving truck crudely painted with many weird messages including one calling the Marines "predators." The pro-American side had many military veterans. The Pinkos had few. Some "Pinkos" on the "anti-war" side were undoubtedly ordinary citizens who simply believe leftist propaganda about the War on Terror. With a liberal news media blackout on war success news it's not surprising that many people would be uninformed and ignorant about how well our troops are doing in the Middle East. The 1st Cavalry Division's 3rd Brigade Combat Team is about to return to Fort Hood, Texas. They will not need to be replaced in Iraq. And so many al Qaeda leaders have been captured or killed there that few are left. Many Iraqi citizens are stepping up to volunteer for the Police and Army forces while even more are providing tips to help capture or kill more terrorists. Schools, hospitals and water facilities have been built and rebuilt, while electricity is now more available than before the war. Buzz Patterson's book "War Crimes" describes in detail the workings of left-wing "anti-war" groups who never protest terrorist actions or Communist atrocities. In the War on Terror, there are two fronts, one against the terrorists and the home front against left-wing propaganda. In this case many news stations and papers carried the story of the dueling protests; this is a breakthrough for mainstream news media. Let's continue the fight against despicable liberal protests whenever and wherever you can by banding together with other patriotic Americans to support the troops - and their mission! Wayne Boettcher is the head of AmericanProtest.net Related Links: |
