Rally to Honor Military Families
Hundreds of people gathered on the mall today, September 25, 2005 to honor military families and to support our troops.
Patrick Kelly speaks to the rally about his son, Marine LCpl. Bryan Patrick Kelly, who died in Iraq.
Kathy Mongold of Darnestown, MD, attended the rally. Her son is serving in Iraq.
Army Major Chuck Larson of Operation Iraqi Hope, speaks to the rally in front of families with servicemembers who have died in Iraq. Operation Iraqi hope brings packages donated by Americans to Iraqi citizens, in hopes of rebuilding the battered country.
Some rally attendees stained their index fingers blue to honor Iraqis who voted January 30 this year.
G. Gordon Liddy speaks to the rally. Liddy said, “Cindy Sheehan is whoring the memory of her son who gave his life.” Liddy was reintroduced after he spoke by William Greene from Rightmarch.com, who called Liddy “a real American hero.”
Shortly before the conclusion of the event Marine One, the president’s helicopter, flew low and slowly over the National Mall at the site of the rally. President Bush was returning from a briefing at Randolph Air Force Base regarding hurricane Rita.
The Right Brothers, a duo who play “Issue based conservative music” perform “Bush Was Right” to end the rally.
Roughly 50 war protesters countered the rally from across the street. Police kept the rally participants and protesters well away from each other throughout the day. Tensions mounted in the protest area as the rally came to a close, spurred by police response after a handful of protesters walked into the rally area.
About eight police on motorcycles responded to the scene. When asked by me why police presence was called for, Washington Metropolitan Police Lt. N. Galucci, the lead officer on the scene, said the extra police presence was called for by those “higher up” than him. When asked by me why those higher up would increase police presence after only a handful of officers were utilized for most of the peaceful day, he refused to answer.
One man was arrested after his identification was checked and he was found to have an active arrest warrant. Police checked his ID when he offered himself as a witness to an assault, according to Park Police Lt. P.J. Beck. Rose Lopez of Pheonix Arizona said she was standing with the protesters when a few rally participants walked through the protest area, and one spat on her.
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