AmericanProtest.net > Flag Draped Coffin Display...?

By Wayne Boettcher
Posted: 10/14/2005

It was Wednesday, Oct 12th at 7:30 am as the desert began to bake the city of Tucson in its asphalt oven. Do I have to say it was sunny? My lovely wife was dropping me off in front of the Military Recruitment Center at 2302 E.Speedway and would soon be back to help. No stranger to protesting liberals, Judy's wit, beauty and demeanor is a blessing whether standing up for America, writing a novel, or cooking a delicious meal.

As I unlimbered the massive new "Say No To Communism" ultrasign I noticed a small group already on the corner, with a lady wearing a granny disguise and a few others. My latest anti-Communism sign rises a majestic three and a half feet tall and is two and a half feet wide with a wooden frame and pole to get it up to the sky. Computer printed letters and a multicolored background complete the startling message.

Strangely, one sign from the corner group said, "Land of the free because of the Brave" and there were undesecrated American flags waving. When I got to the main corner I realized why - it was some good guys with only one anti-American lady who was hanging around talking to them. I quickly used the opportunity to distribute a copy of the column "The killing machine that is Marxism" by Professor R.J. Rummel.

I also had brought a photo of a mural of Saddam Hussein smiling at the burning twin towers of the World Trade Center. The lady didn't believe the photo was real but promised to read the column later. This was not surprising as a comment on the Little Green Footballs blog where the photo first appeared said "No amount of murals like this will ever convince any of the anti-war banshees that Saddam was at least sympathetic to the goals of Al-Qaeda."

However, this lady was being very nice and disavowed the shrieking woman who had verbally attacked a pro American Marine Mom a few weeks before, saying she would never condone such action. In fact, she wasn't going to be there long that day, and left early after stating she supported the troops but refusing to hold a generic troop support sign I offered her, saying she would have to "think about that."

On the side of the good ol' USA however was Nina, a Rush loving, Gitmo Club T-shirt and hat wearing, patriotic American lady who was in for the long haul, holding as many flags and signs as she could carry. Since her husband is a Vietnam vet, she was well aware of the damage caused by liberals to military moral and was determined to counter it with fiery gusto. Many more pro Americans began to appear, including a veteran who had been to Iraq with her small son clutching a flag proudly.

Taking a cue from other FreeRepublic.com activists, I had constructed a UN Flag by printing its emblem of tyranny and attaching it to a blue poster board. I now placed it on the sidewalk corner to become a welcome mat for all pro Americans. "Hey, I have one of those," I called out to a passing UN flag carrying moonbat, pointing to the one under my feet. He was speechless and walked on by to join his friends with a peace sign super-imposed on an American flag across the big street. Across the small street an American flag draped coffin appeared. The liberals had changed their start time to an hour later this week but were now arriving in force.

Old moonbat friends from two weeks ago began to appear, walking along in the middle of our group.

"Hey, buddy," I called out to one. "Did you read that column on Communism?"

"Yes, I did!" he fairly shouted. "And you lied in that email!" (Freep report?)

"I did? How?" I asked.

"You said I walked away because you were big or had a nice smile. It wasn't that! It was because you had nothing to say!"

With that the angry activist darted off quickly as I rejoined disappointedly "You don't like my smile?" But I knew I had never written anything about him leaving for any reason before. Checking what I wrote, it turned out that what I actually said was that he wasn't rude. So let the record show that the reason he wasn't rude that day was because I had nothing to say (whatever that means.) But now I think he's kind of rude, after all.

Then the Professor walked by (another previous recipient of "The killing machine that is Marxism.") I had high hopes for the retired Economics Professor, because a fellow Professor named R.J. Rummel had written the column on deadly Marxism. Would he understand that toppling dictators through war can prevent governments from killing their own citizens, and that Communists would have to renounce deadly activities like mass murder in order to have credibility in "peace" protests?

"Hello, there! Did you find any mistakes in that column, Professor?" I asked respectfully.

"I read it," he replied angrily. "And it's not relevant!"

"But did you find any mistakes?"

"It's not relevant!" shouted the highly educated professor, cursing prolifically as he rapidly followed his rude friend.

Sadly, I turned back to hand out a few more columns. Perhaps someday he'll think about it some more, I thought wistfully.

"Say no to Communism!" I boomed loudly as misguided leftists gathered across the big street. The new sign is clearly visible from a long distance away. They didn't look too happy to see me or the others and our large presence. (About 20 of us and 25 of them) There were some new people and old friends on the good side, but I really didn't get a chance to talk to many pro Americans this time. I was busy trying to clue in some moonbats. One young man and woman came to our side and stood in the middle of the group, holding their signs out along with us. This seemed strange to me. In the midst of flag-waving, pro-troop patriots, their presence just made our crowd look bigger! I began by thanking him for adding to our group and asked him to say no to Communism.

"No to communism" he snorted. "Does that make you happy?"

"So you're on record as believing Communism is evil?" I asked.

"I didn't say that!"

The converstation went on like that, with him eventually admitting that even through he was not a Communist, he had a friend that was, didn't think it was necessarily evil and didn't mind having them on his side. He was very proud that he got me to admit that war kills at least one person, but was silent when I told him I didn't understand the math of him protesting war even if it killed just one person but not protesting Communism when it killed over 100 million innocent civilians. He started asking me to just leave him alone but I reminded him that he came to stand in our group. The irritated activist said he just came over to get out of the sun, so I offered to hold my giant "Say No To Communism" sign directly over his head to give him shade. He gratefully accepted.

The two "infiltrators" sang a song but when I started one they tried to sing over me. So I pointed out that I had listened to their song; thereafter we were able to establish some ground rules - each side would be allowed to sing, letting the other sing next if they wished. Singing along with the other side was ok. But I ended up knowing a lot more songs, and, since I had my own song sheet, was able to sing all the verses of America the Beautiful, America and many other patriotic songs. I got them to sing a few pro American song verses with me, and bizarrely, the "anti-war" guy even broke into the US Army 3rd ID song, which I also happen to know, even though I was in the 1rst Armored.

Last time I had thought that each side seemed to respectfully stay to their own corner, or on the long sidewalk, each having their own space, as I had seen in reports from other cities. But apparently that was just a coincidence! The protest in Tucson is actually a free for all with everyone just running around haphazardly and cars not knowing who to honk for. The "anti-sun" guy finally got tired of my singing and went back to the other side but more moonbats took his place among us. A few accepted the Communism column but many didn't with some espousing the belief that there is more than one truth and they didn't want to know "mine." Some refused to look at the photo of Saddam's burning WTC mural, others denied it was real. Some admitted that no evidence would ever be good enough for them. Few claimed Communism or Socialism but everyone seemed to "have a friend."

Toward the end I worked very hard to get one liberal Christian lady to accept Rummel's Communism column; she finally did although I had to hold her sign for a while so she could read it! She noted that Professor Rummel claimed to be a Noble Peace Prize finalist when there is no such thing. Well, no such official thing but it was the prize committee who leaked to the press that he was an unofficial finalist, as Rummel explains on his blogsite. She admitted that Red China persecutes and kills Christians and in the end we were able to pray together in the name of Jesus that wisdom and understanding would permeate both sides of the debate. Imagine that! All in all a great day standing up for the troops - and standing up for America!

Wayne Boettcher is the owner of AmericanProtest.net

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