SwiftVets.com

Bob Chamberlain

John Edwards conducted a Town Hall Meeting here in Raleigh yesterday. I took my signs from the Kerry Lied Rally in Washington downtown to "march in protest". I actually was hoping to find (and join) a number of anti-Kerry and/or pro-Bush demonstrators there. For the first 15 minutes or so, I was alone. Then three young people from NC State showed up. Then the police made us leave until I could go down to the central police station and get a parade permit. You live and learn. We had a few positive responses from passersby and a few rude gestures from the Democrats lined up on the other side of the street to enter the convention center. The media was all inside, so we got no press coverage at all. Edwards may or may not have seen us. He passed right by us to get into the underground parking lot, but the windows were all blacked out, so I couldn't even tell which car he was in. A security measure I suppose.

In any case, I had hoped to find some "comrades in arms" to help me set up and run an Operation Street Corner "booth" here in Raleigh. To see what I am talking about, go to the website www.kerrylied.com scroll down to the bottom and click on the link. What I am trying to do is find a place with some relatively heavy weekend foot traffic - someplace like Cameron Village - and set up an Operation Street Corner "booth". My goal is to get the word out to some people who may not be following the blogs or the cable news outlets. Indirectly, I hope to get enough attention to get on the news here locally.

Is there anyone out there from the Raleigh area who would like to help?
_________________
Bob

Useful anti-Kerry campaign material at:
http://www.betrayed-vietnam-vet.info

Doc Jerry · Commander Joined: 28 May 2004 Posts: 339

Wish I was down there to help you out. Keep up the good fight.

Cool

Medics, we're there when you need us.

Stevie · Posted: Wed Sep 22, 2004 12:18 am Post subject:

Great idea! be sure to check the local city tax / licensing office to see if you need any special permits / license. I worked in a city (here in AZ) licensing (and tax) office .... depends on the city ordinances. if they say no, get their name... and ask if you need to check with any other offices (like zoning)... also, ask the person how long they have worked in that office.... any one who is fairly new, check with supervisor....

to find help, check local college and / or VFW or recruiting office.

Kerry people send some ahead to look for protestors etc... ; check his

website (or local DNC office) for any future ralleys so you can get permits

in advance.

Good Luck! let us know how it goes!
_________________
Stevie
Congressmen who willfully take actions during wartime that damage
morale and undermine the military are saboteurs and should
be arrested, exiled or hanged.

Bob Chamberlain · Posted: Wed Sep 22, 2004 12:34 am Post subject: Advance notice

I don't think the Kerry campaign is giving out any advance notice. I have been checking the Kerry and Edwards websites to see if they publish any sort of appearance schedule. Nothing. There was not a word on the local news about the Edwards meeting until Monday morning. While I was getting the permit, I asked the police sergeant how much warning they had gotten and he said they were first informed sometime Saturday. It is obvious that the Dems are "stocking" these town hall meetings with the faithful. There was quite a crowd at the convention center waiting to get in, but they sure in Hell didn't show up because of any "general" advertising. I suppose that makes for a better looking TV clip, but it seems a bit stupid to be "preaching to the choir". Whose votes do they figure to change if the entire audience is already committed? They did get some local TV coverage and I suppose maybe even some national coverage. But it seems that they went to an awfu lot of trouble and expense just to get a photo op with a supportive crowd cheering their BS.

As for permits, it never occured to me that I would need a permit to stand on the public sidewalk carrying a couple of signs. Wrong. I doubt Raleigh is unigue. So, a word to the wise: get your permit on the way to the "rally". In Raleigh, one person has to get the permit, be on site full time and be responsible for picking up any trash. The permits are limited to location, time and number of participants. I suspect this is typical. I found the police to be quite polite and helpful. Nobody said so in so many words, but I got the feeling they approved of what I was doing. They certainly could not have been any nicer - but they did insist that I follow the established procedure.
_________________
Bob

Useful anti-Kerry campaign material at:
http://www.betrayed-vietnam-vet.info

buffman · LCDR Joined: 21 Aug 2004 Posts: 437

email me, thanks
_________________
Never Ever Give Up
America First

Stevie · Posted: Wed Sep 22, 2004 2:56 am Post subject:

in some cities, you might not even be able to get the permit on the same day.... I think you were very lucky to be able to there.... in the different citiies around here (and there are several that butt up to each other) they each have different laws... you can be in one city on one side of the street and another city on the other side of the street...

bush got the backing from the largest police union - I think that's what I heard or read.... and the police probably just wanted you to be sure to follow the rules so that kerry people wouldn't try to use that against them.... or you! sounds like kerry/edwards just has the local headquarters line up people to come to the rallys - and yes, that sounds stupid to me.... they aren't getting much national coverage - Edwards that is - we might see a short news clip once or twice a week.... lately people have even been asking 'what happened to edwards?' - that's why I think we've even had those few clips this past week.... wanted everyone to know he is alive! I think Edwards was a bad pick for vp.... from what I hear, he won't even carry his own state!

Do you thnk alot of people saw you with your sign? drive bys? did other people join you?

I've also heard that Edwards team follows bush around... they show up in a city a day or 2 after Bush! they do that to counter whatever Bush said in that area! idiots!
_________________
Stevie
Congressmen who willfully take actions during wartime that damage
morale and undermine the military are saboteurs and should
be arrested, exiled or hanged.

Bob Chamberlain · Posted: Wed Sep 22, 2004 3:27 am Post subject: Raleigh demo

Ther were some drive-bys that honked and/or waved. One car even stopped to talk until the police made them move on. One or two people walked by and one of them was quite supportive. But I don't feel I reached out to anybody to change their opinions - or vote. That is why I am trying to set up the Operation Street Corner booth. I was joined by three students from NC State. One of them had rented a dolphin costume. He was "Flipper" Kerry. But it was just the four of us.

And the reason I am doing this is to do as much as I can to make sure that Edwards does NOT carry his home state!
_________________
Bob

Useful anti-Kerry campaign material at:
http://www.betrayed-vietnam-vet.info