Where were the pro-war people today?

[Le Jacquelope]

Apparently they were again outnumbered by the people who came out today to demonstrate their hatred for this war in Iraq, so the pro-warhawks didn't even show up except in LA.

I wonder how many people are protesting this in silence...

Major Protests Mark Iraq War Anniversary

21 minutes ago

By VERENA DOBNIK, Associated Press Writer

NEW YORK - Hundreds of thousands of people around the world rallied against the U.S. presence in Iraq (news - web sites) on the first anniversary of the war Saturday, in protests that retained the anger, if not the size, of demonstrations held before the invasion began.

Protesters filled more than a dozen police-lined blocks in Manhattan, calling on President Bush (news - web sites) to bring home U.S. troops serving in Iraq. Mayor Michael Bloomberg estimated the crowd at about 30,000, but organizers said later that number had grown to more than 100,000.

"It is time to bring our children home and declare this war was unnecessary," said the Rev. Herbert Daughtry, a New York activist addressing a rally in Manhattan.

The roughly 250 anti-war protests scheduled around the country by United for Peace and Justice ranged from solemn to brash.

In Montpelier, Vt., hundreds of silent protesters placed a pair of shoes on the Statehouse steps for each of the more than 560 U.S. soldiers killed in the war. In Los Angeles, one of thousands of protesters held photographs of Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney (news - web sites) with the words, "forget Janet Jackson's — expose the real boobs."

Around the world, hundreds of thousands raised their voices in rallies from Spain to Egypt to the Philippines.

Organizers estimated up to 2 million people demonstrated in Rome, and 100,000 in London, but police in those cities gave estimates of 250,000 and 25,000, respectively.

Anti-war activists jammed the streets of central Rome, many of them decked out in rainbow-colored peace flags and chanting "assassins." Protesters demanded that the Italian government, a strong supporter of the war, withdraw its 2,600 troops from Iraq.

Paolo Quadrardi, 42, a mechanic, said the Madrid train bombings that killed 202 people March 11 showed that "war doesn't do anything but increase terrorism."

No crowd estimate was immediately available for Madrid's protest, although about 150,000 demonstrated in Barcelona. The numbers paled in comparison to the millions that packed streets all over Spain after the train bombings.

The rallies coincided with the anniversary of the first bombings in Baghdad last year. Although President Bush ordered the attacks on March 19, the time difference made it March 20 in Iraq.

While turnout was high in some nations, most protests were far smaller than the enormous demonstrations held around the world shortly before the war began.

A New York protest a year ago drew more than 125,000 by official estimates. Although that's similar to organizers' estimate Saturday, organizers last year estimated that crowd at more than 250,000.

Last year's rally produced several clashes between demonstrators and police, but police reported just four arrests on disorderly conduct charges Saturday.

New York police in riot gear walked calmly past barricades marking off the demonstration area on Madison Avenue as speakers mounted a stage to address the crowd on a sunny afternoon. Bloomberg and Police Commissioner Ray Kelly stopped by the rally, but didn't speak to demonstrators or participate.

In President Bush's hometown of Crawford, about 800 peace activists from across Texas marched, chanting, "One, two, three, four, kick the liar out the door."

"He got support based on fear," said Shannon Sharrock of Temple, Texas, a former Army helicopter pilot whose husband serves in Iraq. "The war in Iraq has nothing to do with terrorism."



The march kept John Taylor, an Air Force veteran who lives in Crawford, waiting at an intersection. He propped his cowboy hat above the steering wheel of his Ford pickup to block his view of the protesters, some holding up effigies of Bush.

"If they'd leave, it would be nice," said Taylor, 28.

Thousands of protesters marched through Chicago's downtown shopping district. The Rev. Jesse Jackson (news - web sites) urged the crowd to express their opposition to the war by voting against Bush.

"It's time to fight back," Jackson said. "Remember in November."

In Cincinnati, Claire Mugavin wore a biohazard suit to a protest that drew several hundred people. She pretended to look for weapons of mass destruction beneath benches and garbage cans.

"We figure they're not in Iraq," said the 24-year-old Cincinnati resident. "So we figured we'd come look for them in Fountain Square."

In San Francisco, thousands of taiko drummers, cyclists, activists and other protesters chanted "End the occupation" and "Impeach Bush." Richard Penrose, 77, and his wife boarded an early bus from Sacramento to join the rally.

"I don't know if Bush is going to hear the message, but we're hoping the people of the United States hear it. Because people should have their power back," Penrose said.

Thousands of people also turned out in Denver and Seattle, and demonstrations drew several hundred people in Atlanta, Albuquerque, N.M., and Augusta, Maine.

Many of the demonstrations were accompanied by smaller gatherings of Bush supporters. In Los Angeles, marchers passed by several dozen people who lined one Hollywood block, waving flags and chanting "Four more years."

"We believe in George Bush. We believe in what he's doing," said Gary Beck, 48, who was visiting from Tampa, Fla.

Germany, Greece, the Netherlands and other European countries also saw protests, while demonstrations took place earlier in Japan, Australia and India. About 500 protesters clashed with police outside the U.S. Embassy in the Philippines capital, Manila. No injuries were reported.

Demonstrators in Cairo — vastly outnumbered by riot police — burned an American flag. Hundreds of people gathered in other Middle Eastern capitals to denounce the war.

 

[TANG GOD]

L.T, beware the war machine!!
What you going to do when the largest arm in the world go wild on you.

 

[Le Jacquelope]

Beat him over the head with them, perhaps?

I already shot his father this last week for trying to escape from a Dallas zoo.

 

[breakwall]

Gimme an H


Gimme an Y


Gimme a P


...ah you know the rest.

 

[Jim311]

Silent majority. Nobody likes death, regardless of how evil or corrupt the people dying may be. I agree with the war, but I certainly won't be making propoganda signs and standing around shouting at people who will never see my side of things, so why bother?

 

[TANG GOD]

Beat him over the head with them, perhaps?

I already shot his father this last week for trying to escape from a Dallas zoo.

HAHAHA!!
So he's black? you're trying to imply, moron.

 

[Blindinthedark]

The war supporters were hiding behind the men with guns. Where else would they be?

 

[kellycummings]

The war supporters were hiding behind the men with guns. Where else would they be?

That's where the smart ones hide.

 

[Wildcard Ky]

I support the war. I don't need to go out and join some mass formation of people to make me feel good about myself.

 

[Jim311]

I support the war. I don't need to go out and join some mass formation of people to make me feel good about myself.

Nor do the majority of Americans. We might no protest but that doesn't mean we don't support what is happening. Like I said.. nobody likes death. No one is "pro-war" per say. War sucks. But sometimes the only way to deal with certain people is physical force.

 

[kellycummings]

This is just another stupid LT thread. For someone who has never served, he sure likes to start threads about the military and war and the draft.

 

[Jim311]

What draft?

 

[kellycummings]

What draft?

You'd have to ask LT about that, he's the one that's always going on about it.

 

[Jim311]

You'd have to ask LT about that, he's the one that's always going on about it.

I've seen that propoganda bullshit posted on various forums and easily disproved within seconds by people with any intelligence. It surprises me what misinformation the liberals of this site seem to spew. Stuff like that doesn't fly on most of the forums I frequent. It doesn't hold weight.

 

[kellycummings]

I've seen that propoganda bullshit posted on various forums and easily disproved within seconds by people with any intelligence. It surprises me what misinformation the liberals of this site seem to spew. Stuff like that doesn't fly on most of the forums I frequent. It doesn't hold weight.

It doesn't hold weight here either except with people like LT.
You said it yourself, "people with any intelligence." Some are too stubborn and stupid to know anything other than what they read on a conspiracy theory site or simply made up in their own pathetic little minds.

 

[Jim311]

It doesn't hold weight here either except with people like LT.
You said it yourself, "people with any intelligence." Some are too stubborn and stupid to know anything other than what they read on a conspiracy theory site or simply made up in their own pathetic little minds.

The funny part is that only the intelligent liberals have any opinions to me. Unless I see some factual information coming from reliable (relatively) unbiased sources, it's nothing more than an opinion to me. In most of the replies from clowns such as him, there's never any link posted, or anything that justifies what they have to say. I'm more inclined to agree with perspectives when they have a solid foundation, NOT one based on cliche catchphrases, as many of their statements are.

 

[kellycummings]

The funny part is that only the intelligent liberals have any opinions to me. Unless I see some factual information coming from reliable (relatively) unbiased sources, it's nothing more than an opinion to me. In most of the replies from clowns such as him, there's never any link posted, or anything that justifies what they have to say. I'm more inclined to agree with perspectives when they have a solid foundation, NOT one based on cliche catchphrases, as many of their statements are.

He'll throw a link at ya now and then but it's almost always bullshit or from a very disreputable source. Sometimes it's real but he takes it the wrong way.
He's the type to go looking for things that aren't there and then insult those who disagree.
It's fun to fuck with him though.

 

[Jim311]

He'll throw a link at ya now and then but it's almost always bullshit or from a very disreputable source. Sometimes it's real but he takes it the wrong way.
He's the type to go looking for things that aren't there and then insult those who disagree.
It's fun to fuck with him though.

I'm always down for a troll bashing.

 

[kellycummings]

I'm always down for a troll bashing.

His sigs have some quotes I made that pissed him off and he thinks it hurts me by putting them up like that. He took them out of context and thinks that people actually give a shit.
My theory is that him and the others like him are just sad little people with no friends who think that by making trouble and spewing psuedo-intellectual bullshit that people will think they are important or smart.

 

[Jim311]

His sigs have some quotes I made that pissed him off and he thinks it hurts me by putting them up like that. He took them out of context and thinks that people actually give a shit.
My theory is that him and the others like him are just sad little people with no friends who think that by making trouble and spewing psuedo-intellectual bullshit that people will think they are important or smart.

I think deep down, they have insecurities. Possibly they have a small penis, and need to compensate by joining the ultra-liberal clique.

 

[kellycummings]

I think deep down, they have insecurities. Possibly they have a small penis, and need to compensate by joining the ultra-liberal clique.

I can be pretty darn liberal sometimes but these guys take the cake. I thought I had heard it all until I came here.

 

[Jim311]

I can be pretty darn liberal sometimes but these guys take the cake. I thought I had heard it all until I came here.

The internet brings out the morons who can't get away with saying that shit in real life! At least here they have a sense of anonymity.

 

[kellycummings]

The internet brings out the morons who can't get away with saying that shit in real life! At least here they have a sense of anonymity.

The conspiracy shit gets me the most. They believe all that stuff.
I'm all for questioning the government and all that but when they start spouting off about how they're all out to get us, I can't help but laugh. Then I get mad because of their stupidity, then I laugh again, then I get mad again, then I go to bed still pissed off, then I get up and laugh.
I think I need a life.

 

[Jim311]

The conspiracy shit gets me the most. They believe all that stuff.
I'm all for questioning the government and all that but when they start spouting off about how they're all out to get us, I can't help but laugh. Then I get mad because of their stupidity, then I laugh again, then I get mad again, then I go to bed still pissed off, then I get up and laugh.
I think I need a life.

Shit, I need a life too. Sitting here on my ass on a Saturday night when there's plenty of other fun shit I could probably be doing. What's wrong with me!

 

[kellycummings]

Shit, I need a life too. Sitting here on my ass on a Saturday night when there's plenty of other fun shit I could probably be doing. What's wrong with me!

I can't remember the last time I actually went out on a saturday night. What's it like? Is it fun? Do people actually interact, like I've heard?