UP TO 20,000 KNOXVILLE RESIDENTS TURNED OUT TO WELCOME HOME TENNESSEE’S 287TH REGIMENTAL COMBAT TEAM FROM IRAQ
It was almost a year ago that we were subjected by the press to non-stop, wall to wall coverage of the vigil outside of the President’s ranch by that Maven of Peace, that Rosa Parks of the Anti-War Movement, that Mother of Moonbats Cindy Sheehan.
We were told at the time that, like a comet that portends the future, Sheehan’s mass movement would sweep aside George Bush and the Republicans while bringing the troops in Iraq home. This unstoppable mass of humanity would be a powerful force for change that was growing every day and one might as well stand in front of a freight train as try and stop it.
But something strange happened on Mother Sheehan’s ride toward immortality; hardly anyone else got on the train with her:
CINDY SHEEHAN MARCHES TO THE WHITE HOUSE WITH THE REST OF HER MASS PROTEST MOVEMENT
To this day, Sheehan is still a player in search of an audience, still desperately seeking attention as saner liberals tip toe away in embarrassment having once supported her. The fact that her unhinged rhetoric (she once called New Orleans “an occupied city”) has made her a laughingstock on the right still doesn’t seem to stop the media from writing glowing paeans to her and her cause.
I bring this up because yesterday, the residents of Knoxville showed Sheehan and all the other lefties what a real mass movement is: patriotic Americans welcoming home troops and thanking them for a job well done:
Up to 20,000 people turned out Saturday for a parade to welcome home the National Guard’s 278th Regimental Combat Team, providing a big-city atmosphere powered by small-town values.The rains that had been pelting the region ceased and the clouds gave way to bright sunshine for the two-hour Celebrate Freedom Parade 2006 through downtown Knoxville.
“What a great sight this is on the street today,” said Gov. Phil Bredesen as he reviewed the 2,500 members of the 278th standing in parade formation wearing their camouflage uniforms. As governor, Bredesen is commander of the Tennessee National Guard.
Bredesen said the men and women of the 278th who were deployed to Iraq for a year represent “what is the very best of our state and the very best of our nation.”
“I thank you for your courage and sacrifices,” the governor told the soldiers. “You left as trained citizens and you came back as warriors.”
Kudos to the Governor and the residents of Knoxville for showing the rest of America how to really support the troops.
Hopefully, this will give other cities and towns the idea to show our heroes how much we truly appreciate their sacrifices and respect the job that they and their comrades still in harms way are doing to advance the cause of freedom in Iraq.
And then there is this from a father who lost a son in Iraq who came out to welcome home his dead son’s friends and comrades:
Gary Lee Reese Sr., of Ashland City, Tenn., lost his 22-year-old son Sgt. Gary L. Reese Jr. on Aug. 13, 2005, to a similar [IED] device. Serving in Iraq, Reese said, provided his son a perspective on life he never would have gained otherwise.“I think the soldiers saw that these people should have the opportunity to have what we have,” Reese said. “He stood up for the right thing, and I’m very proud of that,” Reese said. He added he rarely saw a picture of his son in Iraq without children surrounding the soldier.
“Those little kids who got to know Lee knew he wasn’t there to teach them how to strap bombs on. He was there to help them have what he has.
“I know his life wasn’t wasted because he gave those children an opportunity see who the good guys are and who the bad guys are.”
We’ll give John Hinderaker the last word:
Amid all of the adoring publicity that is lavished on extremists like Cindy Sheehan, or malcontents like the seven now-famous generals, couldn’t the dominant media find just a moment to take note of Mr. Reese’s inexpressibly noble perspective on his son’s life and death?
10:28 am
Bravo! Where can we find a schedule for other arriving troops?
10:56 am
[...] Seems even the heavens had decided it was best to not rain on this parade. Hat tip to Rick Moran, who compares this celebration to Cindy Sheehan’s paltry dozen-man march on DC. I prefer to compare it to the immature, hate filled actions from the far leftwing base of the Democrat party (here and here). Some people have no perspective or respect for their fellow Americans. For them it is civil war 24×7. [...]
11:24 am
What If They Gave a Protest Movement and Nobody Came?
Right Wing Nuthouse has a terrific post up comparing a recent “Welcome Home” parade for troops finishing their tour of duty in Iraq, and Cindy Sheehan’s ragtag bunch of followers. It’s gotten so bad that the Leftists have increasingly turned…
11:33 am
I’m ashamed that we have to find stories like the one above on Internet blogs (not to say blogs are bad, in fact this was an excellent post Rick.) But where is the MSM? Why can’t they write or broadcast stories about true American heros and patriots? Instead they would rather cannonize Cindy Sheehan, et. al. and the far left Loonies and undermine the Administration in a time of war. I’m convinced we are not only involved in a War on Terror – we’re also involved in a “Cold Civil War” at home too.
4:44 pm
If extraordinary rendition is such a good thing, why don’t we just torture the terrorists right here in America? Oh, could it be that it would be even more criminal than it already is and no White House attorney in a thousand years let the holy trinity of Bush Rusmfeld and Cheney do it here.
I can’t believe you guys are defending torturing people as a patriotic value…tisk-tisk-tisk
Aren’t Saddam’s torture chambers one of the lists of why we had to go to war?
BTW, they weren’t all terrorists. Maher Arar was the first person to mount a civil suit challenging the U.S. government policy known as extraordinary rendition.
6:16 am
Here in the Fort Benning area there are huge welcomes when the guys come home. I know there won’t be a parade when my hubby comes home because he’s not over there with a unit, but at least he knows when he gets off the plane I will be there and he’s in a place that appreciates their military.
6:31 pm
Welcome home!
Can’t wait for the rest of you to get back!
7:11 pm
Wednesday Specials
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5:09 pm
You are not telling the whole story-she is not opposed to the military. She is opposed to the war. Why is that so hard for you to understand?
My own son just returned from Iraq-he is opposed to-was opposed before the war. Said there were no links to 9/11 or WMD’s. Son was right-as was Cindy Sheehan. You folks support the misuse of our troops-that is not support!