I had to share what happened to a new young protestor today

[TexasLady]

My son has a really wonderful couple of friends, newlyweds...Love that wife, I do! Well, he tells me that today He was talking to the wife, and that they were discussing anything from protests to anarchy and its definitions, and on and on...He says to her"The only problem is that we bitch and never DO anything about it!" Well apparently she decided to DO something today!

So son tells me, "Mom. guess what so and so did today?" what?, I ask."Well, she decided to make a sign that said Impeach Bush, and on the other side had the number of dead soldiers in Iraq. She went to a VERY busy street in our town...at XXXX street." The bad news is that a carload of GI's( we live near a base) stopped, Cussed her out, grabbed her sign, and tore it up. She was alone. Shes MAYBE 110 pounds soaking wet. She cried when they did this..." "Well," I ask, "what's the good news?" "Well," son says, "A really nice old lady came up to her and told her 'dont you worry darlin, some people are just RUDE', and some nice guy who witnessed it said not to worry.." THEN, he said, HEY screw Them!!You tape that sign back up and dont you back down! So she stayed alongside the man.... said that she was very surprised at the plethora of different responses she got. She's a very emotional type o gal anyway, and there's no 'gray' about her. I havent had a chance to talk to her, told my son "I wish you, or me, or her H would have been with her, because I doubt these dumb jerks would have pulled that shit"(son is 6 feet 200 pounds)....I plan on joining her the next time she decides to do this sort of thing. It was one of the bravest things Ive heard anyone ever do. I admire her sooo much!!!

Sooo, Im applauding her right here and now, because in this small town where lots of people still worship that thug, I have to say how proud I am of her! Darlin, if you read this, Just know that I wish I could have been there! And I WILL be next time! You courageous girl you!

[FreedomAngel82]

1. Good for her for sticking it out!

I give her tons of props!

[babylonsister]

2. Ah, hurray for youth, activism, and fearlessness!

She's tops in my book! :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :headbang:

Edit for typo

[NMDemDist2]

3. this story is worth a K&N for a true lady patriot and heroine! n/t

[TexasLady]

7. I so agree...

I am pointing her to this thread, so she knows just how many people are on her side. I dont know if she visits DU, but I will definitely show her this when I talk to her!
Her name is Amber.

[Cornus]

8. You go Amber...

If enough of us do this, this immoral regime will finally get the message.

[LaurenG]

4. That was very brave.

Nice! :thumbsup:

[blue cat]

5. That must have been hard to take. n/t

[pocket]

6. fucking GI goons

just think what they are doing over in Iraq where they can get away with anything

[chalky]

44. Dumbasses. The life she saves might be their own.

n/t

[patrice]

9. THANK you TexasLady!! and Friends! Be Proud of your Strength!

Don't let anyone pull you down to their level of violence. Ghandi and MLK, as you know, have lots of practicle advice on that topic. You are doing something that is very Needed and important. God bless you All.

My friends and I have been doing this here in KC. We like to make our own signs and work hard on the messages to inform and educate, since traffic stops for the Lights. We are the anti-Media, or un-Media maybe.

[TexasLady]

11. fantastic!

KC NEEDS you! un media indeed!!!Bless YOU all!!

[patrice]

17. They Love us here. We smile and wave and joke around.

Lots of honking, sometimes by a couple or three cars at a time. Lots of gov't. vehicles, especially City, honk for us too. It's fun.

[jeff30997]

10. Amber,you're so cool!!!

:thumbsup: :thumbsup:

[pstans]

12. Keep fighting

:kick:
:yourock:
:patriot:

[liveoaktx]

13. She IS very brave-I see you're near Ft Hood!

[laheina]

14. Pass along to her

That we think that she ROCKS! :headbang:

As the GIs in the story demonstrate: It's very easy to show your point of view when you have a group of people standing behind you, especially when scaring a woman. But she did what many of us can't. She stood up, *alone*, to express her opinion. How many of us can ever say that?

[TexasLady]

15. OMG, not me! Im ashamed of myself

that i have never done such a brave thing! BUT, when ONE starts, others follow! She has shown all of my kids, and ME and my H and many of their friends what it takes to STAND UP! and be heard!

[IsItJustMe]

29. I too have had to make a stand, and I believe you will too when push-comes

to-shove.

Two months ago I was at a local pub. A Repuke drunk next to me asked me if I had kids. I told him that I had two teen-age daughters.

He asked me if they were in the military. The question seemed insane to me.

I told him, "why the hell would I put my daughters in the military when * didn't even have his daughters in the military".

Don't ask me why I said that, but sometimes things on your mind just comes out.

He started calling me a coward. I called him a fool. He tried to hit me but several people stepped in. The bartender then looked at me and said, "you're barred".

Crazy days indeed.

[TexasLady]

33. idiot bartender

and GOOD for YOU!

believe it or not, ive had more luck with the 'ill fight for your right' types than anything..sounds like a total dimwitted fool and YOU were so right to stand up to the prick. Nothing like a morAn in a bar showing his 'manhood' in a freakin bar. Id have said the following, and HAVE said this before... "how that widdle peepee doin? How did it feel when your last girlfriend dumped you and told you that you were a pathetic little bitch, and threw you her nastiest pair of pink panties and told you to put em on? Did you feel as big as you do now? I heard she dumped you because you secretly like to play the sissy-bitch in bed. Is that why you like to play 'big boy?' in social settings? What are you wearing RIGHT NOW!" I dont know, i just cant stand these types of men...thats why liberal men are so sexy to me! They dont SAY, they DO! AND they live and let live! FUCK the BUSHBOTS~!

[Hardrada]

41. I used to get thrown out of bars too back in the later Sixties

even one where I had a 400 dollar tab (figure out how much THAT is in today's $$$). Mainly because I persisted in wearing peace buttons and opposing the Nam war in clear tones.

[laheina]

35. I am sure that getting you all to help

is a good reward too. :)

[Canadian Socialist]

16. I don't know about U.S. army discipline

but in Canada, if a soldier had assaulted (yes... ASSAULTED...) anyone like that, they would be up on charges soooo fast their heads would spin. She should complain to the base commander. Hopefully, if they were in uniform, she got some sort of identification (car licence, name tags, etc.). Even if she didn't get said ID, she should still make a complaint.

[immoderate]

21. Yes. Call the base commander and report the assault.

I'll bet an general order will come down the chain. The army doesn't need that to be public. Imagine if someone had video taped that.

--IMM

[TexasLady]

25. When I DO see her again, Ill certainly ask her

if she remembers anything..name tags on uniform, or anything..because you are RIGHT..

[Canadian Socialist]

30. It doesn't matter if she remembers any particulars

What is important is that the complaint goes on the record. Then, the C.O. (commanding officer) should then tell all the soldiers under his/her command to behave. Also, it would be good if she has corroborating witnesses (the people that helped her tape the poster back up again, for instance.) I do know, as an army brat (my dad was a high ranking officer in the Canadian Armed Forces - and I asked him about this) that the higher ups will take this very seriously. Very seriously.
editing to add: my dad also said, if the officers do not take this seriously, then there really is a problem in the forces. When I described the situation to him, he was outraged. He said, if any of the men/women under his command had acted in such a manner, they would be doing hard time in gaol. And they would lose pay and/or rank.

[TexasLady]

34. Thanks, CS

I will definitely look into it, and see what we can do!

[KT2000]

18. Wow! That is impressive

Courageous is right - pass along my kudos please.
:applause:

[IsItJustMe]

19. Some must step forward, and yes, fight the good fight

awesome!!!!!!

[zeemike]

20. No doubt about her courage

That is something most people would not have the nerve to do alone.
This is one of the best stories I have heard in a long time.

[RagingInMiami]

22. If I were you

I would write a LTTE to the paper describing how the local GIs -- when they're not spreading freedom and democracy abroad -- are busy stifling freedom of speech at home.

[TexasLady]

24. GRAND idea!

I happen to know that a LOT of GIs around here are NOT into drinking the Koolaid. Apparently these are just little twits who felt that one of em, (as the others remained in the car), thought hed be all tough, picking on a young woman!..I can almost guarantee they HAVENT been to Iraq~!

[TexasLady]

27. AAA men!

[rateyes]

23. Those GI's could get court-marshalled for that little stunt...

Report it to the base commander. Jerks. And KUDOS to you and her!!!!!

[Booster]

26. K&R for a very brave little lady.

:yourock:

[stop the bleeding]

28. one by one we will make a stand for what is right against what is wrong

:applause:

[degreesofgray]

31. Exactly what do these bozoes

believe they're swearing to protect when they take an oath to uphold the constitution? Or did they swear an oath to * instead?

[TexasLady]

32. as grandpa would have said

who was a thru and thru democrat...

these boys is pure-la-tee stupid.

[spuddonna]

36. Amber, you are so brave! Good for you!

The soldiers that did this to your sign don't represent what our country stands for. Our soldiers are supposed to defend our right to free speech! And that speech INCLUDES DISSENT!!

I applaud you! Peace! :applause:

“Restriction of free thought and free speech is the most dangerous of all subversions. It is the one un-American act that could most easily defeat us.”—Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas

“Whoever would overthrow the liberty of a nation must begin by subduing the freeness of speech.”—Benjamin Franklin

“Without Freedom of Thought, there can be no such Thing as Wisdom; and no such Thing as public Liberty, without Freedom of Speech.”—Benjamin Franklin

“They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.”—Benjamin Franklin, Historical Review of Pennsylvania, 1759

“Censorship reflects a society’s lack of confidence in itself. It is a hallmark of an authoritarian regime . . . .”—Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart

America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves. -Abraham Lincoln

[TexasLady]

37. Beautiful! Thank you n/t

[buddysmellgood]

38. Outstanding. I hope you'll share my admiration for her. Let her know her

dedication has inspired people well beyond your small town.

[TexasLady]

39. adding to story..

son just got home and said "I forgot to tell you another part to it!" "The Cops came, told her to stop, she said NO I will NOT stop! She said, "the only thing Ill do is move to another area if someone has a problem with me being HERE specifically.(business owners must have complained) They threatened her with arrest(said she was soliciting?). She said ARREST ME!Im NOT SOLICITING!!! and they backed down and said NO they couldnt arrest her, but would she please stop. NO..NO I WILL NOT~. Stupid Texas Cops. well at least these Particular dumb asses.,.

[qanda]

51. I love this girl!

What a brave soul she is. Tell her that she has my respect and admiration and to keep up the good work!
!!

[Senator]

52. She could report the cops as well

Threatening someone with false arrest is just as terrorizing as tearing up their placard.

If you know an attorney who'd do you/her a favor she might be able to make formal complaints to both the chief/commissioner of police and the local base commander without being identified.

She need only provide specifics as to time and place; and the actions of those who violated her free speech rights.

Not something to do on a whim, but if she can handle the risk it could go a long way toward changing things.

I would just suggest that she do the formal complaining without (or at least prior to) going to the media.

Again, carefully weighing her specific situation is first. But they have handed her a much more powerful weapon than a simple poster on a corner. Should she decide to use it.

We must make the injustice visible. -- Ghandi

--
www.january6th.org

[TexasLady]

40. bump

im mreading the thread to her over the phone now

[BlueCollar]

42. Sounds to me like it's time for the Texas Veteran DU'ers

to make a roadtrip to Belton. No way this should happen without some support from we veterans...have you posted this in the Texas forum?

For the record...I volunteer and I'm going to contact some friends


http://www.texasdemocraticveterans.org/


edit to add link

[progressivebydesign]

43. And the brothers of those GIs are dying in Iraq to give Iraqis that right.

It's it ironic??? Our troops are dying in Iraq to give Iraqis the right to do what they tried to stop her from doing.

She's a brave woman.

[BuyingThyme]

45. As above, please encourage them to report this to somebody.

The regime is busy court marshaling people for having sex, so locking up militant anti-Americans should be a no-brainer.

[northofdenali]

46. You ROCK, Amber!

When you get to Alaska, I'll buy the first brew!!!

Thanks for the inspiration, Amber and TexasLady - from another red stater who tries to convert the unconvertable.

:yourock:

[Tsiyu]

47. Awesome

:headbang:

[sonias]

48. Texas Lady, that's a beautiful story

I really do hope the wife takes heart and sticks it out. She's crossed over to the activism side because she cares. I hope the experience showed her, you are never alone. She speaks for the other people who are too scared to take action. Yet when she took the first step, and was attacked, the scared came out to stand with her.

Bravo for her courage! TexasLady, tell her she should come on to DU, and she'll always be among friends.

And a big hello to you TexasLady. :hi:

Sonia

[mdmc]

49. Courage !!!

makes me proud.:kick:

[Keseys Ghost]

50. ONWARD!

I loved this post!

[druidity33]

53. Amherst, MA...

In this lil' librul town, there is a group of ladies who stand on the busiest corner every Saturday for a few hours dressed all in black with black signs + white lettering with sayings such as "No more War for Oil" or "Impeach Bush" or "Bring our Soldiers Home"... they get many more honks than jeers. Sometimes though i wonder whether it would be better if they picked a different smaller, rural town nearby and did the same thing. I work in town and sometimes stand with the "women in black" at lunchtime to help distribute leaflets and such. Persistence does seem to work though... people will come up to talk if they see you there a few weeks in a row. But even in this town i WOULD NOT stand out there alone. There is it is true, safety in numbers.
Peace.