My parents finally came to visit me, since I have moved to northern Virginia. Since my dad is a D-Day vet (121st Combat Engineer’s 29th Infantry Division), he wanted to see the new WW-II memorial on the National Mall.  Today was a very nice day, the sun was shining, a nice breeze was blowing and the temperature was cool. A good day to go see the monuments, so off we go.  Little did we know what was going on at the Lincoln memorial.  

My dad mentioned that the morning news had said there was a “walk-a-thon” going on.  When we get there I could hear someone on a loud speaker, and I figured it was something related to the walk-a-thon. Nope, it was an anti war protest, organized by the Million Worker March.  link

Now I support and would be the first to defend these asshats right to protest, speak out and have their throw back to the sixties, hippie, anti government soap box derby.  But I started to get offended when they showed up at the WW-II memorial with their protest.  They began to wander around with their signs saying how the war in Iraq is illegal and that we (as a nation) have killed thousands of innocents, and it was just a war for oil, blah, blah it’s Bush’s fault, blah blah.  One idiot walked around with an American flag upside down and a few of his hippie friends started to set up their little banners slamming the president and pentagon at the entrance to the WW-II memorial.  

Then I noticed a few of the vet’s like my dad starting to get pissed.  They made a few remarks among themselves about how these bozos didn’t have a clue.  I assume that they went over to the U.S. Park Police who were nearby and complained. Very soon after, the protesters were ushered away by the USPP, hopefully with a few reminders that they were protesting at the wrong place, and were offending a bunch of men who had fought and won them the right to do what they were doing. The protester’s gave a little lip to the cop’s, but moved along when they saw all the people looking at them.  

After, spending about 45 minutes at the WW-II memorial, we went over to the Korean War and Viet Nam memorials.  Now, for those who have not been to the National Mall, these monuments are near the Lincoln memorial on opposite sides of the reflecting pool.  So we had to walk right through the center of the anti-war, anti-Bush, we love Kerry, give us money, vote vegan protest.  Just as we get there, they are playing a wonderful taped message from Mumia the “Political Prisoner”, recorded from his cell on death row.  This was followed by chants of “Free Mumia, Free Mumia” (I wanted to ask where I got my free mumia, or if it was a buy one mumia, get one free offer).  The diatribe of socialist rhetoric was hilarious.  Everyone wanted to give me and my folks their propaganda, and get a “donation” in return.  I was really impressed and motivated (to get out my Zippo) when I saw the Communist flags and Palestinian Flags flapping in the breeze along the National Mall.  Then the key note speaker stepped up to the microphone. None other than Danny Glover.  My parent’s both agreed that the protest was a just a bunch of “socialists and communists”.   As is typical with liberals, they were not tolerant of opposing views.  I got to watch some guy and something that was female (I think; and it needed to wash her hair) get into a verbal judo match.  He apparently told her to “get a job” as she tried to sell him some kind of anti-corporate, workers are victims, it’s Bush’s fault t-shirt.  She could only call him “asshole” and screech at him that it was wrong that corporations make money off the sweat of their workers or something like that. To which he pointed out that she approached him with the t-shirt she was trying to sell.

But, despite the protest, we had a great day. It was actually very interesting to see the protest, even though I didn’t agree with them. But that’s one of the great things about this country; everyone is entitled to their opinion.  My mother cringed at the guy protesting for AIDS in his pink ballerina tutu, black and pink t-shirt, combat boots, and dreadlocks.  She had a look on her face of “What kind of insect is that? Get me a broom and I’ll kill it.  For the most part we kept our mouths shut and comments to ourselves.  My dad was just saying loud enough to be heard “My name is Jose Jimenez” (his version of “I like pie” and taken from both the real Ed Sullivan show and the movie The Right Stuff). The protesters just looked at him perplexed as he made his way through the crowd, wearing his 29th Infantry Division ball cap and lapel pin.  

It's great to be an American.

I'm sorry your dad and you had to go through that.  But honestly those guys are so out in left field
with blinders on that even Binloden standing infromt of them with an AK wouldn't change thier POV.
Its the save the world/peace thing without ever doing anything.  I could go on but there's really no need.


Wolf

Oh we had a a great time.  I was good to point out that they (the protesters) were the Kerry crowd. again, I think they are the best advertisements to vote for Bush.

i saw part of that protest on tv.  stupid is an understatement.

tell your father thanks for his service!  

That is a really excellent post, I'm glad your father realizes that those people were the worst of America. And you let him feel like he is the best of America because that is the truth.