NationStates Jolt Archive

Exerpted from The Washington Post (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/08/AR2005090802140.html)


Organizers of the Pentagon's 9/11 memorial Freedom Walk on Sunday are taking extraordinary measures to control participation in the march and concert, with the route fenced off and lined with police and the event closed to anyone who does not register online by 4:30 p.m. today.

The march, sponsored by the Department of Defense, will wend its way from the Pentagon to the Mall along a route that has not been specified but will be lined with four-foot-high snow fencing to keep it closed and "sterile," said Allison Barber, deputy assistant secretary of defense.

The America Supports You Freedom Walk will begin at 10 a.m. Sunday in the Pentagon South parking lot and will end with a musical tribute by country music star Clint Black at the JFK Hockey Field near the Washington Monument. The parade route will be lined with snow fencing, allowing only those who preregistered to participate.

The U.S. Park Police will have its entire Washington force of several hundred on duty and along the route, on foot, horseback and motorcycles and monitoring from above by helicopter. Officers are prepared to arrest anyone who joins the march or concert without a credential and refuses to leave, said Park Police Chief Dwight E. Pettiford.

The event, the America Supports You Freedom Walk, is billed as a memorial to victims of the 2001 terrorist attacks and a show of support for those serving in the military, topped off with a concert by country singer Clint Black, known for his pro-troops anthem, "Iraq and Roll." Organizers said they expect 3,000 to 10,000 participants.

Barber said that organizers would rather not have such stringent measures on their event but that police had requested them.

Pettiford said officers would patrol to keep interlopers out because the Pentagon restricted the event in its permit application. "That is what their permit called for, so we have those fences to keep the public out."



Oh yes. Freedom is on the March!



Official "Freedom" Disclaimer:

Pre-registration for Freedom IS required, participants may stay free between the marked lines and fences only else risk the butt end of a heavy baton and an ass-dragging down to jail. Note that all of your movements during your "Freedom" will be monitored and evaluated for appropriate use....

LOL, this is just like the "spontaneous demonstrations" we had in communist Russia. The authorities would even print and distribute placards free of charge. :rolleyes:

Official "Freedom" Disclaimer:

Pre-registration for Freedom IS required, participants may stay free between the marked lines and fences only else risk the butt end of a heavy baton and an ass-dragging down to jail. Note that all of your movements during your "Freedom" will be monitored and evaluated for appropriate use....

Isn't democracy great. Sure you can have a march...but if we don't like it we'll beat you with sticks and tear gas...

Sounds kinda like Tianamen Square.

truly this is being organized by fanatical lovers of liberty

Exerpted from The Washington Post (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/08/AR2005090802140.html)




Oh yes. Freedom is on the March!



Official "Freedom" Disclaimer:

Pre-registration for Freedom IS required, participants may stay free between the marked lines and fences only else risk the butt end of a heavy baton and an ass-dragging down to jail. Note that all of your movements during your "Freedom" will be monitored and evaluated for appropriate use....

Fair enough. I mean, freedom is no longer a concept or ideal, just a handy phrase that American politicians must use in every second sentence.

Aside from the moronic rules and registration, there would seem to be a security concern. However, none of the rules or the fence seem to address security at all. You know what's scary? The people who planned this also plan the defense of an entire nation!

Aside from the moronic rules and registration, there would seem to be a security concern. However, none of the rules or the fence seem to address security at all. You know what's scary? The people who planned this also plan the defense of an entire nation!
Maybe their strategic defence plan for the US is to erect a 4' snow wall round the entire country, in order to keep them damn nasty Muslamic terrorists out.

*Alll of a sudden thinks he's Colonel Walter E. Kurtz*

Drop the bomb - exterminate them all!.

That's 3-10k of morons you could get rid of straight off the bat.

Aside from the moronic rules and registration, there would seem to be a security concern. However, none of the rules or the fence seem to address security at all. You know what's scary? The people who planned this also plan the defense of an entire nation!


The fact that the "security" is being predicated on credentials received by simple registering online makes the rest of it even more farsical.

https://www.penfed.org/freedomwalk/register.asp


There, I just signed up as Marvin T. Martian....

The fact that the "security" is being predicated on credentials received by simple registering online makes the rest of it even more farsical.

https://www.penfed.org/freedomwalk/register.asp


There, I just signed up as Marvin T. Martian....
Enjoy the March, Mr. Martian.

Plusfastwise bellyfeel AmCap, doubleplusungood crimethinkers, or the Freedom Police will send you to the Freedom Room! Bush is watching you...

The fact that the "security" is being predicated on credentials received by simple registering online makes the rest of it even more farsical.

https://www.penfed.org/freedomwalk/register.asp


There, I just signed up as Marvin T. Martian....
I wonder what would happen if you signed up as Osama Bin Laden?

I wish I could say I'm surprised. (Well, actually, I could say it, but I'd be lying.) The Bush administration is terrified of anything it doesn't control.

I think I'll enjoy true freedom by having nothing to do with officially-sponsored marches.

:rolleyes:

I wonder what would happen if you signed up as Osama Bin Laden?
Try it and report back to us. ;)

I wish I could say I'm surprised. (Well, actually, I could say it, but I'd be lying.) The Bush administration is terrified of anything it doesn't control.

I think I'll enjoy true freedom by having nothing to do with officially-sponsored marches.

:rolleyes:
Let's all sign up but not go. If 1000s sign up but only 10 or 12 show up, we could have freedom + laughs.

Just had an idea: What if you showed up for the march unregistered, but dressed up as Uncle Sam and waving a huge American flag?

Imagine the scene as Uncle Sam is beaten and handcuffed by US Government police, while the TV cameras roll and record it all. Now that would truly highlight the irony of this so-called "Freedom March". (Of course, it would highlight the irony even more if the police confiscated the tapes from the TV cameras...)

:rolleyes:

Another thought:
What would happen if you stood behind the snow-barrier and threw 'freedom fries' at the marchers? Surely that's a good thing, as they're bound to get hungry from their long walk.

I like how everything the yanks do is called "freedom-this" and "patriot-that".

Let's all sign up but not go. If 1000s sign up but only 10 or 12 show up, we could have freedom + laughs.
good idea, except i bet the administration would somehow spin that to mean the country is even more pro-bush. they can spin anything. or at least lie about it.

good idea, except i bet the administration would somehow spin that to mean the country is even more pro-bush. they can spin anything. or at least lie about it.
Too true. Let's just ignore the freedom-twerps. We'll call it Operation Patriot Ignore. (bows to Sildavya. ;) )

I like how everything the yanks do is called "freedom-this" and "patriot-that".


Psssssst.


Americans are not called Yanks anymore.




The new term is ...... "Freedom-patriots!"


:D

What would you do
If you were asked to give up your dreams for freedom
What would you do
If asked to make the ultimate sacrifice

Would you think about all them people
Who gave up everything they had.
Would you think about all them War Vets
And would you start to feel bad

Freedom isn't free
It costs folks like you and me
And if we don't all chip in
We'll never pay that bill
Freedom isn't free
No, there's a hefty fuckin' fee.
And if you don't throw in your buck 'o five
Who will?

What would you do
If someone told you to fight for freedom.
Would you answer the call
Or run away like a little pussy
'Cause the only reason that you're here.
Is 'cause folks died for you in the past
So maybe now it's your turn
To die kicking some ass

Freedom isn't free
It costs folks like you and me
And if we don't all chip in
We'll never pay that bill
Freedom isn't free
Now there's a have to hook'in fee
And if you don't throw in your buck 'o five
Who will?

You don't throw in your buck 'o five. Who will?
Oooh buck 'o five
Freedom costs a buck 'o five

Plusfastwise bellyfeel AmCap, doubleplusungood crimethinkers, or the Freedom Police will send you to the Freedom Room! Bush is watching you...
Say WHAT?!

http://www.defenselink.mil/americasupportsyou/contact.html

Notice how at the bottom it says the website is maintained by the DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE? Independently-organized demonstration my ass. It certainly does sound like a "spontaneous demonstration" in good ole Mother Russia.

It is a totally ludicrous idea, to 'restrict' freedom. I am reminded of the USSR, everyone was equal, but some were more equal than others.
I have signed up Mr. Tony Blair PM as a marcher, I would love (as would a large proportion of Britain) to see Blair beaten up by the US Police Force.
Why is it that ever since the Bush Administration came in, Americans have been hemorrhaging civil liberties (so have we Brit's, but not quite as quickly)?
People will remember it. Who was it who said "A long memory is the most subversive idea in America"?
Was not one of the founding principle of your country one of freedom? Or was it meant to be freedom at the discretion of an idiotic, paranoid, lunatic manned government?
I suppose that they would say: omnes deteriores svmvs licentia.
Well if they acctually understood Latin they, might say it.

Disclaimer: Any resemblance between the above views and those of my employer, my terminal, or the view out my window are purely coincidental. Any resemblance between the above and my own views is non-deterministic. The question of the existence of views in the absence of anyone to hold them is left as an exercise for the reader. The question of the existence of the reader is left as an exercise for the second god coefficient. (A discussion of non-orthogonal, non-integral polytheism is beyond the scope of this article.)

The fact that the "security" is being predicated on credentials received by simple registering online makes the rest of it even more farsical.

https://www.penfed.org/freedomwalk/register.asp


There, I just signed up as Marvin T. Martian....

Odd things about the form:

Filling in your shirt size is mandatory (freedom uniforms for all?)

In 'groups' you can be (amongs others):
-a governement worker (lot's of options)
-9/11 Family Member
-McDonalds ??? (Big macs for everyone?)
-Lockheed Martin ?????

I, for one, fail to see the problem. They want government protection. So what? I fail to see how this infringes on civil liberties.

I was checking out the "Group Affiliation"

Half the list are US government departments! and one is McDonalds.
Is WMAL = Walmart?

I, for one, fail to see the problem. They want government protection. So what? I fail to see how this infringes on civil liberties.

It doesn't infringe on civil liberties. What this thing is is nothing more than a staged show. An rehearsed and planned act of "freedom" to show the rest of us peons how "great" American "freedom" is. In short. It's propoganda. And poorly done too. I mean, a show about freedom with a severe lack of it for anyone not registered.

So yes, freedom. About as free as money in a bank vault no doubt.

Whoever planned this idea must have won the award for "How to best waste money"

I was checking out the "Group Affiliation"

Half the list are US government departments! and one is McDonalds.
Is WMAL = Walmart?

Don't you know? McDonalds is an old branch of the CIA, specializing in infiltration and subversive activities. You know, small, high tech, highly trained groups spread out all over the world. As was said once.

"We may kill their soldiers, flatten their cities, but we'll never be able to defeat their hamburger stands"

;)

I wonder what would happen if you signed up as Osama Bin Laden?

His registration number is WEB080539.

And his e-mail is usama@mailinator.com.
To check it out just go to mailinator.com (http://www.mailinator.com/mailinator/maildir.jsp?email=usama).

I, for one, fail to see the problem. They want government protection. So what? I fail to see how this infringes on civil liberties.



Errr, no. The government is INSISTING on protecting the march, not the other way around.

And no-one is calling it an infringement on civil liberties.


I'm just calling it a farce.

I suppose this wouldn't cause as much rucus if the march was simply called "9/11 commemorative march". But the attacks were against our "Freedom" weren't they? That's the only reason why, so we have to add it into anything public we do, don't we? :rolleyes:

I think that any commemorative march for this event which seems to need more security than the Republican National Convention while following the dumb concept that MArvin T Martian can sign up online to attend, but joe citizen can't just show up to pay their respects would be deserving of equal ridicule.


The name that they attached to it just added the component of total irony.

His registration number is WEB080539.

And his e-mail is usama@mailinator.com.
To check it out just go to mailinator.com (http://www.mailinator.com/mailinator/maildir.jsp?email=usama).
Outstanding! :D