News Coverage

The Seattle Times has a story on yesterdays rally. I would like to compare his story with my view of what happened.

That exchange, moments into the two-hour protest, set the stage for a bitter exchange between a group of about 40 anti-war protesters and a slightly larger group gathered to denounce them.

First, if 150 to 40 is “slightly larger” I guess that’s ok.

Second, we did not come to “denounce them” (that we did for fun) we came to protect the recruiting center from them!

In all, nearly 4,000 U.S. service members have died. The estimated number of Iraqi civilian casualties varies widely, between about 30,000, as counted by the Bush administration, to more than 650,000, as counted by a 2007 survey of Iraqi medical providers.

The Iraq and Afghanistan wars will cost between $1.2 trillion and $1.7 trillion by 2017, according to the Congressional Budget Office; the 12-year Vietnam War cost $670 billion, in inflation-adjusted 2007 dollars. Other economists estimate the Iraq war alone could eventually cost up to $2.7 trillion, if veterans benefits are included.

This reporter cited every one of those “facts” about the cost of the war as part of every question he asked me, funny he didn’t print any of my answers.

As Nathan Bowling, a Tacoma middle-school teacher leading the anti-war protest,

I had no idea he was a teacher.

began reading off the list of deceased soldiers, he was pelted with catcalls from George Bentley and others.

"You will not defile their names," yelled Bentley, a 45-year-old Navy veteran. "Defilers!"

They defile the names of our troops when they use them as they do, to undermine their sacrifice, so I had to speak out.

Amid the taunts, Emma Kaplan, a 23-year-old anti-war organizer, tried in vain to sway Vince Wagner, a 48-year-old carrying a red, white and blue cellphone.

Emma Kaplan is a babe! I think this is her.

The rest of the story is your standard fair, for the last line I think I should point out I saw at least 5 active duty and reserve there, and many wives of service men on our side.

"You know what, that's what we fight for," Ramsey said, pointing to the anti-war crowd. "I just ask that they respect me."

HT: SondraK

Update: The Newest ad from Move America Forward

Update: yet another teacher?.. in comments,

Pseudotsuga: Hey, I know that guy with the 13 colonies American flag! He teaches English at local colleges