A small but determined group of activists from Home of the Brave protested the appearance of the illegally selected 43rd president of the United States of America, George W. Bush, in Waco, Texas. The Shrub was in town to kick off a promotional tour of small, star-struck cities in the geographic center of the country (away from the liberal East and West coasts). Somehow, he will manage to squeeze in visits to five cities during his month-long vacation. This PR campaign, almost cleverly named the Home to the Heartland Tour, is supposed to boost his sagging approval ratings by showing everybody what a likable dullard he really is, instead of the callous, elitist prick he pretends to be. We think otherwise, and these are our observations:
The Redcat’s Report:
It was a great protest yesterday. I am proud to have been there. I
want to tell everyone else what I saw as it was happening. I think you
will not find this story in the press.
At 4:30am I hear this NPR report that bush HAS been to the House for
humanities this morning. Like it has already happened. IT IS STILL
DARK!!! how can this be?
This whole thing was just one big photo-op. The bushies wanted to milk
it for all it was worth all day long it seems. I had just left my
house when I heard this report that Bush had been there already this
morning. I figured he would be there early but come in the DARK!!
that can't be right. you need light for a photo-op.
I picked up two other protesters, Pink Cat aka M-cat and catboy, cb, I
told them about the NPR story I had heard. We decided to go anyway, As
we were meeting another protester there in Waco and we wanted to check
out how the photo-op went down in the dark.LOL
We got to Waco about 7:15. When we got out of the car we were met by
our 4th member. Alleycat, She had already done some good scouting. The
press was indeed camped there at the Waco Hilton (an oxymoron if there
ever was one,) The place was kind of dark and dumpy. She reported she
had posed as a representative of her Bowling league that will be
staying there this weekend. (true story) She said that she had gotten
to talk to the press, They were waiting for the bus that was going to
take them to the Bush photo-op. They were playing along like the good
little whores they are but they were not happy about it. We were just
talking about our perfect timing when I spotted this DMN reporter
chatting outside the Hilton with this AP reporter. I called out to him
and he came over. I introduced him to the cats. I told him we were
there to protest. I asked him where they were going. he did not even
know the location. I told him I wanted him to help me get just one
line in the press. I hugged him when he promised to would try to get
it. (OK. I was a suck-up, hey what can I say, I NEEDED them on my side for
the day.)
We all piled into alleycat's big brown boat ( I mean nice car
alleycat, LOL) When we saw the van pull out alleycat hit the engine,
"oh no" she says as the Thing, refused to roll over. "oh shit" we
yelled as the white whorevan pulled out! " Run" I yelled "my truck!"
There was a moment of frustration as I cussed and dug for my keys in
my purse, (they were in my hand the whole time, DUH!) We piled in to
my White SUV (ok, they are good for something,LOL) I hauled us out of
there in the direction of the whorevan and thanks to CB's and
alleycat's great vision and m-cats great navigating. We soon caught up
with the van. I saw the van. It had gone inside a police barricade. I
parked about an half a block away on a side street directly across from
a red and white awning ("Bingo!" I said seeing the target and
laughing, "That has got to be it") and we all piled out. M-cat and I
were dressed as possible protesters. In shorts and tees, Me in a
M-cat/Lisa Thomas Famous 1st amendment/I protest Bush tee and M-cat in
her "hey smirk get out of my house" Al Gore tee. We were holding
manilla file folders closed. Not signs. We held them close hiding the
logos we were wearing. CB and alleycat were dressed for church/work?
they looked like repugs. LOL. CB was in charge of photos, Nice job CB.
Alleycat worked crowd control and the back drop (also good job!).
M-cat and I were frontline.
I marched across Waco Dr. to the police barricade. I was met by
screams from a Waco local cop (rent a fascist) guarding the road block
on the other side of the street. As I crossed giant (four lanes?) Waco
Dr. "Go back" he screamed! Why? I screamed back from the median. "By
order of the pResident and the Secret service and the Waco police I
order you back!" "Back to where?" I said smiling as I crossed the
street towards him calmly. "Back! Back!" he yelled. As I walk up to
him I could see that he was shaking. He fumbled blindly along his belt
as he yelled at me. He finally came up with his handcuffs (thank you
lord.) I looked up to my right. On top of a near by building directly
over where the thief was to be, I saw the SS focus on me and I heard
them yelling at him to arrest me or something but to "get me back!" on
his police radio on his shoulder and I backed off to the median.
(never try this at home kids without your parents or at least the
brave m-cat guarding your back. I have seen the good cops, the bad
cops, and the scared cop is the one you obey!) Mind you the resident
wasn't even there yet. CREEPY!!!! From the median (where he seemed
calmer) I badgered this local dip with questions, There was already a
crowd. I'm sure they came to see me shot in the middle of the street.
LOL. I hope that they were not disappointed! I was neither shot nor
arrested. I Did push the envelope. I felt I had to to establish my
ground. Ground Zero was across the street on the corner on a hilled
embankment where there should have been a sidewalk but there wasn't
one. I am proud to say that we held that hill and from there we gave
no ground. By the time I had moved back to the other side of Waco Dr.
Cops came out of everywhere. about 7. 5 just to harass me. I was to
move out. The SS were yelling on the police radios to move us back.
There seemed to be an unholy relationship between the Bush advance
people, the SS and the Waco police. When the Waco Sargent in charge on
the scene came out he demanded that we go to this first bullshit zone
that was supposed to be set up for us. " the press is there and
everything" He said. That's where you want to be anyway. No I said, I
like it here. The local press is here I am staying. Well I couldn't
stay there he said. Oh yes I can I said. "every piece of public
property in this free United States is a 1st amendment zone." He said
I was going to get myself in trouble if I didn't go. I said that he
was going to get himself in trouble if he tried to make me.
I had warned everyone in our group and my husband that I would not be
put in any stinking BS zone. period! I warned them that It might get
me arrested in gw's fascist state. "Americans died so I could have
this right to speak in public on this street and no one is going to
take it from me without a fight!" I told the Sargent. He Told me that
I was pushing it. I told him that he was pushing it too. He told me to
move back four feet. I said are you asking me or are you telling me.
He said that he was asking. Oh I said, that's different. I moved back
two feet. You're not back where I asked you to be he said. I know I
said. This is all you get. I am just trying to be nice. This is our
compromise I said. take it or leave it. I am going to stand here. If
someone so much as touches me they are going to sued. Not the
Resident, not the secret service not even the Waco police. I am going
to sue you and you and you I said pointing at them each in turn and
with the local broadcast watching. The Sargent got on the radio to the
SS and told them they had moved us back as far as they could. LOL. I
started chanting Jail to the thief once the thief arrived and once
again The order came down though the advance people to the SS and
finally to the cops to "move us out" I wasn't going to have this
discussion again with them. I kept chanting with m-cat as the police
talked to cb and pleaded with him to "talk some sense to your friend."
Cb suggested that they would should check out the 1st amendment zone
and if it was really bs that we should document it. I said Fine but I
wasn't leaving the hill I had just fought for. I gave M-cat my car
keys and under direction from the police they went off to find the BS
zone. I chanted on. I stayed close to the local media and I started
really belting it out!" your whole life is a lie george , you can't
fool all the people all the time george. You are a common thief george
and every where you go you be met by an American patriot to remind you
of your crime! You will fall in shame george. Selected not elected,
Shame, shame, shame!" Suddenly a hush came over the crowd across the
street. They were all looking in my direction. Including the ss again!
They were POed about something I said I thought. so I repeated the
whole thing. LOL. That when the ambulance showed to put a band-aid on
w's finger. I was afraid I had given one of those old repug guests a
heart attack at the time. Cb and M-cat came back just in time to see
the ambulance leave and to see me harassed again.This time the SS
wanted me arrested! Seems that the Waco police were starting to
complain to the SS. Were they really only suppose to remove the
protester? All this while I am screaming at them calling them fascist!
The cops asked if they should, in fact, enforce the law uniformly and
remove everyone and if they did that wouldn't it take them away from
protecting the President? I would not be moved and when the local
broadcast people were asked to move they said "we'll move when she
moves" nodding to me. I guess they didn't want to miss a story. Maybe
they had honor. I don't know. I was busy shouting. (a gift, what can I
say. I can be loud) The thief was only around 30 minutes. He probably
worked on the house for about 5. After he left I chanted "Media whores"
as they filed back into their whorewagon. Well that's the redcat
report. There were three others with me and I am sure they each have a
different story as we all played different rolls, But we all were
patriots and we have proudly served our country. We didn't drop the
flag.
EVERYWHERE HE GOES!
Redcat
The M-Cat Report:
Thanks to a master plan by Anna, the greatest
political strategist since James Carville, four
members of Home of the Brave were able to follow the
press to the location of the Resident's Habitat for
Humanity Photo-Op in Waco on August 8 and stage a
protest less than one block away from the Resident
which received mention in the NY Times.
Of course, security for the Resident was so tight
that we did not get to see that Smirk as he was
hustled in and out.
Anna held the front line on the protest and lead the
chants, giving the 5 police sent to persuade her to go
to the 1st Amendment Zone (aka Siberia, BF Egypt, the
Outer Limits) which was located without of ear shot
and eye shot of the festivities and away from a busy
street despite the fact that there were many other
onlookers in the area who were not asked to move.
Somehow the police only seemed interested in getting
us protesters to move. We held the line and were NOT
relegated to the 1st Amendment Zone. Ron acted as
photographer. Cheryl chatted with folks from the
neighborhood about the fact that the Resident came for
this publicity opportunity but no one cared about
fixing their sidewalks, streets, etc. and tried to
glean information from police. Yours joined Anna in
protesting and prepared to step to the front should
the police illegally arrest/remove Anna.
The Resident spent approximately 30 minutes at the
Habitat site, which included time for his press
conference and the time the paramedics spent bandaging
his boo-boo.
Monica
The Catboy Report:
Hi guys-
Just got back from protesting Bush in Waco today. We left early this
morning, and were surprised to hear at 4:30 am on NPR that Bush had
already been to Waco this morning to help build a house for Habitat for
Humanity (another example of the press reporting something before it
happened?).
I really doubted that he could have done any construction work in the
middle of the night. I dozed as the Redcat drove, thinking about the fact that
it was the anniversary of Richard Nixon’s resignation from office. I wished
history would repeat it self.
It was still very early when we arrived at the Waco Hilton where all the
press were staying. From there we followed the media whores to the
construction site. At first, the four of us were the only people there
who weren't invited for the photo op. Only those with special passes
could get into the 60 block area surrounding the event. There were
police everywhere, many imported from neighboring communities.
Soon they approached us and told us we had to move out of the
'exclusion zone' (translation: highly visible area) and into to a ‘free
speech zone’ several blocks away. They insisted we couldn't stand next
to the busy street 50 yards from ground zero, where Bush could easily
hear us. Despite their repeated attempts to intimidate us, we wouldn't
leave. After all, I noted, there were soon a couple dozen more people
who had gathered near us standing right next to the road. They were
not, however, voicing any opposition to Bush and they were left alone.
I guess one only needs a free speech zone if one has something to say.
Later, several anti-abortion zealots showed up with visual aids - the
usual idiotic slogans on signs and a giant picture of a mutilated
fetus. They were upset that Bush hasn't been conservative enough to
push for a repeal of Roe v. Wade, but they also seemed intent on
ridiculing our little group of Democrats. The cops did not even speak
to them.
I drove around to find the free speech zone. It was an abandoned
convenience store three blocks over and one block north of the house
Bush was pretending to build for the benefit of the underprivileged.
He stayed about thirty minutes, including sound bites and photo sessions
with Governor Perry, which means he probably spent about fifteen minutes
swinging a hammer.
It was extremely satisfying to see the Shrub's entourage look around,
shocked, when we were yelling "SELECTED! NOT ELECTED! and of course
"JAIL TO THE THIEF!" This brought no less than six officers over to try
and move us.
Ron
1410 Bosque: the designated First Amendmnt Zone...don’t go there!
Waco Drive and 13th: the construction site was across the street and behind the billboard.
The Redcat educates the police about the law.
“JAIL TO THE THIEF!”
(cop to cell phone) “We’ve pushed them back as far as we could!”
Cops chatting with some of the locals
Four generations came to watch.
“SELECTED! NOT ELECTED!”
The Alleycat’s Report: (an epilogue)
Anna , Ron & Monica;
Y'all left too soon. The reporters came back and I was still talking to
Richard. One of them came up to me and talked. He was with our little
cameraman. They told me that there was a stand set up at the corner of
Morrow & 13th. The residents in the neighborhood were told to stay in their
houses or they could leave the safety zone before Shrubs arrival. I
told him that this is just a PR ploy and nothing else.
As we were talking, who shows up but our little officer who blocked the
street we stood on. That conversation was priceless.
Anna, you were heard!!! The SS was told by one of Shrubs PR boys to
handle the disturbance across the street. When was holding a sign a
disturbance. Was I absent the day that law was passed The SS, told the
Commander in charge of the multi-police force to move the protesters to
a safe distance, ( five blocks away) and to take what ever means
necessary to get it done. I asked him what saved y'all. THE CAMERA and
the fact that they were told to only remove the protesters, which you
know left about 30 people!! When were our rights to free assembly taken
away, I missed that law going in affect too!!!!!! Our little reporter
was waiting too ,for some action to be taken against us , because he
agreed with us, we have the right to free speech and assembly.. The
police officers said that I made a point ,that if we had to go so did
everyone. That is why the SGT. radioed back that if they had to remove
us, than shouldn't they have to move everyone, that would take them away
for their assigned task?
The police officer said they are also tired of baby sitting the Shrub
while he is in Crawford. The cameraman said they are getting a little tired of
the staged news!!!! I asked him if we were going to hear the same old puff
story, that there were only a handful of protesters and we need to get over it
I told him that everyone of us had a common issue, the election, and we had
individual issues. I said "Lets face it the man did nothing in Texas and he's
undoing in Washington. How do you like the cut back in the police
force?" He nodded , smiled and said," I may not like the man, but I
had to do my job today". I told him we did too, our job was letting the
Shrub know, where ever he goes we will be there too.
So, the moral of the story. Have the brave out front and they sly one
working behind the scenes and Anna scream!!!!! You were heard. We need
more numbers next time, just don't sit there and whine about what the
man has done. If he is coming to your neck of the woods get out there!!!!!.
I saw some footage on CNN Headline news. It show Shrub playing dueling
hammers with one of the only African American volunteers there. Oh
Yeah, the Shrub hurt his finger while hammering the all but 15 minutes
he was there. Imagine if he had actually worked!! LOL Maybe that is
why the Ambulance was there!!! LOL
Cheryl
Texas
E-mail concerning WACO protest:
Cheryl -
They mentioned Anna's screaming in the NYTimes - one
of our Austin Cats sent the link to coupcats.
NY Times article
Also, we drove by there on the way out of town - you
know that orange and white awning - they were on OUR
side of that. We asked some nice Habitat people what
went down and the bleachers were a couple of blocks
further down where he did his press conference. The
house that he was "building" was there just our side
of the awning - so we were across the street and 1 lot
away from him! We figured that was why they got so
freaked out! When we saw that we KNEW they had to
have heard us! We also drove by the "1st Amendment
Zone" which was a good 4-5 blocks from where they had
the press conference.
All in all, a huge success! Be sure and post your
report on the neighborhood reaction, etc. on HotB and
I'd like to include it (of course with your by-line
and permission) and post on other groups like
Al-Gore-2004...
If you can videotape any local news coverage you see,
could you please send me a copy - or send me the
original and I can make a copy if you don't have 2
VCRs.
Thanks!
Monica
