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A record 377,616 people showed up at McChord AFB this weekend to take in the sights illustrating the power of the U.S. military. Compare that to the number that showed up to protest the Iraq war at various times around the area.

I would have to say that the voices of anti-war loudmouths was officially drown out by the sheer numbers of people who support our men and women in the armed forces. It reminds me that the biggest protest I’ve seen was the support-the-troops rally outside Ft. Lewis that stretched for more than 8 miles of overpasses (as that 2003?). And that was actually a counter-protests. The protesters showed up and according to eye-witnesses didn’t even get off of the bus.

I wasn’t able to make the show because of other responsibilities. I heard it was great.

McChord AFB Air Show 2008 - fencecheck.com

Air Show Millitary Expo 2008 McChord AFB USA - YouTube.com

McChord AFB Air Show 2008 - Web site

I just want to take a moment in grateful remembrance of those who have fallen in defense of our country and our freedom. For those who have loved ones who have made the ultimate sacrifice to keep all of us free and safe I hope you know that most Americans share the gratitude and the sorrow for your loss.

They will not be forgotten.

As a Christian minister I am keenly aware that those who have fought and are fighting to defend us are protecting each individual’s freedom to worship as each believes to be right. The freedom that I consider so vital is protected by those who have defended our country in the past and especially by those who are fighting in the War on Terrorism and it’s front lines in Afghanistan and Iraq..

Like enemies of the past our current enemies seek world domination. But what’s unique about these is that they do so in the name of their religion. Their religion seeks to subjugate or destroy all other faiths. I don’t know of a time in our nation’s history when freedom of religion was at greater risk.

While the freedom of religion is especially important to me, I am also grateful for all of the other freedoms that I enjoy.

A couple of important posts on NewsBusters.Org.

First, a post about negative media coverage hurting the economy:

BMI’s Gainor: Media Negativity on Economy Hurts Consumer Confidence

Dan Gainor, Vice President for the Business & Media Institute, blamed part of people’s gloomy perception of the economy on the “constant drumbeat” of negativity coming from the news media.

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It’s a good way to show appreciation for what these soldiers have sacrificed. It’s a small gesture, but I’m sure it will be appreciated. They’re accepting donations at the Lakewood City Hall.
TNT has details: Lakewood seeks donations for returning Fort Lewis Stryker soldiers

As a Christian minister I am keenly aware of just how important these soldiers are in my own freedom of religion and freedom of speech as they fight radical Islamics. In case you aren’t aware, one of the tenets of Islam is dhimmitude, the Islamic policy of dealing with infidels (other religions). They are instructed to either, a) convert us to Islam, b) oppress us so that we can’t spread our religion, or c) kill us. They’ve shown their desire to come onto our soil and kill Americans, so there’s little doubt that they are a direct threat to my personal freedoms here in this country.

But thanks to our military, these soldiers included, and our constitution I am free to practice my religion, to invite others to join me and to talk about it here.

Update: Just one example of what life is like for Christians living under dhimmitude:

Compass Direct News: Claim of ‘blasphemy’ in city market leads to looting, destruction.

Nnamdi Ike, a Christian who witnessed the disturbances, told Compass in Kano that Muslim claims that a Christian painted an inscription insulting Muhammad were false.
“Christians have always been attacked on false claims of blasphemy,” Ike said. “No Christian wrote anything against Muhammad or Islam. It is all a lie. They just made this up to find a reason to attack us.”

h/t Jihad Watch

A recent resolution by the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU), which represents about 600 of Tacoma’s longshoremen, at a West coast meeting. The resolution calls for an 8 hour work stoppage to protest the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.

There are several major problems with this resolution.
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I wasn’t able to be at the protests in Lakewood, just outside Tacoma, today. I’m sure pictures will be showing up over the next few days so I’ll post links to them as I find them.

Local nightly news coverage is beginning. The Fox channel (Seattle) focused on the ‘unfairness’ of police enforcement. One protester said that the police faced the anti-war protesters instead of the support the troops crowd. The on-scene reporter did say that the police responded to that by pointing out that they had more trouble getting the anti-war protesters to follow their instructions.
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The fight against giving the USS Ranger a home in Tacoma

Several years ago a group was trying to give the decommission aircraft carrier USS Ranger (CV61) a new home in North Tacoma. Several liberal groups, some of whom the city council looks to for direction, obstructed the effort. Since then the group has given up and decided to look elsewhere.

The USS Ranger Foundation, a nonprofit group trying to find a retirement home for the decommissioned aircraft carrier, decided recently that it couldn’t overcome opposition to the Foss site, said Dan Mills, president and chief executive of the foundation. And since they couldn’t find another place to park it in Tacoma, they plan to look elsewhere.

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For several years there has been a group of people from the other side of town showing up on Tacoma’s beautiful Ruston Way waterfront once a week, setting out and holding signs that show how little they know about the world we live in.

They’re with a group that calls itself ‘United for Peace, Pierce County’. Normally there are between one and three of them out there, but they’ve had as many as eight. Once they even flew a United Nations flag. I wanted to burn it but that would have been vandalism. Guess I’ll have to buy my own. I wonder if I need a permit for that.

The group is affiliated with a national BDS, anti-war group but with their swelling numbers I’m guessing they don’t get a lot of interaction.

So over the years we’ve had many opportunities to discuss relevant issues. Here are some highlights (or lowlights, depending on your perspecitive).
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Some pics and comments from today’s anti-war, anti-recruiter protest, the pro-troop response and the police who kept things calm. Three TV stations and a campaigning politician showed up.

All of the pics have more commentary with them so you can pull them up to get more of the story.

I’m going to talk about each group separately. You can scroll down to see each.
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My summary: a bunch of ignorant kids wasting tax dollars.

I’m sitting at Borders waiting for my pics to develop (I’m still old school - 35mm, I love the quality).  So pics are forthcoming.

I arrived late, about 1:30.  At that point the protesters almost outnumbered the police.  Then some of them left.  There were signs that I’ll have pics of and chants I couldn’t really understand most of the time.

The pro-troop protesters out-numbered the anti-war protesters.  Some veteran-bikers, locals, three TV stations and some amateur and professional photographers.

Police were well outfitted, well organized and very professional. 

Started at 12:30 (I assume).  Scheduled to end at 5:30.  Ended at 2:45.  Some real die-hards, that bunch.  After the anti-war protesters left (with police escorts to their cars) the police left and the pro-troops crowd took over the space. 

Funniest thing was when the anti-war group stood up and assumed an aggressive posture against the police and pro-troop crowd.  Police added a line of officers and the kids pretended to be a threatening menace.

In a word: Bwah-ha-ha-ha-ha! (is that one word?)