~~ PROUD TO BE A VALLEY CONSERVATIVE! ~~Staunton/Waynesboro/Augusta County
SWAC News
September 14, 2009
Lynn Mitchell, Editor
SWAC Girl Blog **********************************************
Please pray for our Troops
~ PROUDLY FLY THOSE AMERICAN FLAGS! ~
FREEDOM ISN'T FREE
In memory of Augusta County heroes...
Jason Redifer, 19, USMC, KIA, Operation Iraqi Freedom,
January 31, 2005.
Daniel Bubb, 19, USMC, KIA, Operation Iraqi Freedom,
October 17, 2005.
Daniel Morris, 19, USMC, KIA, Operation Iraqi Freedom,
February 14, 2007.
"All gave some ... some gave all."
* * * * *
09.12.2009 March on Washington
a HUGE Success!
Thank you, Shenandoah Valley!
Six Quick's buses loaded with 250 residents from the towns, cities, and counties of the upper Shenandoah Valley left early on Saturday morning and headed to Washington, DC, for the 09.12.09 March on Washington. Along the way cars passed and gave thumbs-up and honked their horns.
You answered the call and joined a million fellow conservatives in Washington, DC, to make your voices heard! The rallying cry of the day was:
"Congress, CAN YOU HEAR US NOW?"
It was the most breath-taking event I have ever experienced. I never thought I would see that many conservatives in one place ... a huge crowd estimated at upward of 1 million and more ... that was polite, friendly, and courteous.
There were children, students, working parents, grandparents ... there were folks on canes and in wheelchairs and on walkers ...
... there were military veterans from WW II, Korea, Vietnam, Desert Storm, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Operation Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan) and everything in between.
We marched down Pennsylvania Avenue together, a sea of faces and flags and signs ... young, old, big, little ... thousands upon thousands of conservative American patriots whose voices echoed off the buildings making it seem almost surreal. I have never experienced anything like it before in my life.
The march down Pennsylvania Avenue was scheduled to begin at 11:30 a.m. It began at 10:00 a.m. because marchers overflowed from the start-up point into the surrounding streets. When the main rally began at 1:00, the marchers were still arriving at the Capitol.
One sight I will never forget: As I stood in front of the Capitol with fellow SWACer Barb Tillett watching the parade marchers pass by, an elderly gentleman came into view. He was slightly bent over pushing a walker -- one of those on wheels with the seat in it -- with a determined look on his face as he kind of shuffled by. What an inspiration!
We all sang the National Anthem together, hundreds of thousands of voices rising up to the Capitol Dome and beyond ... hundreds of thousands of Americans standing with hands over hearts.
We blessed God for this country and asked God to bless America ... we sang "God Bless America."
Those one million voices repeated the words of our Founding Fathers that "we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred honor."
Finally! The sleeping giant has been awakened ... and the giant ROARED on Saturday!
It was an emotional experience for us all. There were many misty eyes, many memorable moments, and a resolution from those in attendance to not stop now. As President George W. Bush said after the 9/11 terrorism attacks on this country, "We're ready, we're steady, and we're resolved."
Bloggers from the Shenandoah Valley --
Bob Kirchman,
David Karaffa, and Lynn Mitchell -- covered the event and will have more photos and thoughts throughout this week;
Phil Lynch and
Fishersville Mike also have multiple coverage. Local reporters from the
Waynesboro News Virginian and
Staunton News Leader traveled with us on the buses.
In Augusta County we saw the beginning of this movement during the real estate tax assessment debacle earlier this year when 600 people turned out for a February organizational meeting, 10,500 landowners signed petitions, and 1,000 Augusta County residents turned out in March for the Board of Supervisors meeting where over 50 landowners addressed the board. The same happened with real estate assessments throughout Virginia and in other states.
In March and April, national tea parties began being held as frustrated, over-taxed American patriots started standing up and speaking out.
On Saturday, approximately 1 million everyday Americans like you and me make the trip to Washington, DC, to say to President Barack Obama and Congress:
"CAN YOU HEAR US NOW?"
America, please do not go back to sleep. Our country is in danger of being taken over by government programs very reminiscent of socialism. Our military has sacrificed and fought for our freedoms ... we are now finally fighting for them, too!
Thank you, thank you, thank you!
What do we do now? The next newsletter will have upcoming events that you may want to participate in to help get the word to those in Washington. Watch for it to come out later today or tomorrow.
Together ... we WILL make a difference!
**********
For those who have fought for it,
Freedom has a flavor the protected will never know.
Many requests were made over the months by local folks who wanted to see a return of the SWAC breakfasts. A coalition of conservatives met Saturday, led by local conservative leader Kurt Michael. See previous post.
David Karaffa, Augusta Board of Supervisor candidate who plans to run in 2011.
Dean Welty of the Valley Forum passed out Voter Guides from the Virginia Family Foundation.
Sisters Lyn and Sue organized the Tea Party's 9/12 bus to the March on Washington.
Francis Chester updates about Augusta County real estate assessments and their financial sanctions against him for filing a lawsuit on behalf of 10,500 residents.
David Karaffa speaks as overflow crowd listens inside and outside the door.
Alex hands out materials.
