Category: Village of Ridgewood

Hope you are feeling well. Oh yeah, they no longer park in the Armory parking lot

Linda

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Dear Editor;

On March 3rd, I had the high honor to be invited as a CERT member (Citizens Emergency Response Team) to help load donated food and personal supplies to supplement the daily needs of military families whose spouses have been deployed from our National Reservist Armory in Teaneck. This event, organized by two Hasbrouck Heights residents- Tim Moots and Tom Meli in conjunction with the VFW Post 4591 and many other local volunteer organizations, was able to deliver over 500 bags of food and supplies to the sacrificial families of our brave men and women.

While there, I was told by one of the volunteers that every Wednesday from 4-6pm protesters rally at the Teaneck Armory on Liberty and Teaneck Rd. I was so outraged. I thought “I have to go protect my troops”. That Wednesday, I took my big “Thank You” sign that I usually use for Memorial Day parades and went out there to say “Thank you!” for their service and that I support our troops.

Slowly, protesters gathered. They stood on the corner, clanging bells and screaming at passing cars, “Support our Troops! Bring them home NOW!” “No more body bags”, holding signs that read “No blood for oil” and “Abort Bush” and proudly counting the dead.

I stood about 25 feet away with my back to them and facing the Armory, holding my “Thank You!” sign over my head for 2 hours.

As I silently stood in the freezing cold, they heckled me, ridiculed me and my family, demanding to know if my daughters have enlisted, etc., and even used profanities at me (You dumb s@#t!) When I responded, “Well, that is a fine way for a ‘gentleman’ to address a lady” His response was “You

f@#*@#g a – – hole!” I was flabbergasted! This is advertised as a “peace” rally?? These were senior citizens looking like aging hippies. These are the people that Congressman Rothman and other elected officials listen to??? Some men held a banner reading “www.veteransforpeace.org”. They were so cruel and hateful. Passengers leaving the buses look down, afraid they will be approached. I spoke with a lady who sounded like she was from Haiti or the Caribbean. She said that a woman from the group had shoved a paper in her face while she was waiting for her bus. The woman demanded to know if she knows what is going on in Iraq. When the lady timidly told her “no”, she said the protester cursed at her.

That day, a small old woman was waving a paper in my face demanding to know if I heard “what the generals were saying”. I tried to ignore her persistence and finally said, “I am sorry. I do not read propaganda”. She angrily stomped away hurling insults.

Here I am, an old woman, standing silently, supporting my troops, holding a “Thank You ” sign for the personnel and families coming in and out of the Armory to see, and these anti-Americans are cursing, threatening and harassing me. How do you think the children and mommies felt as they get out of their cars to go to the commissary, etc., while their brave husbands fight for our freedom, to hear the hatred spewing out of the mouths of these antagonists.

When a Reservist from the Armory came to politely request that they stay on the corner and off state-owned property they demanded to know “have you ever served!?”. When he flashed his card they demanded to know if he went to Iraq. He politely told them he had just returned. They shouted, “Well, go back!” They yell that want our ‘troops home now’ ??????

When 3 police cars came, these ‘peace activists’ verbally attacked them about their freedom of speech and screamed, demanding to know if these officers had served in the military. The police were so reserved, polite and professional, responding to complaints that they were creating a threatening environment. Isn’t this revealing their true intent to demoralize our troops and the American people?

Their actions and those politicians, such as Cong. Rothman, who support them are simply emboldening the terrorists and distributing doubt and hate through the media who blindly support these activists, holding a deaf ear to those who so support a war on terror being fought on distant shores. When I told a vet I would rather have them fight over there than here, he scoffed, saying, “they don’t have two nickels to come over here.” 9/11 anyone? There was so much more that happened. I am still in shock!

My experience going there every Wednesday dramatically exposes their intent. On the organizers’ website, https://www.unitedforpeace.org/ which also organizes those other anti-war rallies in NYC, I found their national sponsors. Here’s a few:

Young Communist League (YCL) – Uptown Chapter, Democratic Socialists of America, Pagans for Peace, Punks For Peace, American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) – NY, Cabbies Against Bush, Communist Party USA, Forum of Indian Leftists – NY, House of The Goddess (HotGoddess) Center for Pagan Wombyn, International Socialist Organization (ISO) – NYC, Palestine Activist Forum of NY, KickBush.

These are wolves in sheep’s clothing. I was crying half the time to know that my precious troops have suffered this abuse in silence.

As I was putting my signs away in my car, I felt fearful as of those men came to their car parked behind mine. I was ignoring them but was prepared for confrontation. They did not recognize me. One, who was wearing our precious flag over his nasty self like a cape, was told by his friend, “Nice flag”. The guy said “yeah, it is. I’m trying to find a good one I can burn”.

Now they taunt me by my first name. I can take it. It gives me more purpose and helps take a bite out of the wet and cold. I needed that.

-“Linda”