A teaser:
The most deeply moving moment of the day came when a young man, fresh from Iraq and a close haircut, literally wandered into our gathering. He was stunned.
He had NO IDEA so many people supported him, especially in BERKELEY.
I wish I got our soldier's name, but he was a bit embarrassed because he was crying. I gave him a hard, long hug and whispered, "Welcome Home, Soldier."
That's when he really broke down.
God Bless our soldiers, and all of you. Never before in American history has there EVER been a counter protest movement to the so-called 'Peace Crowd', a fringe group of people who are screaming like hyenas, calling our troops thugs, baby-rapers and murderers.
They are NOT.
They are HEROES and I was proud to stand in support of their service and sacrifice.
Damn, now I am crying.
Now go read the rest of her firsthand account...... go.
Eagles Up is comprised, mostly, of Military Veterans as well as military supporters.
Today they did what they do best and instead of the town of Berkeley seeing the anti-American, anti-Military protests from groups such as Code Pink that call our troops murderers.... Berkeley saw patriots protesting against the Berkeley city council.
They were protesting against the Berkeley City Council for their disgusting behavior toward our troops in earlier in the year, calling the Marines at the Marine recruitment center, unwelcome and uninvited intruders in the town of Berkeley.
This caused such outrage from around the country, businesses boycotted Berkeley, Move America Forward and military supporters from across the country descended on the Berkeley city council with all the wrath they deserved.
The Berkeley city council rescinded that resolution with the offensive language as they even saw their own town members protesting alongside of Move America Forward.
But they did not apologize to the Marines.
You can read about the whole saga every step of the way we kept up with the news and it is all on one page here.
TODAY, Eagles up, descended on Berkeley as well to hold their own protests against the city council.
Eagles Up Mission statement:
1. Pursue every opportunity, within our means, to actively stand up, support, and defend, the principles embodied in our United States Constitution.
2. Support our warriors in harms way, around the world, and their families, with a fervor worthy of their sacrificial service for our freedom.
3. Honor and protect the memorials to our fallen, missing, and support their loved ones.
In that vein, 400-600 flag-waving, leather-clad, pro-troops bikers roared into Berkeley today to show their support for an "often besieged Marine recruiting center in the city."
"I'm here because I support my Marines," said Steve Bosshard, a retired San Francisco police officer who came from Santa Rosa. "I don't like what Berkeley's done. They don't realize the effect it has on the troops."
The center was criticized by the Berkeley city council and is often the target of protests.
Today's demonstrators, most of whom are military veterans, said they were protesting the Berkeley city council decision in February to waive the amplified-sound permit fees and provide reserved parking in front of the Marines' office for Code Pink, an anti-war group that stages protests at the recruiting center.
Never to miss an opportunity to show support of our troops, in this case the Marines of Berkeley, Move America Forward was right there and the chairman of Move America Forward and my friend, Melanie Morgan, rode into town on the back of a Hog.
Melanie says, "I’ve never had so much fun in my life as I did on the back of that bike!"
These groups will continue to besiege the Berkeley city council until the apologize to our troops as even members of the council have said they need to.
To Move America Forward and to Eagles Up....good Job and HOOOOOOOOOOOAHHHHHHHH!!!
To the fine, upstanding, brave Marines in Berkeley, I say but one thing.
Semper Fi.
.