President Bush to Visit Naples, FL - Protest Planned

[Misunderestimator]

(As posted on another forum by gore-is-my-president):

This could be a rather large protest (for Naples Florida, anyways). They're publicizing this protest pretty widely (they were at the Dem Club last night). What makes this rather unique is that the majority of the protesters are people in their 60's, 70's and 80's (many have canes and walkers and perhaps a few wheelchairs) and this is a Republican stronghold.

A lot of people are talking about this in Naples...

PRESIDENT GEORGE BUSH TO VISIT NAPLES
FRIDAY APRIL 23, 2004
JOIN US TO PROTEST HIS POLICIES

ASSEMBLE ALONG THE CORNER OF COLLIER BLVD. & TOWER ROAD, IN FRONT OF
ROOKERY BAY NATIONAL RESEARCH RESERVE (300 TOWER ROAD)
FROM 10:30 AM-1:00 PM
Karen & John Dwyer, Ph.D./Pax Christi Naples
239.594.5754, pcnaples.org

As violence escalates in Falluja and Najaf, join us in Naples to say
“Yes” to Peace and “No” to war and the occupation of Iraq. President George Bush will be inside talking about volunteer service and conservation at Rookery Bay National Research Reserve. We will be outside, calling for money for jobs, education and healthcare—not war and not occupation! Plan on traffic delays. Bring signs (or use ours). Please come. Please invite your friends. And please print and post this notice so that those not on our list or without access to a computer may join us. We will notify the police, sheriff and secret service.

688+ white crosses, each representing an American soldier who has died in Iraq, will be available for display.

Contact: Karen at Pax Christi Naples [phone] or pcnaples.org

Sponsored by Pax Christi Naples,
Veterans for Peace,
Fort Myers Social Action Committee,
Environmental and Peace Education Center
and other local groups

[SW FL Dem]

1. According to the local NBC affiliate

250 people showed up. Pretty amazing for this Republican area.

[lpbk2713]

2. I wonder if the Smirky stormtroopers

made the demonstrators stay three blocks away. DAMN I'll be glad when January is finally here!

[Misunderestimator]

3. Presidential visit: Protesters press message, argue with Bush supporters

Here's an article from a local paper on the protest:

http://www.naplesnews.com/npdn/news/article/0,2071,NPDN_14940_2833160,00.html

Here's an excerpt:

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By DIANNA SMITH, [e-mail]
April 24, 2004

They were cheered, cursed, degraded, complimented and even thanked.

But they were never quiet.

The large batch of protesters lined Collier Boulevard like street lamps on Friday, hoping to shed light on what they believe President George Bush really stands for.

Lies. Deceit. Greed. Violence.

"If Bush wants to get re-elected, I would ask him to repent," said Jerry Davidson of Golden Gate, while he paced around like a preacher carrying a sign instead of a Bible.

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...more at link http://www.naplesnews.com/npdn/news/article/0,2071,NPDN_14940_2833160,00.html

[Misunderestimator]

4. Protest in Fort Myers also:

http://www.news-press.com/news/local_state/040423bushupdate.html

an excerpt:
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About 10 members of the St. Petersburg-based Sierra Club decorated a 17-foot truck to travel to Rookery Bay and launched a pontoon boat carrying protesters on the Gordon River to head to Port Royal where Bush attended a $25,000-a-plate fund-raiser this afternoon.

“It’s very hypocritical for Bush to come to Florida to talk about the environment and then leave to a fund-raiser for developers who are destroying Florida,” said Darden Rice, national field coordinator for the Sierra Club.

“The Bush Administration’s very own policies put Southwest Florida’s environment at risk,” Rice said.
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...more at link: http://www.news-press.com/news/local_state/040423bushupdate.html