TODAY'S FREEDOM RALLY!!! Post Info Here Please!

[Gin]

Enjoyed the following from the mentioned blog...



One HUGE problem we have yet to tackle ( we are a creative bunch yes ? ) is the blaring fact of how we've failed to awaken the mildly dissatisfied, reguardless of any and all media blackouts. It is my belief that with the right newspapers, fliers, and DVD's we can wake up the population. We are working this week on a flashy flier that is 95 percent education... and the other 5 percent is a plug for Ron Paul.

It's been my experience the past few weeks, it's been very hard to get folks here in Missouri to take printed candidate literature, with many pushing away the papers having already made up their minds. More info on the fliers to come... 4 months to wake up your neighbors... we can do it...

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I think another great way to get the word out is through Radio Advertising....Most ppl get at least a percentage of the news off the radio... if we could get radio spots and have them playing then I think we would reach alot of folks....I hear at least 1 commercial from the Obama campaign an hour.... something to think about...

 

[freesoul]

I would estimate about 500 showed up, not bad for a Tuesday. Weather and speakers were awesome. I was standing right in front and got RPs whole speech on video and will post it up later with some pics. No MSM to be found, not surprising.

We did get the word out about needing help at the PA polls next Tuesday, we have 66 unbound delegates on the ballot statewide and need help handing out sample ballots at polls.

http://www.ronpaulpa.com/operationpa.php

 

[Peace&Freedom]

I would estimate about 500 showed up, not bad for a Tuesday. Weather and speakers were awesome. I was standing right in front and got RPs whole speech on video and will post it up later with some pics. No MSM to be found, not surprising.

We did get the word out about needing help at the PA polls next Tuesday, we have 66 unbound delegates on the ballot statewide and need help handing out sample ballots at polls.

http://www.ronpaulpa.com/operationpa.php

I'd agree on the 500, it was sizable enough for us to encourage each other, yet intimate and therefore unpressured, such that I and others got to talk with Sabrin, Schulz and other speakers as they milled about the crowd. Chalk it up as a learning experience, for both the GWs (who may be trying to institute this as an annual event) and for supporters planning the summer march. It did NOT take the steam out of summer march, as any steam lost more due to the uncertainty hovering around the latter, especially considering we still don't know exactly when (or if?) it will be held.

Yes, we were hoping for at least a 'solid double' (if we couldn't hit a home run) in terms of attendance, and what we got was barely a bunt. What I did definitely sense is that the 'winding down' rhetoric from Paul, coupled with his decision to not run third party, runs at cross purposes with sustaining the momentum required to promote a high-turnout march or rally at this point. You can't partially put the brakes on the campaign, and simultaneously go full throttle. Even given the rally was on a Tuesday, there is no question that there would probably have been thousands present if it had been held on a weekday three months ago, when the campaign was rolling at full speed, and without mixed messages.

 

[rgavula]

I was at the rally on the Capitol lawn yesterday. I (and others I spoke with) had estimated the numbers of attendees at about 1000 at the peak, but I would agree that between 500-1000 is probably accurate.

I was thrilled to be able to meet and speak with Dr. Paul, and to hear him address the crowd from within arm's reach.

I know not all will agree, but I felt that some of the more conspiratorial-leaning speakers were unfocused, long-winded, and not really helpful to the cause of gaining mainstream acceptance. I don't mean to put down their ideas, but I think there is a time and a place for everything, and Ron Paul does not exactly endorse some of these viewpoints. I think that his campaign has been hurt by this "guilt by association".

All in all, it was a beautiful day, and a great opportunity to get up close and personal and speak with the candidates as well as to enjoy the splendor of Washington DC.

 

[Peace&Freedom]

I know not all will agree, but I felt that some of the more conspiratorial-leaning speakers were unfocused, long-winded, and not really helpful to the cause of gaining mainstream acceptance. I don't mean to put down their ideas, but I think there is a time and a place for everything, and Ron Paul does not exactly endorse some of these viewpoints. I think that his campaign has been hurt by this "guilt by association".

How can the campaign be hurt by messages only 500 heard, that the media didn't cover? How has distancing the candidate from the coverup issues actually helped Paul win a primary, or keep him from being marginalized by the media? Haven't we already tried to do things it that way, and that way didn't work?

 

[RonPaulCult]

Yeah I was in DC yesterday in part because of this so called rally and I was very upset by it. I felt the whole thing was completely unorganized. I thought it was stupid to have it on a Tuesday - but that point has been made a million times. What really got my goat yesterday was a lack of schedule anywhere on the internet (at least that I could find).

I saw one page say the thing started at 11 AM and one thing that said it ended at 6 PM. Now 7 hours is a bit long to ask of people. I had no idea what time to show up to see Ron Paul and to really make an impact. I was with others that like Ron Paul but aren't going to stand around for 7 hours to see him.

I ended up not getting to go at all!

If anybody is putting together a real march on Washington - have it on a Saturday and make sure it lasts for a reasponible amount of time and make sure you have a schedule posted so people know exactly when to show up.

 

[revolutionman]

one national march is a crap idea anyway! Ron Paul supporters are mostly middle class working folks. Most of us cannot afford to take time off of work AND travel cross country to march. Ideals don't put food in your mouth and clothes on your back and thats the bottom line for many Ron Paul supporters. Either that or they have tuition, books, and class to worry about.

I think its prudent to organize local marches, in cities and towns across the country.

Marches don't get televised unless violence errupts,, and the politicians DONT CARE. So what does marching on Washington do anyway? It just gives them one big target to ignore. Only the inconvenienced citizens of DC will ever know.

25-50 people in every city in America provides fodder that local media almost always covers. On a local front, in our own communities, thats where we can flex our muscle.

Honestly, Ron Paul is an old man with many many years of experience under his belt. He is well equipped to launch a national campaign, but most of his followers are green. Young idealists with more energy, heart and spare time than money. You have to walk before you can run. I think efforts for a single march on the nations capital should be diverted into local efforts. I think many smaller marches across the country will have more value, and show more solidarity than just marching on Washington. Also, it will show the nation that Ron Paul supporters come from all regions, not just Texas and New Hampshire.

Think of spreading Ron Pauls message as our courtship of America. Big gestures are swell, but its the many small things that add up that will decide the outcome.

How many people could you reach if you turned your plane tickets into hundreds of flyers, and your days off in the capital, to days off pounding the pavement in your home town pinning those flyers to the bulletin board at the grocery store, or stuff them under windshield wipers or in screen doors. That would be far more effective than marching in Washington in terms of spreading the message.

Thats just my opinion though. I'm sure there are people more experienced and knowledgable about this sort of stuff on this site running the show and organizing things.

 

[ronpaulhawaii]

The dis-organization and lack of a schedule was sad to see. The other issues, such as the choice of the date and the unilateral decision-making did not help.

One of the reasons I decided to go, (at the last minute), was that I became concerned that a lack of numbers would hurt us in other aspects.

One issue I have seen over the last year of campaigning is that people treat this campaign as a protest. That is not the way to win elections. The difference between protesting tyranny and promoting freedom may only be semantic, but in politics, effective rhetoric is essential.

Anyway, here is another short clip of an attendee,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTsRmcmqZ2Y

 

[New York For Paul]

It is a good test to see how we do. We will have a better rally this summer based on the lessons learned here.

 

[rgavula]

Peace&Freedom -

This rally was certainly not the first time that conspiracy-minded organizations and individuals have linked themselves publicly with Ron Paul's campaign. And in addition to the people who were attending the rally, there were the countless numbers of passers-by who were hearing the speeches.

With these so-called "fringe" individuals taking up the lion's share of the mic time, they became in large part the "voice" of the rally. People walking by heard their words and saw the Ron Paul signs alongside them, and to the layman, that becomes Ron Paul's message.

Regardless of what an individual believes or doesn't believe, if you are working to get Ron Paul (or ANY candidate, for that matter), you need to gain the mainstream vote. These types of speakers are exactly what maintain the public's perception of Ron Paul as a "fringe candidate".

These aren't my perceptions - these are the sentiments that have been shared with me over the time that I have canvassed and campaigned for Ron Paul (and Murray Sabrin).

 

[ronpaulhawaii]

It is a good test to see how we do. We will have a better rally this summer based on the lessons learned here.

+2008

 

[Peace&Freedom]

Peace&Freedom -

This rally was certainly not the first time that conspiracy-minded organizations and individuals have linked themselves publicly with Ron Paul's campaign. And in addition to the people who were attending the rally, there were the countless numbers of passers-by who were hearing the speeches.

With these so-called "fringe" individuals taking up the lion's share of the mic time, they became in large part the "voice" of the rally. People walking by heard their words and saw the Ron Paul signs alongside them, and to the layman, that becomes Ron Paul's message.

Regardless of what an individual believes or doesn't believe, if you are working to get Ron Paul (or ANY candidate, for that matter), you need to gain the mainstream vote. These types of speakers are exactly what maintain the public's perception of Ron Paul as a "fringe candidate".

These aren't my perceptions - these are the sentiments that have been shared with me over the time that I have canvassed and campaigned for Ron Paul (and Murray Sabrin).

The BEST way to reach the mainstream vote is most likely to give voice to widespread concerns of the mainstream that the 'establishment mainstream' of the media/DC refuse to address. Avoiding the 9-11 elephant in the room is what HURT the campaign's ability to make headway with the mainstream. (If this statement is 'baseless,' it at least balances out the completely baseless statements made by the other side, that they never justify). Where exactly is the evidence that avoiding the issue helped Paul's campaign? Note that you didn't answer the question---the campaign DID distance itself from conspiracy/coverup, and it DID NOT WORK to gain him mainstream victories, or to avoid a marginalizing blackout. Are the supporters of the distancing strategy going to take ANY responsibility for their approach failing, or is their personal dislike of certain issues supposed to prevail regardless of what happens?

 

[freesoul]

Avoiding the 9-11 elephant in the room is what HURT the campaign's ability to make headway with the mainstream.

completely baseless statement and couldn't be farther from the truth.

I'm still trying to get my video uploaded to youtube, it crashed the first time. I'm wondering where the bulk of the video that was shot will be available

 

[rgavula]

I don't believe that Ron Paul and his supporters were and are dismissed and marginalized as "tin foil hat wearing wackos" because the campaign DIDN'T talk about these things. It was the shouting down of other candidates and towards mainstream media reporters by the grassroots supporters (no, not all of us, but a sizeable faction) that earned us this reputation.

But, I was here to give my thoughts about the rally, which overall I enjoyed attending. I'm not going to argue this point any further.

Peace

 

[Rangeley]

The rally simply did not live up to expectations. A lot of people are dead on about the problems - it wasn't promoted much, it wasn't clear what was happening and when, it was poorly timed, and there seemed to even be a lack of clarity on what the rally was about. I wrote more about it here.

 

[freesoul]

photos http://picasaweb.google.com/fastbiker/FreedomRally

having trouble uploading the video to youtube, its within the size and length requirements but it keeps timing out. Anyone know a good free avi to flash converter that goes over 5 minutes??

 

[Soccrmastr]

WOW ghemminger is such a fucking liar. He seemed so legit for so long. I think he's just saying this stuff because he got banned from everywhere for being too much of a troll. Im referring to this comment section: http://strictconstruct.com/2008/04/15/freedom-rally-brings-in-over-1000/

 

[Soccrmastr]

Also, this rally was a failure. But good that at least we're still trying.

 

[ronpaulhawaii]

Also, this rally was a failure. But good that at least we're still trying.

I don't think the rally was a failure at all. Lots of good networking, lessons to be learned, good speeches, kinda cool actually.

Just didn't live up to expectations of some folk, thats all.

 

[Soccrmastr]

I don't think the rally was a failure at all. Lots of good networking, lessons to be learned, good speeches, kinda cool actually.

Just didn't live up to expectations of some folk, thats all.

Other events like goucher college attracted many more people. This event was supposed to be very huge. We can try to organize another better and make it what this should have been but I suspect the support will not be enough Most local grassroots around the country would be focusing on GOP party reform and not interested in the nomination campaigning any longer.

Cant wait until the donor/email list from the campaign comes into play though. Then stuff will get done!!