America Speaks! Tens of Thousands at Historic FDI/SIOA 911 Rally
There was no end. You could not see the horizon. The media pretends these tens of thousands of people don’t exist. It’s criminal.
Photo: El Marco
ens of thousands descended upon Ground Zero today to remember those we lost nine years ago, and to save the American principles of freedom that the sharia tramples.
Crickets are chirping in taqiya media newsrooms nationwide (although they were all there). There has been no coverage.
We organized a rally of remembrance that dwarfed the opposition. If the America haters had 4,000, we had ten times more. The media is playing the dueling rallies; it was no such thing.
Free people came from all over the country and all over the world to stand in solidarity with the 911 families and to declare our iron determination that no victory mosque will be built on their graves. The crowd was young and old, black and white …….. politics of all stripes. The crowd was beautiful. The crowd was proud and good and decent America. All the speakers were excellent. Rousing.
But the highlights included Geert Wilders, who was greeted as the great hero that he is, and spoke about how a sharia mosque at Ground Zero would be the death New York’s proud tradition of Dutch tolerance.
Ambassador John Bolton spoke bluntly and unequivocally via video link about the affront to American values that this mosque would constitute.
Other powerful voices included Joseph Nassralla, who was the unwilling media darling of our June 6th rally, when a misunderstanding was blown out of proportion by the mainstream media as a racist incident. Joseph Nassralla was the Arab who was supposedly in a confrontation at that rally. At this rally we were proud to feature him, and he was so passionate and rousing in his love for America and fierce denunciation of the thousand-year-old Islamic oppression of the Coptic Christians in Egypt that the crowd went wild as Joseph led them in cheers of Gd Bless America!
But his warning was clear. The Ground Zero mosque would be the beginning of the end, and Egypt shows where the presence of Islam leads in a free nation.
Steve Malzberg and Mike Gallagher were greeted by huge cheers. It was an historic day in American history. Here is the first of El Marco’s peerless coverage. More pictures and video will be going up continuously. So check back. And El Marco and Pamela Hall will have the definitive post tomorrow (hopefully).
UPDATE: I will be on FOX news tonight, Geraldo at Large, tonight at 10 pm Eastern, FOX news.
UPDATE: Here are some of El Marco’s pics:
“Did New York deserve this? Did America deserve this? Did the West deserve this? What, my friends, would you say to people who argue that New York, that America, that the West had itself to blame for those horrible sounds?
There are people in this city who argue this. And they are angry because we are gathered here today to commemorate, to make a stand, to draw the line. My friends, I have come from the other side of the Atlantic to share your grief for those who died here nine years ago. I have not forgotten how I felt that day.â€
Other speakers included 9/11 family members, first responders, and refugees from Islamic regimes.
There were also video addresses by former U.N. Ambassador John Bolton and media-man Andrew Breitbart.
Pamela Geller, author and blogger at Atlas Shrugs, organized the rally together with Robert Spencer
begin_of_the_skype_highlighting     end_of_the_skype_highlighting begin_of_the_skype_highlighting     end_of_the_skype_highlighting, author and blogger at Jihad Watch.
In the crowd there were families of those murdered at 9/11, military veterans, New Yorkers, and people who had travelled from around the country and from abroad to be here today. Three Marine Corps veterans listen intently to war hero Ilario Pantano, candidate for U.S. Congress.
Come back soon for full reports and links to the speeches.
UPDATE: Urban Infidel has great coverage here. Video and pics of the anemic counter protest. Go, see for yourself.
UPDATE: A comment that shows how the tide has turned, from Bruce Godfrey:
I campaigned for Obama in 2008 in DC and VA, so I am not Pamela Geller’s natural audience, to say the least. And I actually supported this mosque – loudly – when I first heard about it. But the more I learned, the more I have read, the more I realized I was simply wrong.
To have planned its opening for 9/11/2011, even as an initial draft, shocks the conscience. While some have characterized Abdul-Rauf as pro-American, if he blames the U.S. in part as an accessory for 9/11 and has not repudiated the comment, it’s for shame. It would be nice if Islam were like the Bahai faith that it persecutes – non-proselytizing, pro-equality, pro-peace, pro-science. But it’s the opposite of these things. And naming it after an Islamic conquest in Christian Europe – well in poker we call that a tell. Reading selections of ibn Warraq’s Why I Am Not a Muslim was also instructive.
I don’t know if I agree with all of Geert Wilders’ agenda – banning books and taxing burkas seems a bit silly and bizarre. But his basic point – that Islam has a predatory character and seeks conquest or at least jurisdiction over the planet, and is a hazard to Enlightenment values – would get him my vote. Even 8 weeks ago, I’d have dismissed Pamela Geller as a nut. Now I want to buy her book. If this means I don’t get invited to any cocktail parties on the Upper West Side for the rest of my life, fine; beer and a shot in East Baltimore work for me.
For the record, Wilders’ call to ban the qur’an has to be understood in the context of Dutch law, which does ban books. Wilders said if Mein Kamf is banned, the qur’an should be, too. It was a call for a consistent application of existing Dutch law.
UPDATE: Thanks to Tom
UPDATE: Ilario Pantano was fierce. The old guard is done. It is politicians with political courage who will speak for the people. And they are few. Pantano is one of them. If you don’t know him, go here. If you want to contribute to his campaign (and you should), go here. If you live in North Carolina, volunteer. Do it.
In the crowd there were families of those murdered on 9/11, military veterans, New Yorkers, and people who had travelled from around the country and from abroad to be here today. Above, three U.S. Marine Corps veterans listened intently to Ilario Pantano, candidate for U.S. Congress.
“… Why On 9/11 it wasn’t New York that was attacked, it was America that was attacked. It was freedom that was attacked. And we can’t forget not only what happened, not only the murderous intent that killed 3,000 Americans. We can’t forget for a moment that that they wanted to kill 50,000 Americans, or maybe 100,000 Americans. … We can’t forget that since those attacks, hundreds of thousands of men and women around the world have been killed by jihadists, in the name of radical Islam. From Egypt to Bali, from Baghdad to Kabul, no one can forget there was a car bomb here in Times Square six months ago. Folks, if  you think this is over, it’s just beginning.
… So what’s my opinion about a mosque at ground zero? NO MOSQUE HERE. …â€
Pantano tied in Iran’s actions against Israel with the Gaza Flotilla, and pointed out Imam Rauf’s involvement with the Gaza Flotilla, and questioned where the money from the mosque is coming from.
UPDATE: Eyewitness accounts pouring in, this from Betty Jean in comments section:
Police lied about numbers at rally…Press too…well we expect it from them, but the police? They must have been given orders to knock down the numbers. Check the photos and ask BettyJean who was in the staging area before it started!
I was there and they were chasing us away – I was moved 7 times! I was moved so far away I had to go around the block and could not get back never heard all the speakers at all they closed access. The truth is they finally refused access to thousands.
I was there at 1:30 before the rally started, I was with several of the speakers in the staging area and had a few words with Pamela Geller before her detail men put me and many of the speakers out of the tent for security reasons and because the staging area was too small to hold us all.
Once placed just outside the staging area the police arrived demanding we leave that area immediately. First they allowed us to step across the road and stand on the curb but another set of police forced us behind the barricades even though we explained we were with the speakers. By that time what seemed like thousands coming in from the ground zero ceremony arrived and the Police went crazy and closed down the sidewalk entirely. They kept shoving us backwards until I, along with many in my group were forced right out of the block. Not being a speaker I just went the way of the crowd but many of the speakers were scattered about.
I tried to re- enter by walking up each block as far back as the eye can see but the streets were full and the crowd was thick. I kept backing out and going another block further away and trying again. The camera cannot show you around corners where I was forced to go only to be out of range of both the camera’s and earshot.
I went from standing next to Pam Geller to not even being in the picture. Don’t let anyone tell you there were 1500! And shame on Geraldo and others for inviting Pamela Geller as a guest draw an audience then not allowing her to have her voice or voice ours!
UPDATE: More on the street reportage from Zhanna (hat tip Pamela Hall):
Dear friends, I had experience today, I never expected to get. It takes less than an hour and half to get to the Park place and West Broadway from my door.
It took almost 3 hours today. Today, on 9/11, they canceled Q train!
After I got to Manhattan, I walked from the Subway station Wall Street. I was shocked. There were pro-Masque speakers on every corner and between. I could not find our meeting from the beginning and policemen sent me in wrong directions.
I walked like shuttle back and forward.
I passed by pro-masque meeting. That was the small, but very loud crowd. Nobody shout them down and everybody could approach them from any side. In order to get to our meeting, people had to go around and around.
Everything was very strange today. BUT, I was so delighted to see our people. The very friendly people. People who care about our country, about our future, and who make difference today.
UPDATE: Photo and video report from the September 11, 2010 FDI/SIOA rally in Manhattan
UPDATE: The People’s Cube wants to know, Are you an islamophobe?
UPDATE: A really great piece over at Modern Conservative, solid reporting: The Great Media Blackout - Props to Jennifer Booth
I’m disturbed, but not surprised at the media blackout for the protest held at the proposed site for the mosque at Ground Zero. I was there, and I stood right behind the platform where the media personnel gathered. Several of them took my picture, while wearing my Infidel shirt. I even said to a few of them, “Give us a good story, please.†They answered me and said they would. They knew my meaning- please don’t skew us, don’t portray us as haters. Be honest. And with the coverage, the amount of people there, the sheer diversity of the crowd: people from England, Australia, Egypt, Iran, Uganda, etc. were in attendance or speaking, I am just dumbfounded that not only did we receive a complete blackout, but in the media reports I have been able to find, they covered a different rally, and called those people us. That’s right, you did not misread. A completely different rally filled with Christian themes and anti-abortion agendas were portrayed as the people who attended the rally which Pamela Geller organized. Just lies.
Therefore, if it’s up to the attendees to document it, to be fair and give ANY kind of accuracy and decent coverage, then so be it. It certainly won’t be the first time it was left up to bloggers to be citizen journalists. Ask those who got Dan Rather fired, or ask Matt Drudge. Below is my account, which I started writing yesterday, September 11, 2010.
Christians are in danger at Indonesia. Here’s an example of many cases happened.
http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2010/08/08/fpi-attacks-hkbp-church-members-bekasi.html
http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2010/09/12/two-reverends-hkbp-church-bekasi-attacked-one-being-stabbed.html
And we support to Stop Islam violence against humanity.
September 12 ,2010 New York Post newspaper show Pro mosque rally photo but don’t show Anti mosque rally photos. Why New York post don’t show anti mosque rally?
I live in New York for 10 years and I protested at Anti Ground Zero Mosque Rally on September 11 , 2010. About 50,000 American People from all across the USA protested at Anti Ground Zero Mosque Rally. Ground Zero Mosque Imam , Saudi Arabia government declared war on America since 9/11 , 2001 by attacking of World Trade Centers, New York, USA and insult American People . American People Wake up , Stand Up and Fight back Enemies Ground Zero Mosque Imam and Saudi Arabia, Coward and Traitor New York Mayor Bloomberg and Coward US president Obama.
yes sir! you said it right!
Now Anti Muslim immigrant party ( Sweden Democratic party ) won 6 % of votes and get 20 Parliament seats first time on Sep 19 ,2010 . Bravo Sweden Democratic party. All anti muslim immigrants party are rising across Europe. Netherlands Anti muslim immigrant party ( Geert Wilders party ) won 24 parliament seats in Netherlands in June ,2010 . This is good news for Islamisation of USA and Europe.
If words could stop terrorism or the predatory character of the Islamic faith (radical or not!), then surely it would have come to a screeching halt by not with all that has been written.
The only words having that kind of power are found in II Chronicles 7:14, “if my people, who are called by my name would humble themselves and pray, and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear them from heaven, and forgive their sin, and restore their nation…”
Hi Andy
You right. Indonesia was Hindu and Buddhist country before 13th century. Islam was adopted in Indonesia at 13th century and 50 years later Indonesia became Muslim country because of Saudi Arabia ,Turkey and other Muslim Countries fund a lot of money to massive Arab Muslims who migrated to Indonesia . Muslim women birth rate are higher than indigenous women birth rate , building of many Mosques in Indonesia and fund to many indigenous converters who became Muslims. So Muslim became majority in Indonesia now and Muslim bully, kill, behead , rape and burn Christians and Churches. World Christian governments must support Indonesian Christians.
Thomas Kean, Republican, 9/11 Commission, proponent on the War on Terror, CFR member, chairs the Carnegie Corporation DIRECTLY FUNDING “IMAM” FAISAL ABDUL RAUF.
Think about that for a minute.
You know, at first I thought Geert Wilders was a far-right nut. That is because the mainstream media portrayed him as such. But now I checked his 5-minute video-interview, coverage in the Israeli media, and Wikipedia. I realized I was wrong about Wilders.
He is like Hirsan Ali, a politician of rare courage and integrity, someone who says what others fear to express.
Banning the Koran might be unconstitutional, purely on religious grounds and freedom of press. Taxing burkhas also seems downright silly to me. After all,no one taxes fedoras and yarmulkas, right?
However, his warning that Islam, if unchecked, could take over Europe and the planet, does have a lot of truth to it. Muslims have large families, and that is a fact.
I would urge that moderate Muslims be given assistance in stopping the spread of Islamic extremism. Education is key here. Not every Muslim is a terrorist or a bad guy. Many Muslims died in the 9/11 World Trade Center bombings. This a fact.
If you wish to spread the Islamization, then by all means try to use education as a tool. Make alliances with imams that teach that Islam is a religion of peace, not violence. I have friends who are Muslim, good, decent people. These friends reject the militant, extreme version of Islam.
Yes, you need to stop Islamization. However, you must also try to ensure that Islam’s extreme interpretations (Taliban, Al-Quaeda) do not prevail. This can only be done by reconciling moderate Islam with 21st century Western values.
because Obama supported that mosque.. how could he?!
muslims cannot build a m,osque anywherte a pig has been buried.that makes it unclean.lets have a nation wide pig planting