Ron Paul's Revolution March swept into DC this past weekend, bringing the message of peace, freedom, conspiratorial craziness and Ron Paul to the home stomping grounds of "The Man". I wasn't able to attend, having lived in DC for many years and knowing better than to be there in mid-July. I discovered a desperate need to eat barbeque while plotting revolution in the comfort of my pool. But fear not little rebels, I've combed the internet for reports from those who did attend and present my summary here for all those lovers of liberty who'd rather fight from their keyboards than in the streets.
By far the best and most balanced report is from David Weigel at Reason online. He's got photos and videos and some appropriate wry comments based on his experience from other rallies. It's what I hope I would have written had I been able to go, but about 50% nicer and much more tolerant of the Birchers, crazy fringe types and Naomi Wolf than I would have been.
There is some nice personal coverage from several writers at gather.com, which includes discussion of some of the speeches and of a smaller protest at the Federal Reserve building. They provide a link to the all revolution all the time podnet Revoluton Broadcasting which had live coverage of the march which is still available on their site.
Another informative, if less than impartial, report comes from Marc Gallagher of the Liberty Maven blog. He has some past experience with DC rallies and estimated the turnout at perhaps 2500 people. Other sources suggest it might have been as high as an optimistic 5,000, which is less embarrassing than the Million Man March, but far less than the 10,000 attendees organizers anticipated. Low but enthusiastic turnout is probably not surprising after Paul's withdrawal from the race when attentions have turned elsewhere and with Libertarian presidential candidate Bob Barr not in attendance.
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Al Barger
Dear Dave- Laugh it up, funny guy. Bet you won't think it's so funny come the rEVOLution, when you and your Jew paymasters at Halliburton are lined up against a wall.
Viva la rEVOLution!!!
2 - Dave Nalle
Dammit, you know I'm out of Halliburton now. I converted all of my stock to a diverse portfolio of different mercenary companies.
Dave
3 - Steve
David's observations have always been skewed and tinged with a bit of mockery pertaining to Ron Paul's campaign. Constant reference to "fringe" elements. The reference to fringe has no substance or intellectual value.
The founders were considered fringe at one point. Don't we remember history.
The March was a success for the Ron Paul supporters who organized and participated in it. That was the main purpose of the march, personal empowerment. I was at the march and it appeared to have well over 5,000 people, it was bigger than the Philadelphia Rally which was estimated at 4,000-5,000.
We stood literally on the navel of the belly of the beast and professed the truth.
4 - Dr Dreadful
Oh goody, another Ron Paul article by Dave Nalle. God help us all.
And as the assistant comments editor, Dave, may I say thank you in advance on behalf of Chris and myself for once again making our lives sooo much easier! :-)
5 - Dave Nalle
David's observations have always been skewed and tinged with a bit of mockery pertaining to Ron Paul's campaign. Constant reference to "fringe" elements.
You want to see REAL mockery, take a look at the link to Wonkette. That's the way serious, mainstream politicos see you - like sideshow freaks.
The reference to fringe has no substance or intellectual value.
Sure it does, it's a reminder that the Cult of Paul is tainted and ultimately a sidetrack from the real liberty movement.
The founders were considered fringe at one point. Don't we remember history.
The founders advocated liberty, not nativism, isolationism, protectionism, paranoia and bigotry.
The March was a success for the Ron Paul supporters who organized and participated in it. That was the main purpose of the march, personal empowerment. I was at the march and it appeared to have well over 5,000 people, it was bigger than the Philadelphia Rally which was estimated at 4,000-5,000.
All of which I think comes through quite clearly in my brief summary.
We stood literally on the navel of the belly of the beast and professed the truth.
And the beast ignored you, and it's your own fault.
Dave
6 - Connecticut Loves Nathan Hale
To Al Barger:
If you are genuine in your beliefs, and not paid to smear the revolution with crap like that, I feel sorry for you, but also bid you to kiss the hairy left buttock of my ass (that's the Jewish half!)
To anyone remotely associated with the Wankette:
Amazing how easy it is to make a living in D.C. when you are a whore paid to spew out vile propaganda -- I am ever amused by your mastrubatory frenzies of anti-Paul juvenilia -- 'smatter, can't get work sucking off neo-libs/cons -- come on now, we know what floats your boats, and it ain't water.
To Davy:
Who cares about the beast? You really think we is the field niggers come to beg massa to put more fatback in our gruel? Sorry, Cracker Dave, use dumb slaves done run off your plantation all together!
7 - Tom deSabla
Dave said to Steve:
"You want to see REAL mockery, take a look at the link to Wonkette. That's the way serious, mainstream politicos see you - like sideshow freaks."
On the surface, it's tempting to argue with this by saying that Wonkette et al are NOT serious politicos at all, but on a deeper level, what Nalle does not seem to realize is that there ARE NO SERIOUS MAINSTREAM POLITICOS ANYMORE.
They can be either mainstream or serious, but not both.
John McCain himself is not a serious politico. Yes, he is a sitting Senator, yes he is mainstream, but he is not serious.
"Bomb bomb, bomb bomb Iran"???
Not serious
Stay in Iraq for a hundred years?
Not serious
"The issue of economics is something that I've really never understood as well as I should....I've never been involved in the financial stuff, the financial workings of the country"
At a time like this? Not serious.
Dave Nalle himself is not serious.
On the subject of fiat money, Nalle says: "There's no reason why a so-called fiat currency can't be stable and inflation resistent."
That's an odd thing for a serious person to say, when no such currency ever has done it. The most inflation-resistant fiat currency in existence today is the Swiss Franc, and it has lost over 80% of its value.
That is not stable or inflation resistant. In any case he is wrong, because there is and always has been a reason that fiat currency issuance always gets out of control - human nature. If a person doesn't realize this - they aren't being serious.
On the Constitutional power to borrow contained in Article 1 Sect. 8,
Dave Nalle: "Printing fiat currency IS borrowing money. It's just borrowing it from the people and the national economy"
When asked, if what he was describing was really constitutional borrowing, how was the money paid back, he said:
"It's given back in the form of goods and services purchased with the greenback dollars."
That gobbledygook answer above was not penned by a serious economic thinker.
Nalle pretends to be an intellectual, but what gives him away is the personal attacks - slurs and slanders of every type, really - that are consistently devoid of any factual support.
Steve said: "The reference to fringe has no substance or intellectual value."
Dave responded: Sure it does, it's a reminder that the Cult of Paul is tainted and ultimately a sidetrack from the real liberty movement.
Ha. Cult of Paul. The state has no cult, only Paul. And, how is it "tainted" again? Nalle doesn't say, as usual. And, pray tell, what does Nalle think is the "real liberty movement"? Presumably the same groups (cults?) that have sat on their hands for the last 30 years?
Reason - Sucks.
Cato (State-O) - advocates the U.S. taxpayer giving Mexico money to protect THEIR OWN SOUTHERN BORDER.
Republicans - JOKE
Conservatives - JOKE
Government is bigger and more indebted than it HAS EVER BEEN.
After Reagan for 8 years
After Newt
After Gramm
After GW Bush for 8 more
After McCain being there THE ENTIRE TIME.
Where was Dave Nalle all that time? Ron Paul was in Congress voting against big government. He is widely acknowledged to be the most consistent and principled conservative politician of them all.
Dave Nalle was busy sabotaging liberty at every turn, just as he's doing now. Who the hell is he to put people down who are honestly fighting for liberty after all his "mainstream" politicos have failed so abysmally?
Steve: "The founders were considered fringe at one point. Don't we remember history."
Dave responded: "The founders advocated liberty, not nativism, isolationism, protectionism, paranoia and bigotry."
Of course, Nalle never, ever provides actual examples of nativism, paranoia etc in Ron Paul's policy recommendations - because there are none.
He just likes to sling mud. Nothing is beneath Dave Nalle. Nothing.
8 - zingzing
tom: "Nothing is beneath Dave Nalle. Nothing."
dave defies gravity! he floats on... wait. hrm. ok, let's start again.
tom: "Nothing is beneath Dave Nalle. Nothing."
that's not strictly true.
9 - Charles Held
Hmmm... the comment instructions read "Personal attacks are not allowed." Yet I see the author himself using terms like "crazy", "loony", "isolationism", "paranoia", and "bigotry".
Nice try getting some hits on your rantings by merely paraphrasing OTHERS' ACTUAL REPORTS OF AN EVENT YOU WERE TOO SMUG TO ATTEND.
10 - David Rairigh
I, too, would like to see Mr. Nalle support his contention that Dr. Paul's policies encourage nativism, isolationism, etc...
As for the use of the word "fringe" to describe Dr. Paul's movement, I'm not convinced that wanting the government to stop interfering in other nations, stop interfering in private lives and be financially responsible is really considered "holding an extreme view".
11 - Clavos
"...AN EVENT YOU WERE TOO
SMUGSMART TO ATTEND." There. fixed it for ya.Along with more than 300 million other smart americans.
It's amazing how this tiny group of zealots can make so much noise with their "...tale Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, Signifying nothing."
12 - Jean
I can't understand anyone who would put himself out in opposition to a true patriotic, extremely intelligent man such as is Ron Paul, And his followers, equally intelligent which is obvious to any but the most dense, of which would include Dave Nalle. How ever he can type so he no doubt is a paid slanderer by the very people that have destroyed this once great country. His idiotic rantings against patriotic Americans are not his true feelings, I am sure. Hes paid to put out this garbage, no doubt. Ron Paul is every bit as
great as John Paul---Jones, Of "I have not yet begun to fight" Fame.
13 - Dr Dreadful
@ #9:
Shall I, for the 87,239,401,337th time, explain to a commenter the difference between personal attacks on other commenters and impersonal attacks on public figures and groups?
Nah.
14 - zingzing
not to get all grammar patrol up in here, but, this sentence is just about the greatest thing i've ever read: "I can't understand anyone who would put himself out in opposition to a true patriotic, extremely intelligent man such as is Ron Paul, And his followers, equally intelligent which is obvious to any but the most dense, of which would include Dave Nalle."
it's just a thing of wonder. the syntax, the choice of words, the punctuation... all so fucked, it's like the author used a sledge to hammer out the letters and got tired midway through.
i still think dave is an ass most of the time, but if he's getting responses of this amusing quality, i say, "bravo, sir."
15 - Clavos
"Ron Paul is every bit as
great as John Paul---Jones, Of "I have not yet begun to fight" Fame."
OMG.
Putting a wimpy, cowardly isolationist on a par with America's greatest naval hero is nothing short of blasphemous.
16 - Charles Held
Dreadful,
You may, if you can first explain the difference between "isolationist" and "non-interventionist". (Hint: The latter is summarized by Thomas Jefferson's famous dictum, "Peace, commerce, and honest friendship with all nations " entangling alliances with none").
Oh, and provide what evidence you can that Ron Paul is the former rather than the latter.
17 - PainfullyAware
Fools And Their Rights Are Soon Parted.
The Boiling Of The Frog Continues.
From The Ashes Is Where Liberty Will Again Spawn.
Cities Of Glass Will Be Made From Afar And Only The Lucky And Those Of Awareness Will Be Left To Skirmish For The Path OF Humanity.
Your Neighbor Be Your Only Salvation.
Evil Happens Because The Good Do Nothing.
18 - Pablo
Dread Re comment 9 and 13:
Your response to comment 9 is disingenuous at best sir. The amount of times That Davey boy has attacked me personally on this forum is in point of fact numerous, yet he has never been curtailed by the comments editors. He uses these derogatory terms to belittle, and not use reason or debate to make his points. So I take issue with your comments in 13.
Don't bet me wrong Dread, I like his attacks, as it only shows how weak his arguments are, however I do not like the hypocrisy, nor the untrue argument that you used in comment 13 sir.
Dave in my opinion, (not a personal attack) is a paid shill for his corporate/CIA masters, and acts as an advocate of human liberty, when he does everything in his power to denigrate liberty on a daily basis.
Just my two sense worth Dread.
Pablo
19 - David Rairigh
Still awaiting an answer. Perhaps explain why Dr. Paul is a "wimpy, cowardly isolationist." He served in the Air Force when called in the 60s. He has consistently stood and voted for his beliefs (often as one of the few voices of dissent). As one of the few people in office who correctly surmised the quagmire that Iraq would become and who bravely pressed for an up or down vote of War (which the rest of Congress wimped out on) I would say he has showed uncommon backbone and the ability to backup his assertions with facts.
I'm not interested in any of the comments that are derisive or derogatory. If you can't discuss the issues in a moderately civil manner you will never make any headway with the opposition, regardless of the side on which you stand.
20 - Dr Dreadful
Charles @ #16:
You may, if you can first explain the difference between "isolationist" and "non-interventionist".
What does that have to do with anything I said?
Pablo @ #18:
As I think I've explained to you before, Chris and I do try to edit comments with as light a hand as possible. Of paramount importance in these threads is to let the debate flow: we don't want to be like a couple of referees who leap in with whistle blowing at the slightest infringement and ruin the game.
Now Dave, with true disingenuousness, would I'm sure deny any accusation that his comments to you are personal attacks, but merely responses to what he sees as outlandish opinions. There is a difference between 'X is a paranoid moron' and 'X has swallowed the moronic paranoia of Y'.
Though they are not set in stone, Dave is well aware of where the limits are - as are you, Pablo. Both of you have frequently ventured close to those limits but are noticeably and extremely careful not to step over them.
21 - Dave Nalle
I'm not going to answer every one of the increasingly tedious attacks which were laid out by various Paul supporters while I was sleeping and working and generally doing more to advance freedom in a few hours than they have done in months.
The amusing part is that these attacks are considerably less virulent than most I've had directed at me over prior articles, and as has always been the case they completely miss the point.
For a general response, I direct them to an essay I wrote on my own website called "Why I Write About Ron Paul". I realize that you think Paul is the greatest thing since sliced bread, but I'm a rational person and not a fanatic, and it has become clear to me that he and his movement are a destructive sidetrack on the road to liberty.
Dave
22 - Al Barger
I note again in this comment thread as with most others involving the Paulbots the ridiculous assumptions of conspiracy and dishonesty among opponents. Specifically, note how many Paul supporters automatically assume that anyone criticizing or mocking him is being paid by someone to do it. Obviously, no honest, rational person would disagree with Ron Paul and the JBS.
Note the first comment on this column, from me. This ridiculous hateful and paranoid assumption of Nalle being on some payroll was the point of my mockery - that and pointing out again the anti-Semitism of Paul and his John Birch Society. I explain this obvious point for the window lickers what are supporting Paul and seem seem unwilling to understand criticism.
23 - Randy
You are not objective, therefore, you have no business calling someone impartial or not impartial. You remind me of the guy from the movie "the patriot" with Mel Gibson who throws the first torch on the church with all the people locked inside even though they were once his neighbors. Hope you got a good deal when you sold your soul, assuming you had one to sell.
24 - GinnyLee
I was not able to attend the March on Saturday. I sure do appreciate those who did - the travel, the expense, the discomfort, etc. I think it takes everyone doing his part to make anything work successfully. Some go to the battle front, and some stay by the stuff at home. This is the American way, and we still have the freedom to do it - so far.
If everyone with a real love for our country will have the guts to stand up, speak up, and not be intimidated by the mockers who do nothing but point a finger, we will restore our liberties and build a better Union. And there will always be the 'frivolous fringe' few who take a free ride on someone else's platform - in every organization. We deal with it.
Anyone can sit at home and do nothing - just close your eyes and push a button in November. This is the kind of behavior that has given the few pinheads in Congress and in the Courts the free-wheeling hand that they play. "It's business as usual, boys".
Thanks to all of you who attended the March, who are giving monetary support, and who are praying for the good of America. We need all of you, and you are appreciated.
25 - Dave Nalle
Re #22. Al, the really bizarre thing is that this article isn't even negative. I'm giving free publicity to the movement, linking to the observations of Paul supporters in their own words, and doing it purely in the interest of keeping people informed - it's news with a bit of harmless levity. Yet these paranoid, jackbooted, nincompoops assume that it's some sort of attack. It really does get tedious.
Dave