Prowar rally focuses on ‘positive’

Christine Carrillo

The goal was to show support for American troops in Iraq.

The outcome was just that.

About one hundred people stood at the intersection of Bristol

Street and Anton Boulevard in Costa Mesa Saturday afternoon, waving

American flags and carrying patriotic signs that said, “I Love

America” and “Freedom is Ours Thanks to the Brave Troops.”

Drivers honked their car horns as they drove up and down Bristol

Street or left South Coast Plaza. Others waved and shouted words of

patriotism while stopped at the light surprised to see anything but

the antiwar protesters that frequently cover the sidewalks along

Bristol Street.

The thought behind that initial surprise was one of the driving

forces for the rally in the first place.

“We want to go out there and support our troops and we don’t

really want to get into any confrontations with people,” said Lee

Lowrey, president of the Orange County Young Republicans, the

organization that staged the event. “I do support their right to

protest. They got their day, now let us have ours and let’s try not

to get into a shoving match.”

The rally, which involved a number of different Orange County

organizations, turned its back on the antiwar sentiment that has been

thrust in to the limelight and looked toward rallying support for

American troops.

“I wanted to be a part of something positive,” said Lisa Hathcock,

an Costa Mesa resident for eight years. “The least I can do is stand

out here and wave my flag for a few hours. I’ll be here until the war

is over.”

The desire to simply show support for the men and women in the

armed forces, President Bush and the United States, was a common

among the ralliers.

“We want to teach our kids at a young age that we need to support

our president and our troops,” said Steve Franklin, who attended the

rally with his wife and three children. “We just think it’s about

time we show our support. It’s been great.”

Franklin’s 10-year-old son Cameron agreed.

“It’s fun to do stuff like this,” he said. “ It’s really cool

because it’s really loud and they care that we’re doing all this.”

For some people, their presence on the corner meant a lot more.

“There’s a whole lot of coverage for antiwar protests but not for

supporters of the war,” said John Seltzer, an Anaheim resident who

went shopping at South Coast Plaza and ended up joining the rally. “I

think we should be there. If we don’t use the heavy line when the

heavy line needs to be used than nothing’s going to get done.”

With a constant barrage of honking horns and the occasional bellow

from a few 18-wheelers, the people standing along the sidewalks

trying to spread patriotism felt it was time well spent.

The next rally is tentatively planned for Saturday from noon to 2

p.m. For more information, visit www.ocyr.org.