Monday August 17, 2009 PHX

I woke up early on Monday and headed out to carpool up to Phoenix to join the Health care Debate. As soon as we exited the parking garage, we saw the purple SEIU shirted people observing their group on the street corner. We took a sharp right two blocks over and joined the people who were protesting health care. There were probably 2000 people there greeting the Veterans as they arrived at their conference. Cars were honking support, politicians were campaigning, people were chatting with one another. One guy with one megaphone in one hand and a flag in the other lead the group in chanting slogans for our cause.

Then I spotted the Don't Tread on Me flag that had the Confederate Flag field. I leaned over to one of the gals in our group and said, "With all the people here, the only thing that will be mentioned is that some racist brought an offensive flag." Sure enough, of the 25 pictures the AZ Rep put out only about 5 or so pictures were of those opposed to the Obama Health care solution one being that flag.

Then we moved down to a town hall meeting put on by KFYI and J.D. Heyworth. We got lost and ended up in the organized moving line of the SEIU sponsored support group. There were young women in white shirts that looked like they were on summer internship or something. They would start yelling at us to "Stay in Line" and "Get over here!!!" We had our own home made signs and were not wearing the stickers and shirts that had been handed out earlier. They were so insistent that we had to forcefully yell back, "We are NOT with you!!!" It was just so bizarre. I wish that I had taped the whole thing.

The Town meeting was a lot of fun. We saw a few of our local current and previous politicians and heard from drs as well. We sat and chatted for awhile and listened to the goings on inside.

Then we strolled out to the main staging area. We were on one side and I would have to say that 75% were bused in on the other side. The way you could tell was when the police told us that the President had left, they starting leaving again in organized lines lead by the women in white shirts who had name tags. A veteran on our side brought out his flag (along with numerous others of various sizes), there were none to be seen on the other side until someone came by with flags still in their bags from the local store and hurriedly pulled them out of their wrapping like they were some kind of sheet to prove that they were patriotic too. It was bizarre.

I had been watching this on TV for the past two or three weeks and thought, "OK, maybe a bus or two pulled up to these events." No that is not the case. They run these events, it is very calculated and organized. They would send people over like the guy from Amnesty International to film us and take our pictures. Most of the people in the group looked like victims but outside the group there was always someone in a suit or business dress watching and texting.

I have been to other gatherings like this as well and hope to go to several more. This one just opened my eyes to how calculated this whole thing is.