In solidarity with our friends in Berkeley, on Sunday, April 27th, The Gathering of Eagles told Susie Benjamin and her friends from Code Pink that they were not welcome in New Jersey. What a great day for Eagles!
Susie slinked into sleepy little Northern New Jersey, certain she could defile our state without comment. Imagine the surprise when “Peacers” came down Route 23 and discovered it lined with American flags and patriots there standing up for our troops! The first sign that greeted them? “Code Pink…NOT WELCOME IN NEW JERSEY!”
Eagles began arriving at 10 am, in advance of the luncheon, from all over the state of New Jersey and from New York, Connecticut, Virginia and Bev Perlson, from the Band of Mothers, came all the way from Chicago! In all, we were more than 30 strong.
As each car entered the parking lot to the hotel hosting the luncheon, Eagles were there to stand up for our troops. While organizers of the lunch claimed 250 guests, unless the cars passing us were clown cars holding a few dozen each, their numbers were no where near this…in fact, it was a rather pathetic turnout for them.
Code Pink’s actual feelings about free speech for all except themselves, came within the first 15 minutes of their typically late arrival with a call to the police to remove the Eagles from the PUBLIC street in front of the hotel.
The Eagles had been on the street for almost two hours before the Pinkos actually arrived and were without incident or disturbance. Arriving cars were not delayed one single second and no entrance was impeded. They wanted us removed simply because they did not want us to exercise our free speech….despite the platitudes they claimed when a few of them scurried up the driveway to harass us.
Three police cars arrived and, after confirming that the Eagles were legally entitled to be there and were causing no disruption and merely exercising free speech, the police bid us a friendly good-bye, much to the dismay of the “Peace” advocates.
While the police were initially assessing the situation, Susie Benjamin came down the driveway to chat with the Eagles. While I can not read her twisted little mind, I can only assume she chose that timeframe for one of two reasons (or possibly both) 1) She is so intimidated by us she needs police nearby or she is too chicken to talk 2) She hoped to provoke a situation with the police there to create a problem.
As to the second, she is unable to ruffle Eagle feathers for even a moment. Among the highlights of the day was Susie’s interaction with Bev Perlson. Bev, fluent in Susie doublespeak, did not put up with one moment of her cloying, nauseating hippispeak. We all know the disgusting, tacky and tasteless methods that Code Pink uses to get their message out when the cameras are rolling and they have numbers behind them. In a gaggle of 3 with only one of our cameras rolling, Susie attempts to be a rational, calm and a warm and fuzzy mother earth communicator. What she can not fail to hide, however, is her inherent hatred for our country or her own contempt for any and all who do not agree with her. She can not make any Eagle forget that she and her minions sent $600K to the insurgents to embolden the enemy and harm our men and women in the military. No Eagle will forget, while she pastes a sickening smile on her face, that she advocates the murder of our soldiers.
Bev, in her usual direct and passionate voice, stood solidly with our troops and did not give Susie one inch of wiggle room. Susie, in contrast, was a bundle of contradicting statements and nauseating “peacespeak” that was heavy on flowery language and light on substance. The baloney detector was in such overload that an 11 year old watching the exchange turned to me and said, “Mom, Susie is trying to pretend like she is a calm nice person…but the words coming out of her mouth are so hateful, she can’t hid who she really is.” That is one smart kid if I do say so myself.
When it was clear to Susie that Bev had her number and was going to stick to facts and use Susie’s own history of heinous and ugly public remarks, Susie slinked down the street in an effort to engage other Eagles. Again, she failed to bait a single Eagle despite her use of made up statistics and truly outrageous accusations. Her frustration level was palpable and she and her minions were clearly losing composure. They finally gave up, consistently drowned out by the steady stream of honks directed at the Eagles, and returned to the lunch to consume tofurkey or some other Vegan delicacy.
Other highlights? We were all heartened and frankly a bit surprised at the honks, salutes and thumbs up that came our way…this is the People’s Republic of New Jersey after all. There were literally hundreds and hundreds of supportive toots that came our way in the course of the 5 hours we held the corner….not one minute went by the entire time without a steady stream. It was especially enjoyable to know that every honk on the horn was heard inside the building and was surely a pinch of salt on the open sore that is Code Pink and its useful idiots and friends.
Three local papers covered the event and again, to the dismay of those inside, they spent more time outside with us than inside with them.
The most meaningful moment came when a car pulled over onto the shoulder in front of us and rolled down his window. Bracing for a heckling hippie, we were all touched to meet an Iraqi War Veteran, literally just returning home with his sack in the backseat of his car. He drew Bev over to his window and thanked her, and the rest of the Eagles, for coming out to stand against the insurgency at home, and supporting our troops. His thanks made the entire day worth it all.
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