Bush´s Visit to Mainz: A Demonstration of Success

(By Ray D.)

Davids Medienkritik and Medienkritik Online began the effort to put together a demonstration in Mainz, Germany little more than a week ago. The result was an incredible success that received enormous media coverage. The rally was well coordinated with local authorities and despite large groups of hostile counter demonstrators, everyone who attended felt safe and was able to express their views fully. Everything went off without a hitch. Those attending our rally were interviewed by virtually every major German television station and newspaper.

Before I go any further I want to give a very large "thank you" to Patricia and Ludwig Roess of Republicans Abroad without whom this event would have never succeeded. I would also like to thank the highly professional German police officers who provided security throughout the city of Mainz for the President´s visit.

Here now are just a few pictures of our demonstration for German-American friendship. More will follow...

Media, Media Everywhere...

Moving Out: The PDS (Communist Party) and "Attac" Were Waiting for the Showdown at the Südbahnhof

 

In the Face of the PDS Demonstrators: These Colors Don´t Run Baby

Blue Finger: V-for-Victory in Iraq; Special Thanks to Cox & Forkum

Signs of Freedom and Welcome

 

The PDS/Attac Demonstrators Sober Enough to Chant Were Yelling: "The International Murder Center USA" and "U SS A". Is this what the Angry Left means when they say they are just Anti-Bush and not Anti-American?

Blogger Erik Svane of No Pasaran Joined the Action...

And Got On Very Well With the Local Police after the Demonstration

Members of the Rally Also Waited to Greet the President

Even German Dogs Joined in the Fun

More Soon...Stay Tuned...

(Note: If you would like to donate to Davids Medienkritik to support us with the expenses of the demonstration, please click here. Thank you.)

Update: More pictures at No Pasaran!

Special Thanks: To some gutsy German and Swiss bloggers who stood along side me when we were outnumbered at least 3 to 1 by angry Communist demonstrators: Stefan Herre of Politically Incorrect, Paul of No Blood for Sauerkraut, David Harnasch, Greg Grabinski of Against Me and Karin Quade of Anti-anti-Americanism.

Comments

[Patricia and Ludwig]

Dear Ray,

It was our pleasure!!

Sincerely,
Trish and Ludwig

[Karin Quade]

To all that have been there yesterday: It has been great meeting you and I am already looking forward to seeing you again at our next demonstration for German-American friendship! maybe next time in summer ;-)

Karin

[David Moelling]

Again many thanks to you for getting out from us here in the USA.

[Ch. Arm]

Where`s the link for downloading the new no. 1 song "Battle Hymne of the Republic through the streets of Mainz" feat. Erik Svane ???
why not having our next demonstration at the new US embassy in berlin, perhaps in fall `05 ?
and ray, did you finally manage to sleep for a sec? ;-)))

the very best arguments of the red rubbish:

All fucked up except Cuba

question:
hey, whats up, man, are you a fucking history teacher?
answer of one of us:
Nope, I`m a politics

You fucking Jews has no more rights in this country for seventy years

U-SS-SA-SS

et ceterea...

[frenchfregoli]

Congrats guys.

You achieved just enough curiosity to appear in ARTE's yesterday news! Was it erik i saw, comparing Bush to adenauer and Khol?

[Ch. Arm]

Quote: "I`m sorry that you`re suffering from McDonalds, Coca Cola...."

[Deist]

Well .... you should post the number of demonstrators so people get a good idea of the relations ;)
20 against 7000 ....

Sadly the pro-bush demo wasnt mentioned often by the news....
I recalled how the europeans blamed the us news for not reporting about the antiwar-demonstrations before the iraq war. Now we have the interesting situation that the german media didnt report much about the pro bush demonstrations.

Funny isnt it ?

Note from David: "Sadly the pro-bush demo wasnt mentioned often by the news...." Are you kidding, Deist? We got maximum exposure at ZDF, n-tv, ARD, etc., etc.... (Did I mention ARTE?)
What's important is not the ratio of pro-Bush to anti-Bush demonstrators, but the ratio of pro-Bush demonstrators to people who saw the news about the pro-Bush demo. And this ratio is hugh. Talking of efficient PR...

Also, our blog visitor stats are quite impressing these days...9000 on Tuesday, 9500 on Wednesday. I don't know of very many blogs reporting on German matters reaching those numbers...

Thanks for the congrats!

[Alex N.]

Actually, one of the regular writers on the German site and participant in the demo (Paul13) said they were in fact around 30. That's 10 more good men. Seems the MSM can't even properly count no more ;). Well, they are so used to counting in thousands I guess.

[Hero von Esens]

Congratulations! I am glad it went well and hope you get even more resonance in the media than you have so far. Being outnumbered is a badge of pride at this stage and things´ll change on that front, I´m sure. Good luck for the future.

[Gabi]

Great success! We saw you on ARD, ZDF, Pro Sieben und N 24!

Next time we will be there with you!

[Deist]

del.

Note from David: Sorry, Deist. You exhausted - again - your maximum bs factor for today.
Come back tomorrow, please.

[Ch. Arm]

Washington Times and NY Times mentioned us.
(okay, we weren`t about 100 people but they mentioned us indeed)

[Ch. Arm]

not available, unfortunatley, I can`t get to their archiv,

[Lou Minatti]

Great job, guys! Ya'll have some stones!

[Paul13]

It was just great! Even though we were only around 30 it was a big success. I missed the most TV reports because I was too tired after that day but as far as what I've read now we got one of the highest mcpa (media coverage per attendant :-) levels ever registered in the history of political demonstrations.

And it was big fun too! It was really nice to meet everyone personally cause that's still something different than just knowing each other from cyberspace. Hope we can repeat this one day and strike again. And thanks also to everyone else who couldn't show up but helped us by donating some money or if it's only by wishing us well. It all helped!

[eLarson]

You were mentioned at Rantburg. The word gets around. It is good to see we still have friends in Germany.

[Gerald Beuchelt]

Ray et al.:

Congratulations to your success. Living in MA as a German, I felt at least a little represented by you guys.

Go get 'em again!

Gerry

[Trish]

More Press

http://www.echo-online.de/suedhessen/detail.php3?id=287483

[Sherry]

From an American (a Texan) -- Thank you!

[ZMW]

Thanks for coming out in support for my country. I personally appreciate everyone that went out of their way to show that not all Europeans must be of one mind.

The only coverage over here (Tallahassee, Florida) is via blog sites on the net. But I told my wife about what y'all were doing and she said "Thanks" as well.

[Huan]

Thanks and keep up the good works.

[Lauren]

As an American who lived and worked in Frankfurt for two years until just this December, I really wish that I could have joined you in Mainz! Thank you for demonstrating with such courage -- it's so important for the world to see. So, now that I am back in my hometown (a community that was hit hard by the World Trade Center attacks) -- herzlichen Dank from my entire family!

[Tom]

That is great. I live in Florida, USA and we don't get much pro-America news over here in the States. It is great to see that there are freedom loving and hardworking individuals in Germany. The pictures are great.

[thad]

all I seen so far is the "number one terrorist" reuters report. for some reason I thought there'd be thousands!!:)

great job and I am monitoring the net for more reports from mk. I have been sending links to your blog to my set and they are absolutely incredulous that there's still some lights blazing in The De. I just don't get it though, with cradle to the grave socialism and all those friends you could be making on the left, why would you give it all up and go the lonely road? typischer deutsch!! I hope youre saving all this stuff because years from now people are going to be walking up to you and telling you that you made all the difference when they were just about to give up.

[Timbeaux]

Thank you very much, Herr Kaspar, Ray D. and Co.! It is nice to see some sanity in Europe, the nuts tend to get all the press.

Tim
Baton Rouge, Louisiana

[PJ]

Thank you, thank you!

An American

[Cog]

That is cool. Thanks for reporting it.

This American will be wearing a German flag on his head next year for the 2006 World Cup.

at what time was it on ARD?
here is the link to the archive news for Wenesday.
http://www.tagesschau.de/sendungen/archiv/0,1198,2-23-2005,00.html

Congratulations for finding 20 Bush-Supporters in Germany. I never met any.

Keep it up

[Gary]

This was a fine start, I suppose, but I must say I'm a bit disappointed by the turnout.

I'm a regular reader who has seen a lot of people having the courage to stand up against the prevailing political mood in Germany. Given that, I was hoping for hundreds of people demonstrating yesterday.

Then again, I should be happy any showed up.

[Bruce]

Thanks from a red-blooded American trapped in a blue state!

[AS]

"I just don't get it though, with cradle to the grave socialism and all those friends you could be making on the left, why would you give it all up and go the lonely road?"

Thad, as far as I am concerned, I haven't given up anything by advocating free markets, promotion of democracy, and transatlantic friendship. I don't care for welfare goodies or the fuzzy warm feeling some people get from Schroeder's "German way" rhetoric. But dislike the fact that mainstream groupthink and the governments it elects in my German homeland is ruining this nation's economy, alienating a different nation for which I have a great deal of sympathy, overregulating the branch of industry in which I want to work after college to the point that staying in Germany seems less and less feasible for me in the long run even if I want to, confiscating a large share of everyone's income (and using it for such lovely purposes as subsidizing neo-Nazi and Communist parties, for example), etc etc.

One could say that I am standing up to argue America's case here in Germany. But it would be equally true to say that America is the most important advocate of the values I believe in, of my ideals.

Regards,

well, I guess yesterdays turnout pretty much represents the prevailing political mood in Germany: 20/10,000 = 0,2% support for Bush...

[Joe N.]

Excellent! Erik looked happy...

[Del Hoeft]

This is a breath of fresh air, it's put a smile on my face and a bounce in my step today. I must confess I have a basketball sized spleen to vent against the old country for it's anti-Americanism.
The sincerity you people have shown in Mainz is highly encouraging, you've got mettle to-boot.
You all may very well be on the cusp of Something big. When the Euro lefties peer into their dark-crystal they see conservative talk radio on the horizon.

[Wuldorblogger]

"well, I guess yesterdays turnout pretty much represents the prevailing political mood in Germany: 20/10,000 = 0,2% support for Bush..."

That would mean a lot of the rest of 98,8 % are members of attac, the PDS (former GDR communist party), the DKP (German Communist Party), against the WTO, see Chancellor Schröder as a militarist, hate Jews and think that "everything sucks except Cuba".

Now, I certainly have my problems with the attitudes of my fellow countrymen. But I wouldn't go THAT far...

[Doughnut Boy Andy]

@ ""

Although the 20/10,000 is a bit sad you got to remember that the 10,000 have been planning their demos for months and are made up of groups that meet a lot and organise together. 20 or perhaps 30 organised at such short notice by people who have mostly never met before is impressive. Also it being a work day and Mainz being almost closed off played a role too. I think a big round of applause and a certain smug feeling among those who went is in order here.

[Simon]

Simon sez:

First we take Mainz, then we take Berlin. Imagine the possible impact of just 500 pro-american demonstrators on the German media.

[strafer]

Just found a board of conservative reptiles who intensively discussed the demonstration and linked it:

http://p072.ezboard.com/fthenakedconservativefrm2.showMessage?topicID=4275.topic

[Teresa]

Congratulations, sounds like it turned out very well indeed - and that is largely because a few people worked hard to make it happen - kudos to all of you who put forth the effort! And to those who took the time and effort to show up - excellent!!!

[James W.]

I'm an American and ex-soldier (12 years) living in Hanau, Germany. I WAS feeling like I was alone in my views on anti-americanism and media-bias in the European press. Then a few days ago I discovered this website. Thanks to all of your great work, I have new hope. I don't feel so homesick anymore.

Unfortunately, I was unable to get time off work on such short notice. I will be there next time. I hope that there are many more people who have similar points of view in Germany. Maybe they will be encouraged by the 30 demonstrators and the ample media coverage they received, to come out and make themselves seen and heard. With the help of people like you "guys and gals" we will not only remain free, but spread freedom.

Vielen Dank!
James W.

[Poitiers-Lepanto]

Thank you from an American Citizen. And thank you. And thank you...

[foreign devil]

Good job! LUVED the dog! I think all those on the right are good looking but then I'm biased.:D

[lost one]

Good work! It doesn't have to be thousands and thousands of people to make a difference. It's just nice to know that someone gives a damn. The pictures are wonderful.

[Confused American]

The part I don't understand is how the the Germans become such spineless pacifists. Why do they reject the Bush doctrine of global liberation? Don't they know about the WMDs in Iraq?

Once upon a time Germany had the strongest military in the world! Germans loved marching and speeches and would invade foreign countries on the slightest excuse, they didn't even need a reason, but now they are so cowardly...

It's almost as though Germans have been soured on the whole idea of pre-emptive wars.

What could possibly explain this? I am mystified!

[Scott in California]

Greetings from San Francisco, and thank you for doing this.

[Marcus]

I read comment a from Lebanon that seeing Iraqis voting, in spite of the terrorists, was like seeing the fall of the Berlin Wall.

[Joe]

20 vs 10,000.

For the might 20 ......here is my quote.

I would rather fail in a cause that someday will triumph than triumph in a cause that someday will fail" –wilson

[sickpup]

Very cool. Thanks for the pictures. It's great to see that there are some folks in Europe who understand and appreciate what's going on. Cheers.

[Oyster]

I thank you too. I feel no ill will toward those who demonstrated as anti-America, but I am grateful that we have friends in Germany such as you. I think if maybe some of those on the other side could be here for a while and just get to know us, they would see that we are more alike than different. Thank you, my friend.