I proved 1 man protesting can make a difference today.

Don't let me EVER hear anyone say our protesting is not working! Today my own efforts were certainly vindicated. After what happened today, I am more convinced we are making a difference.

I forgot my directions at home so around 10 am I finally arrived from Wilmington where I fianally wandered into the protesters in Raleigh awaiting the President. Luckily, there were police everywhere lined on the streets for miles making it pretty easy to find the protest. Once there, I parked and walked the 1/2 mile where I met up with about 40 others. Soon we were informed the main group was down the block.

Thats where the action was. Moveon.org, women's health, and global warming people (50-60 maximum for the day) were on one side and we were on the other. It was a beautiful sidewalk backed by a 5 foot stone wall encompassed by the branches of some tall oaks. This is one truly beautiful school. Our numbers grew to close to 1000 ( I always underestimate) lining both sides of the corner stretching for blocks each way.

I must say that I scoped out the premier protest spot. It was on the stone wall under a few majstic shade trees. My sign that read " Politicians + Healthcare = Disaster" sat in my lap, yet was over 5 foot in the air and directly facing the Moveon crowd. Honestly, I was in a quiet mood and was content to observe from my excellent vantage point.

An hour later sirens blared, fire trucks and State Troopers on motorcycles came next, and black SUVs then go racing by. Then....nothing. I guess they were an advance team since the President wouldn't show for another 15-20 minutes.

This is about the time my heart is now crushed because the organizer from FreedomWorks told everyone to move around the block to both sides of the road. "What, leave this wonderful seat? Noooooo! I tell you what, what a great call. Kudos to whomever made this decision. They enabled MANY more of us to be in sight of the presidential motorcade.

Lamenting the loss of the best protest spot I've ever had, we were told to shuffle down even more...all the way to the school entrance and out of sight of the Moveon people. I was getting worried. Were we taking ourselves out of eyeshot? Why did we keep moving? Should I go back, I got a great spot?

Instead, I climbed a small hill at the very entrance of the school. Secret service moved us back , but just as the motorcade finally came within sight, I shuffled a little ways down. I now had THE best protest site I could hope for (what a day!). He looked at my sign and I at him. I would've thought the windows on the Presidential limo would be more tinted, but there he was looking very interested in our signs. I swear I had the feeling he was looking for signs of support, but how much can I read into the President's eyes in a passing car?!

Nonetheless, for more than a full second he was looking at my sign. I was on a hill with no one very near to me. I could be wrong, but I feel fairly certain of it. I could see him clear as day and he was looking straight at my sign.

I came home and googled news and found the Wall Street Journal quoted my sign in the following.....


........."RALEIGH, N.C. -- President Barack Obama, acknowledging the rising protests against his health-care efforts, took some of the sharpest jabs yet at his opponents, accusing them of rallying opposition with scare tactics and hypocrisy.

Meanwhile, House Energy and Commerce Chairman Henry Waxman conceded the House wouldn't vote on a health-care plan before its August recess. But Mr. Waxman said that his committee will resume meetings on health-care legislation Wednesday after reaching an agreement with conservative Democrats on the committee that included a delayed vote.
The president acknowledged opposition is growing. A large and boisterous clutch of protesters greeted him at Raleigh's Needham B. Broughton High School with signs reading, "Obamacare is Socialism," "Stop Lying," and [u][b]"Politicians + Health Care = Disaster."[/b][/u]

"As I was driving in, there were some folks cheering, and there were some folks with signs," he chuckled to knowing laughter in a largely friendly audience."...................


full article at;
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124887385627890129.html



I will post a picture of my sign ASAP. Don't ever tell me protesting is a waste of time again. Never, ever again. Never, ever.


Tom Naramore
Raleigh Health Care Town Hall July 29 protest