Sun
Aug 23 2009
11:06 am

The right-wing's Recess Rally at the Federal Building in downtown Knoxville was not quite the event as was the Tea Party back in April.

I estimated approximately 70-80 anti-healthcare protesters and 30-50 pro-healthcare advocates. Initially, the two groups were side-by-side, with the advocates nearly drowning out the protesters. The advocates elected to leave the venue and parade over to Market Square. As the "socialist" (as they were called by the protesters) advocates were leaving, one "socialist" asked a protester for the definition of socialist. The protester asked the man's name and said he was the definition of a socialist. Quite the clever quip, not.

In talking with a few of the anti-healthcare protesters, there appeared to be a fairly common thread, an association with a local insurance company. My question was, "How do you obtain health insurance?" Of six respondents, half had an association with the local insurance company. Curiously, they seemed to be there with an agent from the local insurance company.

One of the respondents was covered by Medicare. When asked if he thought this was a conflict in that advocates were only asking for what he has, he said he's already paid for his Medicare. One man who has insurance for himself through the local insurance company used to provide insurance to his employees but can no longer afford the cost.

Once the advocates left the venue, the protesters began their speeches on why citizens don't need a plan on how to obtain healthcare. Sally Absher was the main speaker. It appears she organized the event, as she did the Tea Party in April.

Pete Hebert joined in to address the crowd. It was a little hard to determine if Pete was with the protesters or the advocates. Watch the video to see and hear some of their discussions.

I noticed Rep. Stacey Campfield toward the end of the event. He was being interviewed by Glenn Reynolds, Instapundit. A Stacey Campfield interview was not on my agenda. I did enjoy a quick chat with Glenn, keeping it free of politics.

Pictures and video of the Anti-Healthcare protest...

(Full size slideshow...)

R. Neal's picture

My favorite quotes from your

My favorite quotes from your video:

"That's what Chairman Mao said!"

"Read the bill! Yeah, read Atlas Shrugged, too!"

bizgrrl's picture

A big thanks to the

A big thanks to the healthcare, health insurance advocates that showed up to rally for the cause. Congrats on the good job and the good turnout.

R. Neal's picture

P.S. In case you're

P.S. In case you're wondering what the goofball sign about "The Apollyon" means (like I was):

Wikipedia

Apollyon may refer to:

Theology

The Greek name for Abaddon, the spiritual being named as the destroyer in Christian apocalyptic theology.

Also:

Wikipedia

Revelation 9:1-11 describes Abaddon as being the king of the bottomless pit and of a plague of locusts that resemble war horses with crowned human faces and having women's hair, lions' teeth, locusts' wings, and the tail of a scorpion. No depiction of Abaddon as an individual entity instead of a place has been found before the Revelation of St. John was written.

[..]

The symbolism of Revelation 9:11 leaves the exact identification of Abaddon open for interpretation. Some bible scholars believe him to be the antichrist[7] or Satan.[8][9][10]

R. Neal's picture

Knoxville News Sentinel: The

Knoxville News Sentinel: The demonstrators were joined by state Rep. Stacey Campfield, R-Knoxville, who said he was the only elected official present.

Hmm, I see both Mark Harmon and Bob Becker in the photos and videos. Maybe they left before Stacey came by to drum up votes. Funny the KNS didn't mention it, though.

glostik's picture

rally

there were actually 51 reform supporters in attendance and 6-8 late ones joined in as we decided to walk through the city rather than stand in front of an empty building and trade cheers with a group who had no interest in having conversations. i will never understand why they would schedule a rally when absolutely no one was in the building and the gates would be closed...but dixie damm and some others from loudon didn't want them to go unanswered and we decided to join them. after leaving the federal building to march through the city, we had great conversations along our route with citizens on both sides of the argument. one of our marchers was having a discussion with a guy on a bike who was against reform but ended with something they could agree on, he said, 'what are we going to do about lumpy?"

the most interesting thing to me is how the tea baggers bring camp chairs and sit around until the cameras show up. at the beginning it looked more like a west knoxville picnic than a protest. that is what i am seeing in recess pics from around the country. "we're so mad we are gonna sit here in these chairs and talk football until somebody tells us to stand!"

i asked sally absher if she and a few of her folks would be willing to sit down with our side and have a real discussion forum and we exchanged information. i plan to try and set something up. the kns report of the event was definitely a swing and a miss.

Rachel's picture

"socialism sucks" I just

"socialism sucks"

I just love what passes as political discourse these days.

Nobody's picture

A lot of morons are

A lot of morons are protesting against reform.

KC's picture

Rep. Stacey Campfield toward

Rep. Stacey Campfield toward the end of the event. He was being interviewed by Glenn Reynolds, Instapundit.

Media on the cutting edge. Indeed.

The dogmas of the quiet past, are inadequate to the stormy present.
President Abraham Lincoln 1862

Nobodobon's picture

Anybody hear

what the clown at the head of the anti-reform line was yelling in regards to white people as they passed the square room on their way to burn down the Krutch Park memorial sidewalk? Scared the heck out of my three-year old who was intent on getting some peaches.

Vencent Stellenangebote's picture

At least it's good to show

At least it's good to show that people are caring for the healthcare problem very much and hopefully there comes the attention of the socialty. Almost in every corner of the world the insurance companies can find various reasons to turn down your care requests. They have talking power because people are forced to get insuranced at appointed companies which I find silly.

WhitesCreek's picture

Tea bagger no show in Roane County

Word got out in Roane County that there was going to be a "recess rally" in Rockwood and several folks decided to show up for the Amrican Plan side. Funny thing, the Anti's never showed up.

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