More on Pro-War Rally

The Minneapolis Star Tribune reports on today’s rally at the State Capitol in support of America’s armed forces:
“Amid hundreds of waving American flags and ‘Liberate Iraq’ signs were endorsements of war and denunciations of people opposed to the war. Among them: Saddam Hussein’s face in the middle of a bullseye, ‘Hey, Protesters: Iraq Needs Human Shields,’ ‘You shut the hell up — we’ll protect America,’ and ‘Let’s Roll!'”
An Iraqi refugee addressed the crowd:
“Yacoub Al-Jaffery had nothing but contempt for such a sentiment. A 22-year-old Iraqi who came to the United States six years ago after five years in a Saudi Arabian refugee camp, he wore a T-shirt with Saddam’s face crossed out by the universal ‘no’ symbol.
“‘Those people always say food, not bombs, but it’s not food Iraqis need — it’s freedom,’ Al-Jaffery said. ‘In the name of 23 million Iraqis, there is a time for war, and this is the time for this war.’
“His enmity for Saddam is personal: He said he was tortured at the age of 7 and watched his father’s death ‘right in front of me in the street. They filled him full of bullets.'”
The rally was intended to be non-partisan, but unfortunately all of the Democrats who were invited had prior commitments and were unable to attend:
“Each official who spoke was greeted by roars of approval. Speaking were Gov. Tim Pawlenty, Sen. Norm Coleman and U.S. Reps Gil Gutknecht, Jim Ramstad and John Kline, all Republicans. Repya said he had invited all members of the state’s congressional delegation and that those who declined cited previously scheduled obligations.
“Even so, some crowd members chanted ‘Where’s Dayton?’ and ‘Where’s Betty?’ referring to Sen. Mark Dayton and Rep. Betty McCollum, both DFLers. And when Repya told them that some delegation members couldn’t make it, the crowd booed.”
The Democratic Party has staked out its position as the anti-American party. Doesn’t seem like a great strategy to me, but time will tell.