Anthony's
Operation Support Our Troops rally picture/image/photo page

March 22, 2003
Bellevue, Washington
Corner of NE 4th & Bellevue Way

In a nutshell:  It was heartwarming, hopeful, positive, rainy & windy, loud, wild, calm, supportive, and FUN!  All at the same time! 

Thanks to KVI AM 570 Talk Radio for their support to OSOT!

Click on all pictures for a larger image.

I bought the foam-core board & paints at "Northwest Art & Frame" here in my town of West Seattle!
("West Seattle, we're not just for Leftists anymore!")  I specifically painted "..AND THEIR MISSION" because I support what our troops are doing.  They're not pawns or victims.  They're heroes doing their jobs for us.

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The rally was supposed to start at 11:00.  I got there EARLY at 10:25 and these people were already there.  I'm facing East towards the beautiful buildings of Bellevue and the main corner where KVI Radio set up their equipment and tables.  I chose to go to a corner where there were much less people.  Little did I know....

This is the South East corner of our intersection around 10:30.  When I first planned to go to this rally, I thought there would be about THIS many people there.  Again, little did I know...

People would walk, waving, and with their signs across the street at every "Walk" signal.  Note the Union Jack (UK Flag) that is of course more than welcome.

My Best Friend JOHN holding my sign for me.  Ultimate supporter of our troops and Ultimate "Decent Human Being" (and also one of the most kick-ass heavy metal guitar players I've ever known..)

That's me (Anthony) on the right, and a total sweetheart on the left who came there by herself and made her sign by herself.  Gotta love that hair!

The Northeast corner of the intersection around 11:00.  Rain was coming, and it POURED on us!  Cheering for our troops and our president in a total downpour is an experience I'll never forget!  Notice:  Crowd's getting larger...

Another shot of the main KVI corner.

This was the Northwest corner of our rally.  That's where *I* and my friends John & Peter stood.  I took a trip around the block to take this picture.

Looking North on the East side of Bellevue Way

I was SO surprised by the SIZE of the crowd.  American flags & messages of support for the USA EVERYWHERE!

John Carlson at the KVI booth talking to a rally participant.  Operation Support Our Troops started this rally, KVI supported it.

From the epicenter corner, looking at MY (the Northwest) corner of the rally.

Looking at the Southwest corner relatively early.  It was so windy, the flags were almost perfectly horizontally displayed although we were getting pelted with sideways raindrops!

Trying to get a picture of just how many people showed up.  This picture doesn't even come close to showing the amount of people who came to cheer on our troops!

See that cool leather jacket with the US flag on it?  I've always wanted one of those.  Never been able to afford it.  Even though I'm a Republican.  This is looking South on the West side of Bellevue way from the Northwest side of NE 4th.

After walking North on the West side of Bellevue Way, the throngs of supporters extended all the way North four blocks to NE 8th.

The supporters spread almost all the way to NE 8th from NE 4th!

Looking North on Bellevue way from NE 4th. 

The sidewalk on Bellevue Way on the West side.  Note how there's plenty of room for people to walk & shop.

Close to MY corner (the Northwest corner)

The whole thing, from the high ground (Oriental Rug Company corner).  This picture doesn't do the numbers the justice like I keep saying..

There's something to be said about us supporting our troops and their mission with the beautiful buildings of Bellevue in the background.

These women walked a big US flag around the intersection in a non-stop walk for over three hours.  We would cheer them every time they passed us!

Somebody brought models & action figures of US military personnel and set them up at my (Northwest) corner.  Great creative display.

More of the display.

Here's my friend John holding up my sign with a girl holding a sign she created herself and the American flag.

Another look at the Southeast corner.  Doesn't do it justice.  Click to get the bigger picture (just like all the other pics here).

A look at the Southwest corner.  Brilliant signs, and a massive wave of US flags!

Many of us would walk across the street when the WALK sign showed to support our troops.

I would try to take pictures when fewer cars were around.  This was very rare, and I was able to show two corners full of supporters.  The numbers of supporters were astounding.

Possibly the 20th rotation for the women with the flag.  Bless them.  We were cheering them every time they got to our corner - as were the other corners.

Beautiful moment.  Again, under-presented by this photo.  Taken from MY spot on the Northwest corner. 

Another shot of supporters crossing the street.  We all intermingled from corner to corner.  All four corners of NE 4th & Bellevue way were completely packed with loud, I mean LOUD and VOCAL supporters of our mission and our troops!

Crossing NE 4th on Bellevue Way

She's there by herself, holding up a sign she created, and an American flag.  Good for her!

Oh yeah!  This truck drove by & honked its heavy-duty horn!  Then, after we cheered it, came back and drove through the intersection a few more times with a huge US flag!  "Lakeside Septic"  I yelled "Yeah, Septic Truck Man!" whenever they drove by.

A "from behind" look at MY corner (the Northwest)

Flags, support, and sunshine!

The view from my car after I left at 1:00 PM & drove around the square to drive through THE intersection!  I honked my little 1986 Toyota MR2's horn more times today in one day than it's ever been honked during it's 17 year history!

Another shot from my car.  This is what it's like to drive through a "Support Our Troops" rally!

Driving West on NE 4th, passing MY (Northwest) corner honking at supporters! 

Thank you to ALL who were there holding signs.
Thank you to ALL who honked in support.
Thank you to OSOT and KVI!
Most of all, Thanks go out to our military, and our president!

Please remember, click on ANY of the pictures above to get a very big & hi-res picture.

e-mail me at
anthony@anthonyjosephevans.com

ALL comments welcome.

Funny link:
www.protestwarrior.com