A "support the troops" rally in Grand Rapids organized by West Michigan Military Family support and sponsored by Spartan Stores was held on Saturday at John Ball Park. While The Grand Rapids Press reported "hundreds of people" in attendance, a Media Mouse correspondent had a high estimate of one hundred people including rally staff, certainly not the hundreds reported by The Grand Rapids Press. It's not surprising that the Press would inflate numbers--this is the type of highly emotional "support the troops" stuff that the media loves, and all the major local media outlets were in attendance and taking pictures of the numerous US flags that nearly outnumbered the attendees (amazingly, FOX 17 reported only 100 people). As for the speakers, they were what one would expect--veterans talking about the need to sacrifice for freedom, people bemoaning the supposed lack of support for troops after Vietnam, and the media's allegedly negative coverage of the Iraq war.
In light of this event, it is important to remember that not every military family is in support of the invasion of Iraq and the larger "war on terror," despite the impression created by events like "Operation Enduring Support" and the glowing news coverage they garner. For more information on families against the war, visit www.bringthemhomenow.org.
