On Thursday afternoon, a handful of men and women gather outside San Diego area military bases displaying signs and banners to the outgoing traffic. At first glance, it appears to be just another anti-war protest. A closer look reveals a very different story.
Their signs all have one simple message: "Thank You."
Scott Koenig, a 33-year-old veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom, is the leader of the group. Two years ago, Koenig spent eight months in Kuwait with his Navy Reserve unit, providing security for the massive ships unloading military cargo in the port of Shuaibah.
Now he's fighting a different kind of war.
Last March, motivated mainly by curiosity, Koenig attended an anti-war rally in Balboa Park. He expected to find many demonstrators who were passionately opposed to the war in Iraq on moral grounds, and others who generally disapproved of the Bush Administration's aggressive foreign policy.
What he didn't expect to find, however, were open expressions of support for the enemy. But when one of the speakers proposed that the anti-war movement align itself with the "Iraqi Resistance," Koenig decided that he\'d heard enough.
He later wrote about the incident in his weblog, under the pen name "Citizen Smash."
"The 'Iraqi Resistance' had assassinated my college roommate just a few months earlier,” Koenig wrote. “He was shot in the back of the head, in broad daylight, when the civilian SUV he was riding in stopped at an intersection in Baghdad. My brother also lost one of his best friends in the war… Needless to say, I was furious."
A few days later, Koenig volunteered to lead the San Diego chapter of Protest Warrior, a national group organizes creative demonstrations to counter anti-war rallies. Under his leadership, the local chapter quickly blossomed from eight members to over 300.
Over the following year, Koenig's counter-protestors became a regular background fixture at anti-war demonstrations in San Diego. Last December, they even managed to draw local radio personality Rick Roberts to a counter-demonstration on the day Navy deserter Pablo Paredes turned himself in to authorities.
Although they often find themselves in close proximity to the anti-war protestors, the Protest Warriors always emphasize civility and restraint. No member of the group has been involved in violent incidents or arrested at any demonstration in San Diego.
Koenig's weekly pro-military demonstration, dubbed "Operation Thank You," is a preemptive, rather than reactive, effort. He says that most military personnel have grown accustomed to seeing anti-war rallies in San Diego. But if Koenig has his way, such "friendly" demonstrations will become a much more common sight.
"When the Sailors and Marines stop honking, waving, and cheering as they pass," Koenig says, "When we become a regular part of the scenery, then we'll know that we've done our job."
The San Diego Coalition of Peace and Justice is sponsoring a march and rally this Saturday in Balboa Park, to mark the second anniversary of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Koenig\'s Protest Warriors will be there, too.
They won't be difficult to find, he says—“Just look for the American flags.”
About Us: San Diego Protest Warrior formed in March 2003 to serve as a counter-balance to the radical anti-war movement in San Diego.
We support our military in their mission to preserve our way of life and defend liberty around the world.
Since March 20. 2004 San Diego Protest Warrior has sponsored counter-demonstrations, "victory vigils," and "support the troops" rallies aimed at boosting the morale of our military personnel, fostering a pro-military community in San Diego, and reminding the anti-war movement that the First Amendment applies to all Americans.
Contact Info: Web Site: http://www.sdpw.org
Email: sdpw.org@gmail.com
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