More than 150 gather for rally
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February 14, 2013 |
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Master of
ceremonies Jeff Ennis addresses a big
group gathered on a chilly afternoon
Saturday during the Bonners Ferry Second
Amendment Rally. |
Mike Weland
photo |
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The sun was shining Saturday afternoon as people
began trickling in twos and threes onto the
fairgrounds lawn, but it was cold. Organizers of
the Bonners Ferry Second Amendment Rally who'd
been there awhile getting set up were thoroughly
chilled by the time the event started at 2 p.m.
In all, between 150 and 200 people showed up.
"It was a great event!" said Tia Avery, Moyie
Springs, who came up with the idea for the rally
and brought it together. "There was a lot of
great info shared about the history of our
beautiful country. I think we all left feeling
much more educated ... and definitely very
frozen!"
Master of ceremonies Jeff Ennis kicked the event
off, evoking George Washington and his
ill-equipped, ill trained troops taking on what
was then the greatest military force in the
world, and prevailing against all odds, so great
was their love and desire for the freedoms they
gained, freedoms many today worry are rapidly
being stripped away.
Rebecca Huseby, bundled in a snowmobile suit but
still feeling the chill, didn't shiver or
stutter as she sang The Star Spangled Banner,
including the seldom heard fourth stanza, which
she said epitomized the reason for the rally ...
"Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved home and the war's
desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heav'n
rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us
a nation.
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust."
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall
wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the
brave!"
With that, Ennis welcomed to the stage guest
speakers Donna Capurso, John Mackey of the Oath
Keepers, former Bonner County commissioner
Cornel Rasor and Steve Tanner, all speaking the
importance and duty of Americans to defend the
precious rights our forefathers s valiantly for
for and crafted.
The second amendment, "A well regulated Militia,
being necessary to the security of a free State,
the right of the people to keep and bear Arms,
shall not be infringed," they said, may be a
mere 27 words long, but on those words rest the
rights of American citizens to defend all the
other rights conferred by the U.S. Constitution,
against all enemies, foreign or domestic.
Tia extends her thanks to everyone who braved
the chilly temperatures to attend the rally,
including Boundary County Tea Party chair Liz
Sloot and Pam Stout, regional director of the
Gem State Tea Party.
Thanks also go out to those who worked behind
the scenes to put everything in place, including
the Gemmrig and Hinthorn families for use of the
trailer used to stage the event, and to Far
North Outfitters, who graciously offered the use
of their parking lot to hold the rally before it
became apparent it would be too small. |
The following photos and collage courtesy of
Barbara Rexford |
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Donna Capurso |
Rebecca
Huseby |
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Tia Avery |
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