I ask my readers to be patient with me for a few days. I am switching from an outdated computer to a new one a friend has loaned to me "indefinitely" and to additional equipment, and I am horribly behind answering letters or being as punctual as I pride myself in being.
Today there are some updates on the "Flyover" project some fellow patriots had planned. Apparently quite a few of you have helped in financing this project - some of you substantially. I was so proud of my splendid ZGram friends!
Here are some excerpts of that project:
Friends,
The Lord has been good to us! After several slugging matches with the FAA, I was afraid the project was doomed. The FAA (and Secret Service) first raised the ceiling over the First Union Center from 1000 to 1200 feet, then to 2000 then 7000. The TFR was imposed at 1.5 miles from the First Union Center then it was lengthened to 11.5 miles. The problem besides security is that two major airports need the space over Philly and they are maxed out due to the GOP convention. But our pilot has been persistent and I am glad to report that on Monday morning July 31st and Tuesday morning August 1 before noon, we have clearance to fly at 1000 feet around the First Union Center and downtown Philadelphia.
Monday the pilot will take off at 9:45 carrying a 10'X15' Battleflag and the words: BUSH: RETURN TX VET'S PLAQUES! (...)
Tuesday the pilot will fly the same route from 7AM to 9 AM concentrating on snarled rush hour traffic - this time the banner will say: GOP: NO VOTES FOR TURNCOATS!
Yours for Dixie,
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Friends,
Pray for better weather. The plane will fly rain or shine, but only if weather conditions will allow him up at all. Right now there is fog over Philadelphia. We'll know something by 7:30 AM
PRAY
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Friends,
The Lord has answered our prayers. The weather cleared, the sun shone it was a beautiful day for flying.
The plane took off from Cross Keys Airport just before 10 AM. Jeb Stuart Camp SCV members spotted it as it crossed the Walt Whitman Bridge. The plane and banner which read: BUSH: PUT THE TX VET's PLAQUES BACK! made three circles over the GOP convention then flew all over downtown Philadelphia and over several rush hour areas. The Fox News helicopter filmed the plane in the air, and the Associated Press will film the takeoff tomorrow. Inquiries were received from the Associated Press, Fox News, the Dallas Morning News.
Good weather is forecast for tomorrow. We fly earlier to catch more of the rush hour crowd.
Tomorrow's banner: GOP: NO VOTES FOR TURNCOATS!
SOUTHERN HERITAGE COALITION
August 1,2000
5 JANE STREET
ASHEVILLE, NC 28801
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: H.K. Edgerton, Chairman at 828-669-5189
FIRST DAY FLYOVER A SUCCESS, 2nd DAY POSTPONED DUE TO WEATHER
CONFEDERATE BANNER TO BUZZ NJ RUSH HOUR ON WED.
An airplane pulling a 10,x15, Confederate Battle Flag attached to a timely message for the GOP and Presidential hopeful George W. Bush flew 3 times around the GOP Convention at First Union Center and metro Philadelphia on Monday, July 31st from 10 AM until noon.
The Banner carried a large Confederate Battle Flag and the message: BUSH: PUT THE TX VET'S PLAQUES BACK! (...)
The Tuesday flight was canceled at 9:30AM this morning due to bad weather. Because an 11 mile TFR is in place by the FAA after noon Tuesday, the plane will fly, weather permitting on Wednesday, August 2, 2000
The banner on Wednesday will have a large Confederate Flag followed by the words: GOP: NO VOTES FOR TURNCOATS!
The pilot plans to fly over heavily congested NJ traffic feeding into Philadelphia on Wednesday morning.
The message is adopted from a popular current slogan in the Southern Heritage Community in South Carolina. Several key Republicans made the shameful compromise possible that removed the Confederate Flag from the Statehouse dome.
This fly-over was paid for by public subscription all over the United States. A fly-over is being planned for Charleston, South Carolina this weekend to keep the pressure on Gov Bush.
The South Carolina Heritage Coalition is a grass roots citizen's group that seeks to coordinate Southern Heritage Coalitions and groups forming across the country. Currently there are Heritage Coalitions in Texas, North & South Carolina, Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia and Virginia. =====
Dear Friend,
Thank you to all who contributed toward the G.O.P. fly-over project. I was frankly overwhelmed by the speed and enthusiasm of the response. Enough money was raised to fly twice over Philadelphia, plus enough to fly an additional flight for two hours over Charleston, South Carolina, during the Sons of Confederate Veterans Convention. (...)
The plane was able to fly around the convention site six times before heading to other parts of Philadelphia. For the two-day flight, FOX TV News, the Dallas Morning News and the Associated Press all carried stories. We heard an unconfirmed story that the local CBS affiliate carried the flyover.
Enough money was raised to fly the flag and banner for two hours over historic downtown Charleston during the Sons of Confederate Veterans National Reunion. Carrying the flag and the NO VOTES FOR TURNCOATS banner, the locally hired airplane flew over Ft. Sumter, the Battery and Charleston harbor. The Charleston Post & Courier ignored the Saturday flyover, but the event was well covered by Channel 5 CBS affiliate in Charleston.
Several people have written me that this is such a good idea that we should continue. We are now planning to have the banner fly over the governor's mansion in Austin, Texas. With your support and that of many others, we will keep the flag flying in Bush's face until he learns his lesson. (...)
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Thought for the Day:
"The men of future generations will yet win many a liberty of which we do not even feel the want."
(Ralph Waldo Emerson)