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Mar. 23, 2008
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

Scores of anti-war protesters march in front of Venetian

Adelson's ties to Freedom's Watch cited

By LAWRENCE MOWER
REVIEW-JOURNAL
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Members of the Nevada Workers Against the War protest the war in Iraq on Saturday on the sidewalk in front of The Venetian.
Photo by Ronda Churchill

On the eve of the Iraq war, Linda Turner protested, just as she did during Vietnam.

Five years later, she's still protesting.

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"It's frustrating," the 66-year-old said Saturday. "They didn't listen to us then."

She then picked up a sign and joined about 100 people in front of The Venetian about 1 p.m., calling for an end to the war in Iraq and any potential action against Iran.

"Bring them home!" members of Nevada Workers Against the War shouted as onlookers gawked and tourists in the hotel's gondolas, just a few feet away, peered up to see what the fuss was about.

The organization made up mostly of members of various unions, targeted The Venetian because it is owned by Las Vegas Sands Corp. Chairman Sheldon Adelson.

Adelson is a Republican political activist and significant contributor to Freedom's Watch, a right-wing group aiming to counter the liberal MoveOn.org. The resort also is not a union property.

Freedom's Watch's Web site warns of the "emerging Iranian threat" and "Big Labor's radical agenda."

During his trip to Las Vegas earlier this year, President Bush attended a Republican Party fundraiser at Adelson's home.

That message appeared to be lost on the hundreds of tourists walking past the rally. Only 23-year-old protester Sarah Kulkin carried a sign mentioning the casino tycoon. "Sheldon Adelson uses your $ to propagate war w/Iran," her sign read.

A call to a Las Vegas Sands Corp. spokesman was not returned.

Several tourists stopped to observe the protesters, who walked in an orderly semicircle on the sidewalk.

"Democracy in action. It's just great," said 35-year-old Tim Jackson, who was visiting Las Vegas from Great Britain.

Other tourists seemed puzzled by a protest on the Strip.

"This doesn't seem like an appropriate place," said 46-year-old Jim Genna of Dallas. "I think it would be better in Washington, where there's people in power."

Protest organizer Sean Sabatini said the protest was the first on the Strip for the organization, which he described as loosely knit.

Contact reporter Lawrence Mower at lmower@reviewjournal.com or (702) 383-0440.

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douglas wrote on March 23, 2008 10:30 PM: another pro-terrorist mantra is that the islamic fundamentalists have vowed to destroy the u.s. because of our relations with israel. must be a hapless harry reid or captain nemo kennedy speech writer that spun that yarn.

if that is true, then why haven't european countries like switzerland, been bombed ? or why have countries like bali been attacked ? switzerland maintains diplomatic relations with israel. and most european countries if not all, trade with israel. next, what does bali have to do with israel ?

unlike most all readers to this forum, i've spent time with islamic fundamentalists. mostly during the russian occupation of afghanistan. those lads are serious and are motivated by a strict interpretation of islam. so strict that they'll sacifice their lives to destroy that head of the serpent which exports liberalism. that be the u.s. of a.

what is amusing is that their targets would be the saps who support them in this country... the "progressives". amazing.


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douglas wrote on March 23, 2008 10:19 PM: revisionist history seems to be the foundation [crutch ?] of the pro-terrorists !

the u.s. and its territories were "occupied" by japanese soldiers during ww2. and, there were a few german landings on the u.s. mainland, from the east coast.

what's lost on many pro-terrorist zealots might be that it is less expensive in american life during war to conduct the battles on the other guys' turf. the attacks here so far cost at least the trade centers victims. had we sent the likes of oaf carter to plead with the terrorists instead of taking offensive action, does anyone believe that there wouldn't have been substantially more "events" on u.s. soil ?

the terrorists who have vowed to destroy the liberal serpent, the u.s., aren't in the least interested in some concessions or negotiations. they view that as weakness. likely they daily pray that a "progressive" party candidate is elected u.s. president. having their "man" in office will save thousands of terrorist/"suicide" bombers lives.

one might notice that when the terrorists [oooops, misunderstood, freedom fighters] send rockets or mortar rounds into israel, the israelis have often advanced their borders into the area whence the rockets are fired. if a rocket has a range of 10 miles, move the border into the other dude's turf that ten miles. let him trash his own civilians and infrastructure.

or, they could just eat the incoming rounds. nah.


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Joe C wrote on March 23, 2008 10:00 PM: David Johann,
Do you really believe Bush has caused more hate or put us in more risk of attack? This is not me defending Bush. I think him and his band of war profiteers should be in jail.

As you stated there are many terrorist supporting countries out there and for the radical Islamic their biggest grievance is our friendship with Israel. The second 9/11 attacks were planned years ahead during the Clinton years.
I don’t think people using religion as their weapon of justified hate are going to compromise even if we never stepped foot on Islamic ground. They have to many reasons to attack us in their mind.
Still I would like to attack the right country and find the responsible terrorist and then say mission accomplished.
In Bush language that meant my pals are going to get rich and our young are going to die, and Bush has already forgotten Bin Laden name.


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Jack.Webb wrote on March 23, 2008 08:43 PM: "Freedom's Watch's Web site warns of the 'emerging Iranian threat' and 'Big Labor's radical agenda.'"

I'll be darned. Big labor has been around for decades -- I didn't realize they now represent some kind of huge new threat. Thanks for clue-ing us in on that one, Sheldon.

Sheldon Adelson's agenda is to make himself and his fellow rich fatheads even wealthier. They don't want just a bigger piece of the pie -- they want ALL OF IT. Can there be any doubt about this? When such unelected power elites are able to exert so much influence, can we really say we live in a democracy?


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Jack.Webb wrote on March 23, 2008 08:31 PM: Uh, Douglas, we did wait for the Japanese to invade the US (fortunately, they didn't occupy).

Anyway, there's a common argument among AM radio ignoramuses that we took to fighting halfway around the world to keep the fight "over there" (against those who would harm us).

However, what we have done is made even more radical militants even angrier with us. Wanna kill American infidels? Simple. Just head over to Iraq because that's where they are. Plus, it's close.

Also, shall we now bring the fighting to the China and the Chinese, to North Korea and the North Koreans, to Venezuela and the Venezuelans, to Cuba and the Cubans? How about to the Russians and that scalawag Putin?

Heck, using logic of this sort, not long ago the AM radio types would have had us invade FRANCE (in addition to calling greasy potatoes "freedom fries" and boycotting the Dixie Chicks).

Tonight, I'll be french kissing my girlfriend, sipping a very good Dom Perignon, having some delicious brie (fromage) in addition to a Super-Sized order of delicious french fries to go with my french toast.

Just keep listening to AM radio, the Fox "News" Channel, and your pastor. It's all the news you need to know.


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Sean wrote on March 23, 2008 04:28 PM: The issue of war always elicits an emotional response, as well it should. To clear up a couple of misconceptions: This protest was not organized or sanctioned by the Culinary, or any other union, and that is not what this article says. (read it again) The rally's organizers did not bring up Adelson's anti-union stance or his Republican fundraisers. That is the RJ reporter doing a little research on the internet, and adding it to his article. The protesters' issue was Adelson, Freedom's Watch, and their support of Bush's doctrine of endless war. Nothing else. As for free speech, bombing Iran will not protect our freedoms. There is no chance whatsoever that the Iranians will come here and take over the U.S, and take away our constitutional rights. They do not threaten the American way of life. That is simply ridiculous. If anything, attacking Iran would put us on a renewed war footing, and give our own government the opportunity to take away more of our rights. To support a war with Iran based on the same hype and unsubstantiated allegations that led us to war with Iraq would be tragic.

As for the RJ reader who commented "Freedom of speech is great, they should shut up", I can only say: what?


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douglas wrote on March 23, 2008 03:46 PM: same as the riff raff that obstructs the driveways into one walmart i patronize. they appear to be the same bums as those vagrants kicked out mornings from the homeless shelters.

if they'd get off the dope, they could pass a drug test and get a job. apparently it's easier to stay on crack instead of cleaning up.

such vagrancy is beneath even the hooker handbillers. at least those "porn slappers" earn some few dollars an hour and don't soak up as many gubmit handouts.


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NVMojo wrote on March 23, 2008 11:39 AM: Great idea!

Google sheldon adelson's name and neocon and learn.


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Mark$ wrote on March 23, 2008 11:37 AM: Interesting isn't it .. The one thoughtful intelligent comment here is from Sean Sabatini, the liberal, while all the conservatives come across sounding like know-nothing kooks. And it's a valid point: How many tourists & gamblers handing their money over to the Venetian have any idea they are supporting radical Zionist & arch-war-monger Sheldon Adelson.


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Joe C wrote on March 23, 2008 09:48 AM: I’m against the war and would like to see our troops come home, but the last thing I would do is march with the culinary union as the support an invasion of our country supporting illegal aliens.
Funny they don’t support an illegal war but are happy to support illegal aliens breaking numerous laws.
Great to be able to pick and chose laws or moral causes that only benefit your own agendas, dismissive of any ill effect on citizens, rather hypocritical.


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