[www.washingtonpost.com]

Incredible. It should not come as a surprise that Michele Bachmann and Faux News were sponsors.

"In the front of the protest, a sign showed President Obama in white coat, his face painted to look like the Joker. The sign, visible to the lawmakers as they looked into the cameras, carried a plea to "Stop Obamunism." A few steps farther was the guy holding a sign announcing "Obama takes his orders from the Rothchilds" [sic], accusing Obama of being part of a Jewish plot to introduce the antichrist."

Read on, it gets worse.

Puhleeze. Pick any scene of Democratic activism in a Republican administration, and you'll get the same stuff. Pot, Kettle.. okay ?

It's just street theater. The college kids who used to demonstrate at the G-whatever summits used to be a lot more fun.. it was like a street theater parade, giant penguins, naked people, etc...

Welcome to "Free Speech". And I'll give you the same lessons I give my kids.

1- Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.
2- If you pay attention to them, they'll just keep doing it. Turn your back and walk away.
3- If it offends you, turn it off, turn away, don't look, don't listen.
4- Never get in a battle of wits with an unarmed person. You'll win, but they won't know it, which takes all the fun out of it.

Gotta disagree with you there. Sure the mildest of the statements and signs there would qualify as street theater. The Pelosi and Reid masks would too. But this?

"But the best of Bachmann's recruits were a few rows into the crowd, holding aloft a pair of 5-by-8-foot banners proclaiming "National Socialist Healthcare, Dachau, Germany, 1945." Both banners showed close-up photographs of Holocaust victims, many of them children. "

...

"'Who knew a casual comment on TV could generate this?' Rep. Jeb Hensarling (Tex.) exulted as he stood in front of the Dachau banner. "

Absolutely not, I say, and shame on them.

They are believers and thus can justify almost anything.

See rules 1-3.
And, of course, Godwin's law. Does not just apply to internet based discourse.

You DO realize that 'protests' are primarily for the satisfaction of the protestors, right ? I mean, I've participated in a few in my younger days, and aside from chatting up cute girls during the march, that was the main benefit. Make your side feel good about getting out there in public and making a stand.

No laws were broken. No civil rights were violated. No arrest, no foul. Move along. Nothing to see here !

cbelt, you seem to be comparing the actions of college kids (most of whom are trying to just get laid, as you note) with no jobs and not much real-world experience with those of adults who are working for a living and should know better.

College kids who are young and idealistic vs. grownups who are protesting the tax increase that their bosses (might) get.

Why do I get the feeling that cbelt would have sided with MacArthur against the protesting veterans?

cbelt3 is right that there are plenty of leftwing activists who have presented pretty obnoxious stuff at rallies. I don't like it when they do because it actually hurts the cause they say they are for. Perhaps unlike cbelt3, though, I think it is appropriate to call out people who do such things.

I do believe there is a disturbing trend of more and more Republican politicians and officials being in the forefront or closely affiliated with the kinds of invidious protests seen at the rally cited in the OP.

You guys are just jealous that they could call up 10,000 people in 5 days with zero organization at the same time that Pelosi can't get 100 of the 47 million "uninsured" to show up at the Capitol.

You can show posters of the joker all day but the best line was Kill the Bill and another line modeled after Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall. The most brilliant part was for them to actually go inside and, gasp, demand to see their representatives. Some congressmen were reportedly hiding under their desks.

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"Zero organization" my ass.

Ah, now you admire Tea Parties for their organization? Wasn't long ago that they couldn't spell moron.

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Quote
Dakota
The most brilliant part....

Yes Dakota, it was clearly brilliant. Education is at a zenith in these lands.

Ah yes, but it was organization WITHOUT using the "Acorn Effect" of "Community Organizers". Right ?

Where is it writ that only the Democrats are allowed to organize the "community", and when the Republicans do it, it's an evil conspiracy ? C'mon, get OVER it ! People showed up, spoke up, cared enough to drive down there and... well, make asses of themselves.

Be PROUD of them ! Even if you don't agree with their opinion, be PROUD ! This is America in action.

Every weedy punk that comes to my door to ask me to sing some misguided petition gets my polite attention, the petition carefully read, and some polite discourse if I agree or disagree with the petition. If I agree, I'll sign it. If not, I won't. If he's thirsty he gets a bottle of water. If he's hungry he might get an apple.

And EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM gets my personal thanks for participating in American Democracy.

Too many people are afraid of standing out or taking part. Don't be afraid ! Stand up ! Speak out ! Do SOMETHING !

(Disclaimer.... This week, for the first time since I was 18, I failed to vote in an election. I was at home with a high fever and could not get out of bed. I'm ashamed of myself. First time in 42 years. Dammit.)

I agree with cbelt. I rarely follow the links here, but am glad I read that story. The republicans are putting the fun back in protesting. Democratic protests, say the million mom march to stop trivial things like the "war" are so boring and hardly manage to get any press at all. Plus, democratic politicians are afraid of the wingnuts on the left.

Help me out, guys. Which TV networks let the spokespersons for the G8 and WTO protests come on and make a pitch to recruit protesters? I guess I missed that.

Oh, and for those that didn't get to see it:

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Well, her heart was filled with gladness when she saw those city lights. She said the prettiest place on earth is Baltimore at night.

those are "fringe elements"
[97.74.65.51]


spin baby, spin

Michele Bachmann, sadly, isn't on the fringe. She is in Congress. Ack.

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Well, her heart was filled with gladness when she saw those city lights. She said the prettiest place on earth is Baltimore at night.

Quote
$tevie
Help me out, guys. Which TV networks let the spokespersons for the G8 and WTO protests come on and make a pitch to recruit protesters? I guess I missed that.

Looks like nobody can come up with even one network that did for the "lefties" what FOX did for Bachmann.

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Well, her heart was filled with gladness when she saw those city lights. She said the prettiest place on earth is Baltimore at night.