The Protest Warriors showed up at our regularly scheduled rally today. They're tiring. I think "what would buddha do" and I don't let them get to me, and I don't respond and I remind others not to respond because their purpose for being there is to provoke us and then use our responses against us. They carry tape recorders and cameras, and they wave big flags and signs that say support our troops. They are protesting us though, not promoting anything. They hurl insults and call us names. We still get more positive response than they do, but their presence also encourages a lot more people to be insulting as they drive by. However the flip side of THAT, is that we get more people being supportive. A couple pulled over to me and said, "what are those people over there trying to say" and I told her, "they say that we don't support the troops, but half the anti-war activists I meet are somehow affiliated with the military or are military families, so I don't know what they're trying to say. I think they just want us to shut up." She said, thanks for not shutting up.

The problem is that the Protest Warriors sometimes acheive their goal because some people won't join us anymore, simply because of them. They ARE just trying to get us to shut up, and they frighten people into shutting up. They absolutely do not want people feeling comfortable expressing opinions that are not aligned with what they decide is right. And they say we're un-American fascists? Anyway, we did good today and as soon as we packed up, so did they. We went to the bloodmobile afterwards, and two of them were THERE giving blood too. Candace ended up laying next to one of them giving blood, and she told the woman to make sure her bf takes her out for a nice steak dinner tonight. I hope Candace's presence there shocked them into realizing they were spending their Sunday harrassing nice people. A girl can dream, can't she?

Anyway, they must be on our email list because they were telling us we should give the $600 we raised at the swap meet to Katrina victims. Sure....just as soon as they completely drain their bank accounts, we will too. We did raise $225 so far, so that particular charge didn't sting one bit. They said George Soros is supporting us...ha! Double ha! I was called a commie, a fascist and un-American all in one day, and was probably flipped off a dozen times. At least. That's what tells me I'm doing my job. It's the activist's paycheck. :-)

Gah....I got so focused on the anti-free speech weirdos I almost forgot to mention that the local news was there when I arrived and they interviewed some of us, and I think he probably talked to the Protest Fascists too. I just didn't see that, one way or the other. I was a little late today.