Code Pink, ANSWER, Randall Terry, and the Schiavo protesters

[Jesus Saves]

I see all of the above as being similar in one essential way: they alienate the vast majority of Americans. They are shrill, one-dimensional, and annoying.

The last four years it's been all anti-war protesters all the time. Now the American people see the right wing's nuts front and center, and they are truly scary.

I remember back in the late eighties and early nineties Randell Terry and Operation Rescue was high profile.

I say we should do whatever we can to keep these people riled up and in the news. They HURT the Republican party. The American people need to see these clowns for what they are. The more these people come to represent the Republicans the better.

[mattclearing]

1. Ditto for Tom DeLay.

He disappeared from view last year, just like Trent Lott and Newt Gingrich disappeared in 2000.

You know it's an election year by who the Republicans won't let on TV.

[Kerrytravelers]

2. Whats wrong with Code Pink and ANSWER?

They play on our team.

[Jesus Saves]

3. Right or wrong

They turn people off.

I remember watching those Code Pink activists interrupt Bush during his convention speech, only to dragged out. I had a feeling right then and there we were going to lose.

Stunts like that accomplish nothing IMO.

[Crowdance]

5. Yeah, women speaking up is a real turnoff.

</sarcasm>

They actually accomplished quite a bit. They were visibly drawing attention to the fact that not everyone is in lockstep with this monster. And they did it in front of whatever poor, besotted souls were watching in hypnotized rapture. If they woke up one single voter, it was good. I doubt anyone who planned to vote for Kerry changed their vote to the monster's because of code pink.

[Jesus Saves]

6. It isn't about gender

It's about the method and the madness.

[mattclearing]

7. And they scared the hell out of him.

He got that deer in the headlights look.

That's why dissenters aren't allowed into his events...he can't withstand criticism.

Clinton was the real deal, and was happy to take on his critics.

Bush is little more than a bad actor, and the debates, and his stunned reaction to the protestors at his RNC speech prove it.

[Jesus Saves]

8. What I remember is a subtle smile

Bush knew such disruption was only good for him. It made our side look foolish and lawless.

[mattclearing]

10. You better check the tape.

He was spooked.

[Jesus Saves]

9. ANSWER isn't really on our team

You should check out the David Corn about the leadership of ANSWER. Corn is a writer for The Nation.

[mattclearing]

11. David Corn isn't really on our team either, though.

I agree with aspects of his feelings toward ANSWER, but Corn is no more reliably progressive than Tom Friedman.

[Jesus Saves]

12. oh jeez...

I'm not going to comment on the Corn/Friedman comparison.

[Name removed]

4. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[ConsAreLiars]

13. Add Jesus to that list if you want to be honest with yourself

That scene in the Temple was just totally out of bounds. And MLK,Jr. messing up traffic and disrupting businesses.

What a silly comparison. The failure to distinguish between those who disrupt a fascist rally and those who disrupt a Hospice is just pitiful.

[Jesus Saves]

14. There is a difference

I'm not going to comment on the Temple scene.

MLK, jr.'s protests drew people in. Regular people were attracted to them. MLK was surprisingly pragmatic and focused. Thus, he could attract even an audience with the President.

A lot of the anti-war protests are not focused, not effective, consisting mostly of slogans that alienate most Americans. I'm sorry, calling Bush Hitler is just as off putting as Randall Terry and his ilk calling the judges Nazis and Stalinists. It's cheap sloganeering.

Disrupting Bush's speech at the convention did NOTHING (but allow a few activists to play the martyr role) and only helped Bush cement the overall theme of his campaign and convention.