What exactly is the American Legion going to do to anti-war protesters — kick them out of their bimonthly bingo games?

Posted by Tim Hulsey on 26 August 2005 @ 7pm

That’s about all I can imagine that “whatever means necessary” means. That is, unless they’re proposing some kind of civil war between them and the 85% of the nation who support the right to protesting the war.

Posted by Waldo Jaquith on 26 August 2005 @ 7pm

“No one respects the right to protest more than one who has fought for it, but we hope that Americans will present their views in correspondence to their elected officials rather than by public media events ”

OK, that doesn’t even come close to making sense. Not even close.

“We respect your right to protest. Just don’t do it.”
“We respect your right to protest. Bit only on those topics we deem suitable.”
“I fought for democracy so that I could disrespect its major principles.”

Posted by kathy on 27 August 2005 @ 8pm

Waldo et al. They’ve done far more for this country than you have. Obviously they don’t mean you can’t
protest. That’s rediculous. …as rediculous as it will be for the Republicans to attack Creigh Deeds
as “anti gun” later this Fall. You loose credibility by going down this road.
Kathy, Were you the one holding the sign in front of the Federal Courthouse holding the sign that read:
“I’ll support our troops when they shoot their officers?” Sounds like it might’ve been. If you loathe
the military as much as you appear to, why don’t you just see how we do without them. Chinese anyone?!

Posted by Walt Ball on 27 August 2005 @ 9pm

Obviously they don’t mean you can’t protest.

That’s not so obvious to me. In saying that “we hope that Americans will present their views in correspondence to their elected officials rather than by public media events guaranteed to be picked up and used as tools of encouragement by our enemies,” that is a fairly clear statement in opposition to protesting.

Unless, of course, you’re emphasizing the word “can’t” in your statement — as in “they never said you are not legally or practically capable of protesting, merely that you ought not do so,” in which case, that’s true, they did not say or imply that.

I think you’re reading a bit much into our comments, Walt. Neither Kathy nor I said anything negative about the American Legion. I can’t even understand the origin of your attack on Kathy’s thoughts on the military — if she’s presented any such thoughts, I must admit that I’m not familiar with them.

Posted by Waldo Jaquith on 27 August 2005 @ 9pm

Not reading into it too much. I just know what people like you stand for, and it runs contrary to nearly
everything that members of the Legion have FOUGHT FOR.

Posted by Walt Ball on 29 August 2005 @ 12pm

“People like me”?

I can see that this discussion is going nowhere.

Posted by Waldo Jaquith on 29 August 2005 @ 1pm