To nobody's surprise there were protestors today in DC. They attempted to disrupt the metro system and block the Key Bridge, a leading artery into DC from Northern Virginia. I got hosed twice because I come in from No VA on the metro and it is raining hard which makes traffic worse anyway. My commute was long and arduous and only caused further resentment for protestors (but that isn't the point of this thread). Anyway, I'll get to the point.

I got off the train in Rosslyn because I had to use the bathroom and the train was moving quite slowly. When I was getting back on the train, there were protestors on the train platform handing out pamphlets on the evils of America. I politely declined to take one.

An elderly woman was behind me getting off the escalator and a young (20ish) female protestor offered her a pamphlet, which she politely declined. The young protestor put her hand on the old woman's shoulder as a guesture of friendship and in a very soft voice said, "Ma'am, don't you care about the children of Iraq?"

The old woman looked up at her and said, "Honey, my first husband died in France during World War II so you could have the right to stand here and bad mouth your country. And if you touch me again, I'll stick this umbrella up your ass and open it."

I'm glad to report that loud applause broke out among the onlookers and the young protestor was at a total loss for words.

(Laf note:

Hurray for that woman! I will gladly buy her a replacement umbrella for every one she uses that way and I think that many here would also donate new umbrellas for her as well.

Those foolish people who protest the use of force to overthrow the despotic and murderous regime of Saddam Hussein have misplaced their concerns for the "children of Iraq." Where were they during the past twelve years when over 5-million (5,000,000) children of Iraq died hideous deaths as a result of the policies of that mad man and his minions of murder? Where were their protests when Hussein and his thugs killed over a million Kurdish children in northern Iraq? Were they handing out pamphlets in Baghdad?

The truth is simple. The "protestors" are not against war. They are against the government and the people of these United States. They happily embrace the very freedoms they wish to deny to all others who would dare disagree with their pointless pontificating and brainless blathering.

Those who desecrate the teachings of religion as the basis of their supposed opposition to war ignore the very tenets and the basic philosophies of their dogma. The Old Testament, the basis of the Jewish Torah, is filled with tales of battles fought by religious leaders of antiquity, combat embraced by the teachings of their religious leadership. They knew that unto each thing, there is a season... a time to reap and a time to sow... a time to rest and a time for war...

The New Testament, the handbook of Catholicism and Protestant beliefs is also filled with tales of battles fought to throw off the yoke of tyranny. Jesus himself advised that any man who does not have a sword should sell his cloak and buy one. The Prince of Peace obviously understood that "peace" must often be purchased with the blood of men who would stand up to tyrants. The America-haters improperly translate the Ten Commandments to say, "Thou shalt not kill." What it says is, "Thou shalt not commit murder." There is a difference.

There is not a single passage in either book that prohibits war. In fact, war is often shown to be a necessity and justifiable under certain circumstances. Were the protestors to pay attention and educate themselves as to reality, they would learn that our nation is the only modern society that has almost always waged war with an eye to the constraints of honor and civilized prosecution of a battle. There have been aberrations in the past, but those are few.

Dear Protestors, Hold my umbrella for me.)