Anti-War Protestors Over the Line (even further)

Saw this posted at QandO. McQ's comments are spot on.

Get this:

But then there was a smaller group of demonstrators — if they can even be called that — who engaged in numerous actions that violated the sensibilities of ordinary people and damaged the very cause the activists claimed to endorse.

This splinter group of protesters showed its support for “peace” by burning a U.S. soldier in effigy. It exhibited its supposedly pacifist nature by knocking a police officer off his bike — an action that brought out the police riot squad.

Perhaps the most disturbing scene of the afternoon, however, involved the man who pulled down his pants in front of women and children and defecated on a burning U.S. flag. This disgusting act actually elicited cheers from some members of the crowd, but we hope that the emotion it produces in the community is one of revulsion.

The article goes on to point out that such behavior alienates the public whose support they need to stop the war. Personally, I already find them loathsome. This on the other hand is absolutely repulsive.

I love this comment in response to the article:

It is pretty obvious that a very organized small group was intent on disrupting Sunday’s anti-war march with behavior that was meant to be disgusting as possible. There only aim was to “destroy the message of peace” that thousands of other marchers brought with them to downtown Portland.

It makes you wonder who paid them to do this.

Right "Marilyn" it must be a right-wing conspiracy because the fever-swamp left has never gone beyond good taste. No evidence of that with protests at the WTO or other events that the left hates to the point of dementia.

McQ points out this:

Naturally, reading the comments which followed the argument, one of the first posted wondered if it had been a right-wing group which paid this guy to do that to discredit the protesters. She said nothing about those who cheered among the protesters witnessing the act. A little further on in the comment thread, another questioned the authenticity of the event, which was quickly shot down by the on-line editor who said they not only had multiple witness accounts, they had pictures.

Me? If I were the paper, I'd turn the pics over to police, help in an effort to identify the person and ask them to press the two charges I've mentioned. Inexcusable, rude and excessive behavior doesn't need to be rewarded by ignoring it. At some point a community just say "that crosses the line and will not be tolerated" for any reason or they can expect increasingly worse behavior in the public venue to be the result.

I agree completely. I'd like to see the photos posted on-line with sufficient evidence to show the perps face. This is definitely a case where shaming on the internet would be more than justified.