today, the peace group in town were invaded by McCainPalin people

[Mari333]

for the last 5 years or so, a small contingent of non partisan people who are against the Iraq war, meet every day at noon on Friday in this small town in michigan. they stand in front of the post office, and hold signs that say 'Peace" "Stop the War", etc.
Some of them are Dems, some are Green Party, one is a Libertarian. they say nothing, they do not hold candidates signs. they are merely against the war.They endorse no political party.
Today, for the first time in 5 years, this group was standing, as they have every friday, rain, sleet, or shine, when another person sidled up beside them. He was holding a McCain Palin sign. One of the people in the peace group informed him that the group was not a candidate's forum, but was a peace group. So, she asked him "are you against the war?"
he grunted and waved his sign at the passing cars.
Needless to say, the cars driving by looked confused.
Only one woman entering the post office confronted him, angrily.
The others in the peace group continued to stand there with their signs and allowed this man his right to free speech.
A few McCain supporters came up and high fived the man as tho he had somehow done something to 'show them libruls.'
I asked one of the peace group why they stayed so peaceful while this guy was standing there with them.
The peace activist basically said "well, everyone has a right to free assembly."
I dont know if I could have held my tongue, but I think the peace activists did the right thing. They stood their ground, and didnt let him agitate them, and represented to him that 'libruls' are actually who they say they are..peaceful, law abiding, tolerant patriots of the constitution and this country.

[givemebackmycountry]

1. I like this post.

It made me happy and so did you Mari...

:pals:

[Hekate]

2. KnR. Nice to see you again, Mari.

:hi:

Hekate

[TiredOldMan]

3. Great Job

They handled themselves with much class.

The McCain supporters did show bad taste in showing up in the exact same place to mount their rally, but getting angry or acting in a threatening manner would be stooping to their level. It is much better to take the high road and prove you are better than they are. Don't leave, just hold your ground and show your ethics.

If they had reacted angrily they would have just given the Repubs ammunition to work with.

[wvbygod]

4. allowed this man his right to free speech???

Allowed? How does that work? How did they "allow" someone to express what is already their right?

[Mari333]

6. smile

i meant that they didnt bother the man. they basically just behaved with dignity and grace and didnt get in his face about his mccainpalin sign.
hugs. peace.

[wvbygod]

7. They were true peace patriots

They did the right thing.

[Fly by night]

5. Actually, the local police might have asked him to "move on" if you had requested it.

He was obviously there to disturb the peace (and the peace-makers). No other reason to be in your face.

Glad I wasn't there. I don't have a peaceful bone in my body when it comes to warmongers, vote suppressors and election thieves.

[FLyellowdog]

8. I'd have quickly made a new sign that said...

"Ignore the idiot with the McCain sign".

[WorseBeforeBetter]

10. LOL... that would be more my style, too.

But I gotta hand it to them for their control and commitment.

[gratuitous]

9. They treated him better than he deserved

But, to be fair, it's the only way a McCain-Palin "rally" is going to draw more than one person, and that's to try to hijack another group. Of course, someone with a peace sign who showed up at a McCain-Palin event could not expect the same treatment.

[machI]

11. Kick