Protesters represent American democracy
By Tamara Dietrich, The Daily Press
Published February 4 2007
When George Bush came to Kingsmill on Saturday, the local "unwelcome wagon" was out in force.
No red carpet here. This was an anti-war rally, an anti-Bush rally, a peace surge. A smattering of 150 or so disgruntled ordinary citizens - the likes of which would have pelted King George III with rotten vegetables more than two centuries ago for his dictatorial ways.
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Posters urged motorists to "Honk for Peace," and for a few hours, they did. With every toot, citizens cheered and banged and rattled right back.
American-style democracy isn't meant to be sedate. Or subdued.
When the president comes to town, American-style democracy demands an audience with its chief civil servant, even if all it can get these days is a fleeting few seconds as a heavily armored motorcade careens past, bombproof, bulletproof - arrogance incarnate behind blacked-out windows. Bush didn't bother to glad-hand these folks. They didn't expect him to, either.
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As if on cue, I looked over my shoulder to see a line of Virginia State Police in full riot gear lined up three deep at the resort entrance, facing off with the ralliers. Jeez, I thought. Did somebody find an "Aqua Teen Hunger Force" promotional item? It was a bizarre sight - anonymous men in black, well-padded from helmet to boot, gazing silently through clear plastic shields at a perplexed gathering ranging from toddlers with sippy cups to grandmothers bearing noisemakers and spunky political posters.
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http://www.dailypress.com/news/columnists/dp-47260cm0feb04,0,1601529.column?coll=dp-news-columnists
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