Angry Mobs

About the "angry mobs" protesting at Town Hall meetings, I have this to say...

The day we lose our will to fight is the day we lose our freedom.

GOD BLESS AMERICA

As I recall my history lessons, it was a grassroots movement that turned into the Revolutionary War and our independence from England.

I suppose under the definitions set forth by Speaker Pelosi and others, our Founding Fathers would be considered unpatriotic and unAmerican, or perhaps at that time it would be unEnglish or unBritish. Whatever.

Calling our leaders on things we citizens see as wrong is as Patriotic as fireworks on the 4th of July, picnics in the summer, serving your country in the military, or supporting those servicemen and women. Protesting is as American as Mom's apple pie and a baseball game in the summer or a football game in the fall.

If I protest a plan that I believe is stupid and fiscally irresponsible , you can say I'm wrong, you can call me stupid, shallow, uncaring about others, or just about anything you want to call me, but don't you dare call me unpatriotic or unAmerican.

To call me, or any protestor, unpatriotic or unAmerican is to call every man who signed the Declaration of Independence unpatriotic or unAmerican. Under that criteria every man or woman who protested the Civil War, World War I, World War II, Korea, Vietnam, or either Gulf War would be unpatriotic or unAmerican.

Speaker Pelosi seems to forget about the protestors against the Bush Administration, whom she deemed to be patriotic in their protests. If they were patriotic by speaking out, then so are those protesting the Obama Administration. It really doesn't matter who is or was right and who is or was wrong in their choices. Both chose to exercise their right to Free Speech (it's in the Constitution. Look it up). She seems to want to have it both ways but, sorry, Madam Speaker, can't be done.

I've said this before, but it's still true: it's a matter of perception.

You see protests against something you support as unpatriotic or unAmerican. Those protesting may see YOU as unpatriotic or unAmerican because of what you are supporting, or because you are speaking out against our right to protest.