Freedom of Expression

The Janesville Gazette reports that 35 people turned out Saturday for an anti-war protest to coincide with other anti-war protests, including this one. The protestors walked from the Basics store just off of Milton Ave. to the Post Office, mailed some letters to lawmakers, the gas company and MasterCard, then walked back to Basics and picked up some granola and organic coffee.

Highlights from the march, all of which required context from the writer (not that it helped much):

"There's not the same activism as there was before, and I think there needs to be more of that," said UW-Milwaukee student and Janesville native Lisa Murray.

Reporter Frank Schulz helps out, noting "The protests did not reach the level of discontent during the height of the Vietnam War, and some marchers said that's too bad."

"I think it has to do with money and oil and greed, and he wants to expand America's power," she said, which was framed by Schulz for readers: "Like many in the march, Murray faulted President Bush for the war and questioned Bush's motives."

Lew Mittness, a former member of the state Assembly from Janesville, railed against the president. He called the marchers patriots who were trying "to save the country from the kind of fascism that is being forced down our throats."

"Why should I support George Bush when he lied? He didn't listen. He was told what was going to happen, and it has happened," Mittness said.

Which would be..... what, exactly, Mr. Mittness? That Iraq is free from the tyranny of Saddam Hussein's death squads, and are able to vote in actual democratic elections? And how would America's power be expanded by creating an independent democracy, Ms. Murray?

The honks and calls of support from passing motorists appeared to outnumber the occasional negative comment.

A young man shouted "Go Bush!" from a car, which raised the ire of Karen Zierath of Janesville.

"Go serve in the Army if you're so for him," Zierath called out. "Go ahead. Serve in the Army. Sign up!"

I like the chickenhawk logic. It would help if everyone who supported the GWOT went abroad to fight; it would help the Dems win some elections, since there'd be few left to run against them here. We already know what would happen to their absentee ballots. Then the Dems would probably want to prolong the war, since things would change if all the war supporters came home.

Ah, freedom of expression.