Air horns have a certain brutal appeal.

Hey, I just wanted to comment on a post you made on May 3. I was one of the pro-life counterdemonstrators that you photographed at the March for Big Abortion and Kerry in DC last month. You made some comments about my sign, as well as comments about several of my friends photographed that did not resonate well with us when we viewed them.

I held a homemade sign (made out of a carboard box found on a sidewalk earlier that morning) that read "END WAR: IN IRAQ, ON THE POOR, ON MINORITIES, ON ANIMALS, IN THE WOMB." I must admit that I'm still a bit confused as to what it was you were saying in reference to my sign, but it seemed like you believed that I was holding that sign to make pro-choice marchers connect abortion and war. If you had bothered to ask me, or any of the other people you photographed, you would have found out that the sign I was holding was an expression of my own personal beliefs. I am a progressive individual that happens to be pro-life. I march against the war, I marched against the World Bank/IMF the day before (and was quoted in the Washington Post), and I've marched against abortion. I am a vegan, Green, anti-death penalty liberal that believes left-wing idealogy, in its pure form, stands in defense of the unborn life. My sign did receive a lot of attention from passersby, and several marchers stopped to talk with me about our differences (which were far fewer than our simlilarities - many noted that they agreed with me on all but my pro-life stance). There were several other progressive pro-lifers there, including many who had marched against the WB/IMF the day before. A friend of mine with a sign "You can't be Vegan and pro-choice" was stated to be making a "dissonant, awkward appeal to the assumed "vegan/vegetarian" sensibilities of the pro-choicers." Wrong. My friend is a fellow progressive who is both vegan and pro-life, and finds those who embrace a vegan lifestyle, yet remain pro-choice, to be hypocrites.

You made several comments regarding the "punk rock/Che Guevera protestor chic commonly associated with progressives." As I mentioned, several were dressed that way because that's who they/we are. They were not "dressing up" for the big protest just to look cool or look the part; they dress that way because its who they are, just as some people wear GAP clothes and others wear suits. Several, myself included, are straightXedge/hardcore "kids" (the rough style of music that has a small underground following) for whom this is normal dress. And your comment that "Jesus is down with the kids these days" is a ridiculous statement, especially compared with the fact that several of those who you made it in reference to are avowed atheists, as were many of the pro-life counterdemonstrators, which you would have found out if you had actually talked to them, rather than just take pictures and ASSUME things about them - something you claimed we were doing with our signs.

While I'm glad that you took these pictures and presented a pictoral view of the event, your photoessay seems to be mostly just quick snapshots with quirky commentary, rather than any actual information as to who or what the picture really is. Seriously, if you want to appear as anything more than a latent reactionary, get your info before pressing your stereotypical attitudes onto your subjects.

Hey Phil,

Sorry for the inaccuracies, and a well-said comment. I will say this:

1. I drew some conclusions based on my impression. I can't talk to everyone.

2. If you weren't trying to make the connection to the war, animal rights, etc. then why were you pointing out these largely unrelated issues in a sign at an ABORTION rally? As I mentioned elsewhere (regarding pro-lifers) in the post, this seems to undermine your point a bit (dilutes it). My personal view of your "progressive" ideals is also rather dim, which influences my presentation.

3. As for the atheism, fair enough, but it's kind of difficult to get that impression when you are mixing with avowed religious folks ostentatiously carrying religious signs.

4. RE: "They were not "dressing up" for the big protest just to look cool or look the part"

Sure they were (dressing up), though you are clarifying that you and your friends "dress up" in revolutionary chic face bandanas every day of the year; something that I will still crack a joke about. I surely recognized the "straight-edge" angle - Here's a supplemental joke - "I guess abstinence and sobriety are down with the kids these days ..."

5. Finally, I'll give you this: at least your wildly left-wing unconditional overappreciation (in my view) for life is somewhat more consistent with pro-life values. I'm actually serious about that.

Sorry that I didn't get the chance to interview you.

Hey, thanks for that. Your point about my sign is duly noted, and I was castigated by many pro-lifers for having it at the protest, but it did what its intended purpose was - to draw in pro-choice marchers and show them that there are members of the pro-life movement who are with them on many issues. That fact alone has brought many people to consider switching their viewpoint on the issue (as several have since the march), and called for the loose affiliation of Progressive Voices Against Poor Choices, a brotherhood/sisterhood of progressives who oppose abortion but would prefer to do it in secular terms.

A funny thing happened the Friday before the march that I think you might laugh at. I was with several pro-lifers protesting a NARAL sponsored Kerry rally. They held pro-life signs, I held on (made out of a empty concrete mix bag I found in a nearby construction site) that stated "REAL PROGRESSIVES VOTE GREEN." I think that some of the rally attendees hated my sign more than the graphic aborted baby signs held by the pro-lifers (I was called a whole litany of nasty things - all because I vote conscience over Kerry). One guy said he agreed but needed to vote for Kerry. After talking for a few minutes, he said, hey, you should really move away from those crazy anti-choicers, or else people are going to think that you're with them." The look on his face when I told him (after showcasing my left-wing views) that I was with them........priceless

Seriously, if you want to appear as anything more than a latent reactionary, get your info before pressing your stereotypical attitudes onto your subjects.

Bill, stick with the latent reactionary shtick. It's workin' for ya.

yeah, i like the smart shtick as well. and hey, you succeeded in prodding a moonbat into a rare emission of extremelylowfreq sonic dissonance aimed at you! isn't that worth an entirely new chronicle?

I'm not sure why one would need to interview a protester carrying a sign. The point of creating and carrying a sign is to communicate your views. If someone misunderstands your views based on your sign, doesn't that mean that you chose your words poorly?

To paraphrase and extend what Bill already said, he can't interview every freakin' protester at the march. Which is why protesters should put considerable thought into the words they put on a sign.

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