Bravo!  Bravo!  

I think that I need an umbrella like that.

Is it 2009 yet?

And thank you both for sharing your day with us.  Survivance... I like that word and its definition too.  It sounds like such a 'formal' definition, but the 'survival' aspect of its roots brings out the primitive nature of the term.  Makes it raw... To me, anyways.

What am I doing next weekend?  Hmmm...

I HATE being filled with this much hate and rage. I just want to love...

ah yes  the "don't engage"...  was very hard not to. :) and at times I couldn't help myself.

When the power of love overcomes the love of power the world will know peace. - Jimi Hendrix

Thanks for your post, tampopo! Seems to me you spent the day in the best way you possibly could: you were present, you observed, you learned, you went forward.  Many kudos!

Much appreciate your sharing the concept of 'survivance' with us, too. It's a concept I keep chiefly in mind as we move on through; my own path, I feel, largely relates to it -- especially in terms of principles.

On "engaging" . . .

I'm with you tampopo. I don't like confrontation either, or arguments, or feeling angry. It hurts my heart, and I don't think it usually accomplishes what all of us want most - a change in the hearts and minds of sufficient numbers of ordinary Americans. People who are really more like us than not, but who have had their thinking shaped by too many years of very effective propaganda by the corporate media.

I'm a believer in finding that common ground. I spent the weekend with my sister and BIL who drink in a steady diet of Rush, O'Lielly, et al. Politics couldn't be avoided as a topic, but we never argued, though we disagreed. I mostly asked questions - a lot of them about Jesus's teaching and are they reflected in the current conservation agenda? I asked about "traditional Republicans" that I grew up with and what has happened to them? We parted lots of love and hugs. They didn't jump up and embrace the progressive worldview or any such thing - but there were several moments when I could see the cognitive dissonance grinding away behind their eyes.

I think we non-confronters can do some good like this, one on one. On the other hand, we need the confronters like super, too, to deal with those aren't just good people who have been misled, but who are seriously deranged and malevolent. Anyone wants to scream at Fred Phelps and his ilk - I'll be cheering them on.

Any jackass can kick down a barn, but it takes a carpenter to build one. - Sam Rayburn

Cool-thanks for the pics-isn'r that super so SUPER? Come on ladies- we would all leave our husbands for him- right? RIGHT? Oh never mind.

I applaud you both.  What a great thing to have done, especially with the visitors that day ....:o)

I know that sometimes on the streets of DC it is not a good thing to do demonatrations when one is outnumbered for another reason; however, I do know you were seen!  whether heard or not is another thing.  Anyhow, hugs and appreciation to you both.  I am glad to have you both as my friends.

Tampopo you are a Warrior Maiden Sister! You are doing the best that you can with what you know at the time! We each have to do what we can in any way that is comfortable for us personally. I am more the confrontational type(has gotten me into lots of trouble in the past). In Crawford the leaders of the protest had a morning meeting asking us to not be confrontational with the counter protesters, to not engage and to back off if it became ugly. This was very difficult for me. I have a hard time keeping my mouth shut. But what I found there was an opportunity to instead listen to the idiots across the street. They really made asses of themselves.

Also we all must remember that these republicans coming out have been "groomed" al their lives for these things. The "Young Republicans" gave us someone like Rove. It will be difficult to fight them but somewhere in my hear I believe we can. I am so proud of the two of you and all here that are fighting for our future generations.


Frodo failed...Bush has got the ring.

.

"But I will not let myself be reduced to silence."

▼ ▼ ▼ MY DIARY

Engaging doesn't mean a screaming hissy fit.

There are times to do it and times to not do it. Large protests... probably not the best time. All it takes is one asshole to throw a rock, shove someone and you've got a riot on your hands.

I've been called many things. I've seen so much hate just this past year.

I wasn't engaging anyone when I had a cigarette thrown in my face!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was only tacking up a Bring Them Home Now postcard.

I wasn't engaging anyone when a fuckhole called me a fucking liberal nazi and explained to his kids what a horrible person I was. I had given a hug to a diner owner whose son was in Iraq. He overheard ny telling her about DC.

I didn't engage anyone when a Marine who spent three tours in Iraq sat on a post office curb just waiting for me to show up because no one else would talk to him.

I will no longer let others hurt me, call me names or tell me how to live.

I will engage. Because it's about fucking time somebody does. Because what else are they going to start doing to us?

I don't see engaging as yelling. I see it as standing my ground and standing up and speaking out.

One merely has to be there or give support to do that.

Tampopo you did indeed engage. You were there. You stood up. :)

When the power of love overcomes the love of power the world will know peace. - Jimi Hendrix