Tuesday February 22nd, 2011 there will be a rally in support of Wisconsin workers protesting their Governor’s violent through the barrel of a gun threats to outlaw collective bargaining for state workers.

Given our own Governor’s shady and self-righteous attitude about cutting rights and benefits to state employees, we need to send a clear message that there will be hell to pay if he continues in the same direction as the Wisconsin governor. This is one way you can help send that message. [emphasis added]

And this was the post after the author “Fong” became embarrassed and decided to tone it down a bit.

Obviously, the “new tone of civility” talk was only meant for Republicans. Leftists on the march in Madison have demonstrated that they have no intention of avoiding violent rhetoric at their own rallies.

Greyhawk at Mudville Gazette explores some of the reasons for this change, inspired by a video and post from Reason asking “What Happened to the Antiwar Movement?”, and suggests that at least the veterans in the  movement (IVAW and company) may have been creatively co-opted into the Obama machine. Which makes a lot of sense — as Eric Hoffer might tell you, bringing your most credible critics into the fold and giving them tangible benefits for playing along is a tried and true way of quieting effective opposition:

There is a moment in the career of almost every fault-finding man of words where a deferential or conciliatory gesture from those in power may win him over to their side. At a certain stage, most men of words are willing to become time-servers and courtiers… A bishopric conferred on Luther at the right moment might have cooled his ardor for a Reformation. The young Karl Marx could perhaps have been won over to Prussiandom by the bestowal of a title and an important government job; and Lasalle by a title and a court uniform.

In some cases, perhaps a makework “green job” at federal expense is sufficient.

As for the rest, it’s hard to top Glenn Reynolds’ pithy summation: “They used to be useful idiots. Then they stopped being useful.”

Note that this is not to say that one can’t be a principled opponent to one or the other or both current wars, or U.S. military activity of various kinds elsewhere in the world. The question here concerns the disappearance of the theatrical protests which were so common prior to November 2008. It almost makes one concerned that, like bees and frogs, the macroglossus lunarius may be facing a mysterious and precipitous decline in numbers, and that the time may come when we are no longer able to witness their displays of colorful plumage, observe their complex social interactions, or delight in the delicate tones of their mating calls…

UPDATE: and here you go…over the jump…

Hundreds of thousands of people showed…

…err…ummm….

…make that hundreds, perhaps a thousand people showed up for the OneNation rally in DC on Saturday.

And of course, there were drums:

A lefty rally wouldn’t be a lefty rally without the ear-spraining bang of giant bongo drums.

Hey, now…that logo looks suspiciously familiar…

One wonders if their German-language publishing arm isn’t named “Bürgerbräukeller Verlag”.

Who knew that Vezzini was a communist? Inconceivable!!!

Isn’t “Democratic Socialist” redundant?

And in case you can’t quite make it out on the flyer in the lower left, the special guest at the Democratic Socialists of America’s reception is Congressman John Conyers.

Don’t forget to buy yourself a Mavi Marmara/Gaza Flotilla souvenir tee before leaving the rally. What back is complete without a white-on-black advertisement of your Jew-hatred and uncreative appropriation of clichéd Obamaisms?

Judging from their listless attitude, one could be forgiven for wondering if the jobs being funded here are their own, as rental protestors.

“Communism at the OneNation rally? What communism at the OneNation rally? Why, it’s just rightwing fearmongering paranoia to think that anyone on the left is associated with a murderous totalitarian ideology like communism! It’s crazy-talk!”

If you apply the same standards to the attendees of this rally as the hysterical left has applied to the tea party rallies over the past year, it’s clear that the UAW is a communist front organization. After all, they are present at a rally where communists are not merely also present, but actively participating with (ironically enough) literature sales tables. There can be no doubt, then, that every single member of the United Auto Workers endorses every word of the communist literature for sale, along with every idea expressed by every speaker, sign, and attendee at the rally.

And don’t forget, folks: always look for the union label at your astroturf rally!

Check out the photo stream here…

…along with Colorado Republican Party VP Leondray Gholston:

After the event, Chelsea Starley of Brushfire TV and Drew McCullough of PPC interviewed Andrew Breitbart on the power of citizen (and citizenship) journalism:

And unlike at those violent, racist, hate-filled, anti-government Tea Party rallies we’ve been warned about, this one was as peaceful and cuddly as a puppy:

[photos via hyperspoon]

Democracy is the belief that the common man knows what he wants and deserves to get it good and hard.  Congress is poised to pass legislation that Americans clearly do not want.  But the margin was equally clear when American voters gave Democrats control of both Houses and when they sent Barack Obama to the Oval Office.

Perhaps it is that Republicans proved so inept at doing what they said they would do and listening to voters that those voters decided to try out the opposition.  What will November look like?  We’ll know a lot more about that forecast shortly, but the big question is going to be this: Is even this enough to jolt complacent Americans into some cynicism about those who come before them pleading for power?

Walking past Cannon House to the Capitol Lawn

The pro-Socialized Healthcare squad

Dora the Explorer is a 'No' vote.

The East Balcony, just before 14:00

A make-up caked Charlie Rangel strode by, smiling and (not kidding) signing autographs.

An awesome rejoinder to those who confuse fighting for freedom in making personal decisions with judging people on immaterial accidents.

Life is distinctly not a pre-existing condition. For one thing, a pre-existing condition is used to differentiate amongst individuals in a pool. And one can't differentiate using a criterion that applies to every person in the pool. For another thing, if we all lived, pre-existingly, philosophy pretty much would have no questions to answer. As it is, we all came into being at some point...

The man was a mass murderer, a torturer, a child-killer. How great a liberator can he have been when no one survived liberation?

In the land of opportunity and ambition, a special contempt is reserved for those who promise heaven and deliver hell. We Americans are not kind to latter-day Icarus.

Hmmm, love the sentiment, but doesn't the concept of recycling presume that it's possible to mash and pulverize garbage, or Congress, until it becomes valuable again...?

Meanwhile, some Socialist outfit was shilling books, threatening to ruin a perfectly lovely Sunday afternoon with quotes from, 'Castroism and the Politics of Petty-Bourgeois Nationalism'.

Socialists have got a nasty habit of stopping their thinking at whatever point in history suits them, but, seriously? Yugoslavia? Still?

Of course, the Socialists were out, giving away inspirational literature for their cause. If, by "giving" one means selling at grossly inflated prices.

Selling a dusty old paperback for $20 to the huddled, exploited, workers? What are they teaching the at kiddie komrade kamp these days? If it looks like Capitalism, and talks like Capitalism...

But not this guy. He was selling American flags out of a suitcase for $1 each - to the pinkos and the veterans, the fat Union members and the skinny drug reformers, to angry pubescent entitlement monkeys who wanted acne cream covered by Uncle Sam and angry middle-American housewives who couldn't understand why they were punished for working hard, to color-coordinated GLBTers and confused Japanese tourists. Welcome to America - all things for all people, for $1 each.

Stragglers at day's end.

The way this town has balconies, you'd think a production of Romeo and Juliet was in the offing.

LIVE FREE OR DIE.

Three GOP representatives make an appearance on the balcony of the House wing, carrying “KILL THE BILL” placards

A small (as in 30-odd people) crowd gathers near the Capitol to protest in support of the takeover bill.

Calling themselves the “Gang of Six,” a group of Tea Party and 9.12 activists from Bayfield, Colo. is on the road to Washington, DC, where Sunday they’re planning to make one last stand against President Barack Obama’s health care reform bill that is likely up for a vote the same day.

They’ll be among an expected few hundred thousand people planning to surround the Capitol in response to a call this week from Rep. Steve King of Iowa for people to take part in “Operation Flood D.C.”.

“We’re hoping for a couple hundred thousand,” said Lindy Cox, who spoke to me when she was just passing through Topeka, Kan. Friday morning. “Rep. King from Iowa started saying how we should flood the streets and surround the Capitol and not let anyone out to let our residents know how upset we are.”…

“There will be heartbreak if it happens, btu it just hardens us that much more in our commitment to this country. We will work day and night to see that our representatives who voted for this do not go back to office.”

The Speaker of the US House says they will vote on the Senate version of the Health care bill Sunday as 223 House members voted to by pass the Constitution today to allow it to be deemed passed. We all know the arguments of the willful destruction of the Constitution, cost in dollars and social ramifications if this passes, but this isn’t about that. This is about standing with one another for maybe the last time in Our America.

Sunday, the House may decide if America is saved or transformed; transformed into a country not of our choosing, not of our wanting and not of our founding. Many of The 9.12 Project and Tea Party members have worn the uniform of the United States of America with the pledge to defend the Constitution. Some of you have shed blood in its defense and many have known others who have sacrificed everything for it. Others wear the uniform of Police and of the Firefighter for the same reasons. Spouses of these know the same sacrifice.  Sunday, the US House of Representatives votes to honor those who have made the ultimate sacrifice or to destroy the Constitution these men and woman have sacrificed for. 

Sunday, The 9.12 Project in Colorado asks that we all take one hour to Stand for Our America; the America of our choosing, of our wanting and of our founding.  We ask that all of us take one hour and stand together for America to honor those that have sacrificed so much for our country at a time when our elected officials will be voting to possibly destroy what they gave everything for. This Sunday, we ask we stand shoulder to shoulder together and pray for America and stand vigil for her.

In Denver, we will gather on the West, North, East & South sidewalks around the Capitol at 3 PM on Sunday, 3-21-2010. Bring flags and wear black armbands if the bill passes. 

***CHANGE***In Colorado Springs, we will gather at the corner of Academy and Briargate blvd at 4 PM.

We will say the Pledge, each say our own prayer, and stand for one hour to honor Our America.

For on Monday, it may be transformed and it will be time to stand not in vigil for America, but in restoring her.  We ask you stand with us.

If the bill does not pass we will shout prayers of Thanksgiving and honor Our America that she has been saved until the next battle for freedom.

One way or the other, this day will be remembered as a seminal date in American History and we must Stand on the side of Freedom for All Generations.

This is an email from Justin Longo regarding an important event. I have reposted here:

Hey everyone,

I want to alert you to an event that both Dave Williams and I will be attending (bonus: Dave will be speaking at the event!):

Come Join Us in supporting the Bill of Rights Defense Committee for the End the Patriot Act Rally -- Noon - 1:00pm on the West Steps of the Colorado Capitol!

It’s time to END the USA Patriot Act and enforce the Bill of Rights! Please join us over the lunch hour this Wednesday, on the west steps of the Colorado State Capitol Building to send a big message to our DC Representatives. Congress will soon be voting to extend provisions of the Patriot Act, so let’s fully support the Bill of Rights Defense Committee, and the members of the House and the Senate who will be saying ‘YES’ to our beloved Bill of Rights, by voting ‘NO’ to extending the Patriot Act.

Come join Colorado Campaign for Liberty, ACLU, Libertarian Party, We Are Change, Progressive Dems, We the People and a host of other groups, for a gathering of Americans from all political persuasions who are standing up for the Bill of Rights!

That's this Wednesday, from Noon till 1pm on the west steps of the State Capitol.

Thanks for listening,

Justin Longo

Legislative Director, Libertarian Party of Colorado

"Whoever wishes peace among peoples must fight statism." -Mises

BlueCarp