[John Tyler Connoley,
Tuesday May 2, 2006 at 2:16pm]
Immigrant Protests
Yesterday, I drove by the local park where people protest in our little town (the park where the peace activists meet every Tuesday at 4 p.m. with their NO BLOOD FOR OIL signs). It was Monday, so the peace activists weren't there. Instead, there were about a dozen young Latino men with signs reading MINORITY POWER and HONK FOR MINORITIES.
The scene was raucous, with the guys walking out into traffic to bump fists with their friends, jumping up and down, shouting, cheering, and waving their arms. As I sat at the light, a guy in a pimped-out Cadillac turned left in front of the park and revved his engine, his huge muffler deafening everyone around. It was much more fun than the peace activists, who just stand there and look bored.
As I drove on, I thought, this is what democracy is supposed to be about -- regular people, making their voices heard. I'll bet those kids have never made a political statement like that before in their lives. I also thought, if I were an incumbent politician, I'd be as scared as that little old white lady in the car next to me, who rolled up her window and tried to look inconspicuous.
The scene was raucous, with the guys walking out into traffic to bump fists with their friends, jumping up and down, shouting, cheering, and waving their arms. As I sat at the light, a guy in a pimped-out Cadillac turned left in front of the park and revved his engine, his huge muffler deafening everyone around. It was much more fun than the peace activists, who just stand there and look bored.
As I drove on, I thought, this is what democracy is supposed to be about -- regular people, making their voices heard. I'll bet those kids have never made a political statement like that before in their lives. I also thought, if I were an incumbent politician, I'd be as scared as that little old white lady in the car next to me, who rolled up her window and tried to look inconspicuous.