I've received my fair share of comments regarding the August 12 ANSWER demonstration ... most of the worst [some really dark stuff] on the YouTube site, some generally positive stuff on the comments to the posts, and some on both sides by email. Let me speak plainly ... I don't usually answer or even attend to shrill, anti-Semitic rants. Nor do I engage in debates. Unless, of course, I'm bored and in the mood. (Heh.) I'm old enough and experienced enough to know my own mind. I generally don't care what others think so I have no incentive to try and convince them that they may be wrong or illustrate an alternate perspective. I simply take a "so be it" attitude to the duped and obvious "fellow-travelers". There are of course exceptions. I received an email today from someone I have met a few times and who, I am certain, is a gentle, intelligent individual and a devout Muslim. The email is representative of most of the more reasonable comments I've received and which I've been tempted to address. However, if I engage in a debate with everyone who emails me I wouldn't have much time for anything else. After some consideration, though, I've decided that this particular person deserves a reply, and I've decided to address his email in lieu of all the others. Here, absent his return address, is the text:

Charles: I met you a couple of times in July filming our protests outside the Israeli embassy. I thought you were an objective individual, but I guess I was wrong. I'm appalled by some of the material you're putting on your blog. The march on August 12 was not an anti-Semitic event. It was an effort to get our government to realize the negative effects on our country that unconditional support for Israel's actions is having. We are not advocating any violence against Israel or Jewish people, many of whom are good friends of mine. You are perpetuating stereotypes and contributing to the problem, not helping to resolve it.

Here's my reply: Frankly, I, also, am appalled by most of the material I'm putting on my blog. Most of it makes me sick. If I seem to be making light of it ... well, that's just my way. The sad thing is I'm not making any of this up. None of the photos are staged or altered, though some have been cropped to highlight the material. If the march on August 12 wasn't supposed to be anti-Semitic then you, the organizers, need to do some serious housecleaning. I have documented obvious examples of anti-Semitism present at the march. And if you want to know what "anti-Semitism" is, don't ask yourselves ... ask a Jew. Those are authentic photos. Those people were there and they were real. If you don't believe that they represent the message you want conveyed, then ask them to leave and form their own separate march. So, while you yourself may not be advocating any violence against Israel, many of your comrades are. Talk to them, not to me, because they are the problem. I'm not "contributing to the problem", I merely point the problem out. If you want to remain in denial regarding that, then so be it. And please, spare me the "some of my best friends are Jewish" line. That's a typical cop-out and camouflage for anti-Semitism. I don't believe that you yourself are a Jew hater, but that's no way to engage me in a conversation. I wish you well and I sincerely hope that you take what I'm saying to heart. If you, as a devout Muslim, abhor the Jew haters then start doing something about it. Until then, I'll continue to document the problem for the rest of the public. **** UPDATE **** Hitler, The Mufti Of Jerusalem And Modern Islamo Nazism Hat Tip for video: LGF **** UPDATE **** Then there's this from the ADL:

At the rally in Washington DC, which was the largest event, one speaker declared: “from this podium I salute Hezbollah,” which prompted loud cheers from the crowd. Children danced at the protests while adults chanted in support of Hezbollah and the bombing of Israeli cities. One popular chant declared: “Nasrallah, Nasrallah; the martyr is the beloved of Allah; the Zionists are the enemy of Allah.”

Nope. No Jew Haters here, folks. Nothing to see. Just move along, folks. Move along.

More Protest Detritus:

Here's some more pro-terrorist flotsam from Saturday's ANSWER demonstration.

**** If you're looking for the video of this demonstration, scroll down ****

First for some personal recurring lefty protest nightmares and issues. Stuff I just hate. "Reality-based Community" indeed.

Check this one out. Forget the message for a moment and concentrate on the swastika.

Don't these people do any research? As far as I'm concerned, this is as bad as any spelling error. Worse, actually. With spelling errors, we all hit the wrong key every now and then. Sometimes, in all the excitement, our eyes and brains just skip over entire words. While I think it's kinda funny from time to time, I can also kinda forgive it. Kinda.

But, I mean, what does it take to open a book ... any book on WWII ... and just look at a Nazi swastika and check your work? Of course, why should I expect these types to actually fact check?!?

These are the same dudes that spelled Israel "Isreal" [see below] ... same lame yet probably pricey print job.

It doesn't take much. Just a little effort folks. This is far more common and, given the context much much worse.

Let's forget for a moment that these were made from glitter stickies purchased, no doubt, at their local Michael's. Set that aside for a moment. Why can't these "peace lovers" get the peace-sign right? Don't they ever see one? Why do they constantly confuse it with Mercedes-Benz? I swear there's at least one of these at every peace rally. This has got to stop. Here's yet another assault on simple spell-checking habits.

Why is this difficult?

What's wrong with ... before you leave the hospital ... just taking that one last (it could be longing ... that would be OK) look at your masterpiece BEFORE you reveal it to the world?

Or penciling your message in lightly before setting Sharpie to pavement?

I mean really ... what's wrong with that?

Am I asking too much?

Well ... at least they caught it this time. I'll give them that.

Mel Gibson, by the way, is now a real hero with this crowd. Amazing.

Don't let people confuse you by claiming that this was some sort of "peace rally". Here's an example of what was really going on. In other words, organizations that shoot at Jews are OK. The problems begin when those pesky Jews begin to shoot back. Speaking of pesky ... since when do radical religious groups become associated with the "Workers World Party"? What every happened to the "opiate of the people"?

Of course, you know, Saddam Hussein and Osama bin Ladin could never have cooperated on anything because, well, Hussein was a secularist and Osama a fundamentalist. Those never go together. The new pantheon of lefty heros. This chick (right) was actually kind of cute in an odious sort of way. If you watch the video [scroll down] you'll see her arguing that Hezbollah never hides behind citizens. Nope. Not ever. Israel at least knows the value of real estate. If you have access to a certain area then you use it to best advantage. Sheesh. Here we have yet another example of lefty "nuance". On the plus side, she did manage to use space well and that's a pretty good use of color. The lettering could have been more distinct but with this crowd you take what you get.

These are the type of wares typically sold at these demonstrations. Notice the top row. Don't forget that ANSWER is simply a front group for the Communists. They're still out there and, frankly, with anti-Semitism and Muslim extremism they seem to have hit their niche. Like that's a surprise. ... and you can always get those hard-to-find books. Visa, Mastercard and American Express welcome, of course. Aren't these the folks with thoughts too "nuanced" to fit on a bumper-sticker? Chuh. Che was surprisingly rare at this demonstration. I guess that ANSWER figured he wouldn't be much of a sell for most of the Muslim audience who are, I assume, mostly merchants who might even have a few Cuban buddies. For you youngsters out there, 1-2-3-4 W.D.W.Y.F.W. translates to: 1-2-3-4-We-Don't-Want-Your-F*cking-War. That's a 60's Vietnam throwback. Kinda makes me nostalgic, actually. Graced, by the way, with a real peace sign. It's not like these people don't have examples they can draw from, you know. This guy was very reluctant to reveal the Che. But he finally did come out, slowly from behind the sign. Creepy. Are they reading this blog? There's mounting evidence ... more pre-printed signs and a distinct absence of puppets. I wonder. OK, I may be making an ass of myself here and I'm by no means a mathematician ... but, really, what's the point? As it is, and assuming of course some biases on her part, doesn't this approach one (1)? Does she want the equation to approach zero (0)? That would mean more X and Y and less PB and LB. The greater the bias and sedation of the UN the more likely a cessation in hostilities? I assume that when the "price" is zero then it means the war's worthless and hostilities would or should cease. If so, then it's bought at a price of fewer casualties. So fewer casualties makes it "worthless", right? Yet, the more casualties the greater the "price". Does that make it "worth it"? And at the parallel price of greater "bias" and a less active UN? Of course it could also mean less of both but that's not terribly logical. As each factor lessens (assuming they lessen equally), the equation still hovers around either one (1) or whatever it was to begin with. Even if each factor became almost infinitely small it would still hover around one (1). Is that her point? Does she want the "price" to be a large number? That would mean more PB and LB and less X and Y. So she want's a more active UN and less "bias" along with greater Muslim casualties? That would make the war a "price" that's "worth it"? I don't get it. Just how anyone can see "The Lord of the Rings" as supporting the leftist agenda I just can't imagine. Yet they do. And I know ... his "Middle-Earth" is different, sorta. Yet not. He's definitely making a reference. And, by the way, anyone who's actually read the books knows that it's "Saruman". What a bunch of freaking illiterates. 'Til next time folks!

Here's the video from yesterday's ANSWER demonstration in front of the White House. **** UPDATE **** August 15 YouTube seems to be doing some maintenance, so the video may not be available for a while. Check back!

OK. Let me start off with kudos where kudos are due. ANSWER hit a home run with this one. Brian ... you're the man. Ironically, it took a bunch of hyper-religious Muslims and anti-Semites with a message that they (the anti-Semites) just needed to share to pull their (ANSWER's) atheist "peace loving" commie asses out of the fire. And life is full of ironies. Still, I've made fun of ANSWER in other posts on this site (deservedly so!). And, while I don't regret that, this particular rally was a real doozie. Brought me back to my Vietnam days. Bravo. The attendance was probably in the range of 30,000. Mostly bused in but no matter ... numbers speak. 30,000 is significant in any language. Except perhaps Italian. Right. Down to business. ... Speaking of ironies ... let's start with this. Where to begin ... Let's start with the image itself. I don't know. "Bush Loyalists" OK. Did we need to be so graphic? Was there a gentler way of illustrating our point? Perhaps. What really gets me here is this is my second photo of this sign. My first was pretty run-of-the-mill "do you mind if I take a picture of your poster" full-frame example of the depths to which these folks will descend. Then ... I noticed. These people wanted a "family" portrait. They were posing. This is a family. This was a moment. I have no idea what to say. I couldn't help but oblige. Next. We're staying on a theme here folks ... trust me on this. I told this guy I was taking a photo ... hence the shit-eating grin. That sign? Wow. What perhaps you don't realize is that he has a wife ... and a child. That's his "better half" with the "Cold Blooded Killers" sign. Adorable child in between. It was a weekend "outing". Cute, mai oui? This is less unusual than you, as a rational human being, would likely suppose. Or wish. My job has certain benefits. It also has certain risks. Such as experiencing [sadly and at first hand] the reality of what you, thankfully, only experience as images. These people and their lovely child are real to me. I try to keep my sense of humor regarding these things. It's harder than you may think. Sometimes my gorge rises. OK. What you all should understand is that with a protest like this we suffer from an embarrassment of riches ... in other words ... where to next? One after another after another.... Sometimes we have the gift that just keeps on giving. ...Sign after sign after sign... This was the same guy, same bizarre preoccupation. He just didn't have enough hands. He proudly unshuffled these images for me. I unshuffle them for you. Enjoy. And yes... the last one offers any number of critique starting points. Every line a mine. I got quite lost. Share. When dealing with the ANSWER braintrust, one inevitably runs into examples of their superior spell-checking skills. I mean really, folks. If you're going to run a demonstration against something, learn how to spell it first. This sign was probably kinda pricey, too. Of course sometimes words just fail. Here's what I find sort of interesting about this one (in addition to the obvious)... Check the size ... this was printed using some sort of laser or ink-jet printer and the printer needed to be of the type that accommodates pages of these dimensions. That type of printer is not commonly found at the average American home. This guy probably paid to have this done. Can you imagine? The loneliness of the long-distance Jew hater. A common ... if often unspoken ... belief for these types. Frankly, I kinda think it's refreshing when they just put it all out there. I gotta say ... the balloons are an unusual touch. The text of this difficult to read sign is thus: "Frankly, we Support the Troops of the oppressed. And, to be blunt, only a petty minority of earth's inhabitants choose otherwise. Do the math. Join us." Worthy of the Third Reich. Speaking of which ...

Question A: How many anti-Semites does it take to hold a rally? Judging from the turnout today in DC, I'd say between 25,000 to 30,000. In other words ... a lot. Hold on to your seats, folks ... this promises to be a rough ride. As usual, I'll post in stages ... this is just to whet the appetite as it were ... more later, including some video. Check back!

While I gear up for tomorrow and what promises to be another madcap day with the ANSWER crowd, here's another short video from Aish.com for your viewing pleasure ... recapping the whole "fauxtography" kerfuffle. Short but sweet. Click HERE.

I don't generally post material from other sites, preferring to present mainly original material. However, the following "One Minute Movie" from Aish.com, "Lebanon: Myths and Facts" presents the truth in such a succinct way that I thought it would help speed along the dialogue regarding Israel's actions and put to rest a lot of misconceptions in a very short period of time. Please click HERE for the movie ... it's very short.