We All Hate Cindy... And Each Other

Earlier this week the AntiCentenarian posted a thought talking about the Right's difficult problem of falling in against itself and how when they come in conflict with themselves, the results are violent.

[via Atrios] Literally:

A handful also got themselves arrested, including a protester whose anti-Sheehan sign was deemed unnecessarily offensive by organizers of a large pro-Bush rally. The man carrying the sign became violent when he was asked to put it down.

Ken Robinson, of Richardson, Texas, who described himself as a Vietnam veteran, was carrying a sign at a “You Don't Speak for Me, Cindy!” rally. The sign read, “How to wreck your family in 30 days by ‘b**** in the ditch' Cindy Sheehan.”

Kristinn Taylor, an event organizer with FreeRepublic.com, heard about the sign and rushed up to Robinson.

“This is our rally and you can't do that here,” he said, only for Robinson to insist he was within his rights.

Camera crews rushed in and Taylor turned to face them.

“To all the media here, this sign is not representative of the crowd here today,” Taylor announced. Some of the crowd around Robinson came forward to shake his hand, while others chanted, “Idiot, go home.”

The two men then squared off and raised their voices.

“Just get outta here!” Robinson yelled, and aimed a kick at Taylor's midsection. Taylor called for security, and a young Woodway policeman quickly showed up.

“I have the right to freedom of speech,” Robinson said.

Robinson continued to protest loudly as police handcuffed him and led him away.

Many will want to talk about just how inappropriate and childish Robinson's sign was, or some of us might even consider discussing how the FreeRepublic.com counterrally is as much an orchestrated propaganda scene as Sheehans, although withotu the personal spark and validity that makes her vigil interesting. Some might desire to attack Sheehan more in one of the established anti-Sheehan lines; others will want to discuss how reactionary and absurd the Right has been or how arrogantly The Administration has handled this.

At the AntiCentenarian, I just want to point out how potent a weapon Cindy Sheehan is. She has reduced their thought to this kind of bickering over what's appropriate or not- she has broken past that point. What power- she has reduced them to pure hatred for hatred's sake, the kind of loathing that froths mouths senslessly, inspires stomach kicking and self-loathing. She has brought the Free Republic in conflict with their primary readers- the same reactionary ideologues that they pander to hourly.

Cindy Sheehan is a wonderfully powerful woman!