There was some real comic theater occurring around March 19th, 2003 when it was evident that the USA was going to war.

For starters, the respected Secretary Of State, Colin Powell, had made a compelling visit to the United Nations in February and made the famous case for WMD's.  

In Erie, there was a flurry of activity that was centered around protestors who were attending City Council meetings in order to have Council issue a resolution against the war.

On Wednesday March 12th, the "peaceniks" gathered in force in council chambers and overwhelmed the council with a steady stream of chants and statements against an attack.  City Council was in no mood to argue so a motion was made to have a "vote" the following week in order to issue a proclamation against the war.

That is when the right wing rolled into action and initiated a counter protest that was orchestrated by Jeff Johns, a radio talk show host.  The Raptor caught wind of the planned "zoo" that was to overwhelm council on March 19th and decided to take a front row seat.

As The Raptor worked inside City Hall, he was able to set up a table in the corner of the council chambers in order to collect information and watch a lot of silly people make a mess of the whole damn issue.

As promised, Johns did not disappoint.  Armed with his trusty clip board. and stoked on by his "support our troops" hawks, Randy Brewer and Dean Peppicello, Johns amassed a marching crowd of various war veterans and leather clad bikers in order to chant and make statements that "supported our troops"

It was quite sickening watching Johns, Brewer & Peppicello dishing out high fives and hugging each other in celebration over getting the "pander bears" of city council to table the proclamation in favor of the large noisy "troops" crowd.  The "no war" crowd sat in stunned amazement over the whole thing.

The Raptor has thought on many occasions about the merits of the protests. I am stupefied by the whole mess.

First, what's this whole "support or troops" theory.  I think it is disingenuous to hide behind that mumbo jumbo.  Please, if you support the troops, that's fine, I support troops too, but I would support the "administration" going into Afghanistan and Pakistan and tracking down Bin Laden to make swiss cheese out of that bastard.  

Second, I said it before and I will say it again.  This isn't really George Bush's war.  I think its Cheney and Rumsfeld's War.  George Bush is not unlike a rock star and I am sick to death that there is any one who would have the audacity to believe that some day he will be looked upon as a "great" president.  Please.

Lincoln was a great president.