Is Protest Still Patriotic?

OFF THE WIRE,
Not too long ago, taking to the streets to protest your government
was considered a patriotic act.

It's true!
http://brain-terminal.com/posts/2010/03/31/a-trip-down-memory-lane#video

But it seems that publicly airing your grievances stopped being
patriotic right around noon on January 20th, 2009.

Once President Obama was sworn in, protesting became incitement to
violence.

If you've opened up a newspaper or watched a cable news program in
the past week or so, you've probably seen members of the media
painting Tea Party activists as dangerous bigots. That's because
disagreeing with President Obama on issues like government spending
and high taxes makes you a racist, you see.

What's interesting about the media's latest freak-out is that there
were radicals a-plenty under President Bush. They protested in the
streets. They talked openly about revolution and killing. But oddly,
the violent imagery used by people claiming to be advocates for
peace never registered with the media. They were too busy fawning
over Cindy Sheehan.

Why the difference in coverage? Did the media cheerlead the protests
against President Bush to hurt him politically? Are they trying to
marginalize the increasingly powerful Tea Party movement because
they favor President Obama's agenda?

One thing's for sure: If there is such a thing as dangerous
rhetoric, then the media is at least one president too late in
reporting the story.

Don't believe me?

Well, then let's take a trip down memory lane...

http://brain-terminal.com/posts/2010/03/31/a-trip-down-memory-lane#video

"The two enemies of the people are criminals and government,
so let us tie the second down with the chains of the constitution
so the second will not become the legalized version of the first."
Thomas Jefferson