Since I'm here and almost cogniscent now, I'll tell you about my impromptu protest.

Yesterday, since I was feeling rather bummed about not being able to protest in DC but in the mood to get out there and make a difference like Cindy Sheehan did, I decided to go park myself in my little town at what is probably the one busy spot: Main Street.

Spontaneously deciding to spread the truth, I gathered up my cardboard, duct tape (silver, blue, and black) and my implement for cutting, and I grabbed the sign I already had from the last protest and I went to go sit-in at the one main 4-way stop that qualifies as the only traffic filled intersection in this small town. (Nope--we don't have a signal---just that one 4 way stop that most people have to use to get home or to the local lakes.) Often, in this tiny town, we have police sitting at either side of the town watching for those speeders passing through.

Anyways, I digress a little...

So as I drove into town with my convertible top down (in order to fit the 5 foot long pieces of cardboard for my protest) and my implements of dissent, I saw the police car parked at the coffee shop downtown. (tssk, tsk... no assumptions here because in this small town they actually give out LOTS of tickets! And WE WISH they were at the donut shop!)

Anyways, so seeing the police officer pulled over 50 yards away from my intended protest spot, I got a little nervous right from the get go. So I decided to implement a plan. I assumed that if I were eating from, say, the DQ right near there, they couldn't kick me off for eating with a sign near me. So I bought my protest food--and I grabbed the 3 x 3 foot sign that is painted red-black and white with the arrows in opposite directions that says "Bush...Truth" and I parked me and my food right at that 4-way intersection in plain view.

I have to admit, I was quite scared even at this point. It's already scarier protesting by yourself in a small town where everyone considers you an outsider unless your family has lived there 150 years... And it's also scarier being by yourself instead of with a group of people. Seeing the police car was just the icing on the cake to make the experience scarier.

So I was standing there holding my sign out for quite a while. Most people were silent. I felt pretty ridiculous at times. Eventually someone shouted something out the window of their passing car. This brave soul shouted, "SUPPORT THE TROOPS!" Well, I am. And had the brave soul allowed me my turn to converse, I would have said that. Instead, he drove away.

But at that point, I hadn't heard completely what was said anyways. Just then, a younger girl, with her kids in a wagon, walked by me and asked me if my purpose was to get yelled at or something. I asked her if she was able to hear what they had said, and she told me. Then as I told her my reason for being there, she said, she supported my efforts. I invited her to join me but she refused (kids in wagon) and she went on her merry way.

So I went back to my lonely protest and eventually another car stopped and asked me what my sign meant. I explained and they approved and went on their way.

Soon, an elderly lady came by with her two little grand kids and asked who I support.

Imagine bright red sign:

TRUTH>>>>>>>> <<<< BUSH</p>

and she asks me WHO I support?!!!

So I gave the OBVIOUS answer. I said I support TRUTH. I support public servants who TELL the truth and DON"T OBSTRUCT JUSTICE.

Well, this little old lady gave me the, "I know you just hate Bush" type looks and glared at me and walked away.

Within 5 minutes of the lady walking away, I saw a police car in the distance. He pulled up near me and said, "Not to stifle dissent but...." Then he started asking me my name and taking notes. (I gave him my first name and asked him, "Am I doing something wrong? (No) Then, why do you need my name if I'm not doing something wrong? I'm worried about the NSA warrantless spying and I'm not doing anything wrong but they're spying on people who aren't doing anything wrong either.")

Back to his questions: Am I from A-A? (No). Do I live in M______? (Yes) What does my sign mean? (Oh, I was HAPPY to discuss that!) What's my last name?! (Ok...gave it at that point. Unsure of if I could get in trouble for not giving it.) Which people people do I think tell the truth, anyways? (Oh...I LOVED being able to talk to the POLICE about lies, obstruction of justice, building a case carefully only to have the perp get off. Would I be able to get off if I lied and obstructed justice?--His response, "Rich people get away with things sometimes..." My response, "Well if I WERE AN OFFICER, I would be VERY P.O.'d at someone who is GAINING from furthering the obstruction now letting someone go, and committing MORE OBSTRUCTION OF Justice... I couldn't do that. If I lied or obstructed justice to you, I'd be arrested, charged, if guilty serve time in jail like Martha Stewart, right?" (He said yes...)

So it was very weird, because he kept his sunglasses on and DID NOT MAKE or MAINTAIN eye contact with me the whole time we were 'chatting' which is something that makes me wonder what that meant! Anyways, eventually, he asked me how long I intended to stay there. I couldn't say, "Until all this traffic dies down." So instead, I said, "Oh...until I'm done eating." Thank goodness I had that 1/2 eaten hotdog to hold up my story!

Thus, he agreed that I have the right to eat my dinner where I was but that he didn't want an accident at the four corners as a result of people reading my sign. I reassured him that I would not cause an accident and he drove away.

So I stood there longer with my sign more sedately across my front as I veeeeeeerrrry slooooowly nibbled my DQ and talking on the phone. I was actually QUITE scared and shaking as a result of this 'confrontation' with the police. (And while on the phone, I saw the same police car circle around AGAIN!)

Eventually, seeing that there was more traffic, I ran and got more junk food from DQ and resumed my spot. All the meanwhile counting the number of people on their cell phones. I politely answered the questions that passerbyers asked.

Then I saw the police officer drive by again but this time in an unmarked car. (Maybe he was off work at that point.) Whatever...

At this point, traffic was starting to slim, so I decided to get the Reuben sandwiches that the bar behind me had on special. (Family needed dinner too!) So I went inside and ordered dinner and had people in the bar staring at me weirdly and a few asked me about the sign.

As I walked out, I decided that I DID NOT want to give the police ANY REASON to pull me over, and walking out of a bar and driving might be a bad thing.

So I plopped my sign on the main road bridge (in a wide open space) and grabbed my utensils for making new signs, and I spent the next hour making the new sign while the other one stood in plain view!

I had different reactions from the passerbyers, everything from, "Can't wait to see the next sign...good luck" to glares and "F*** You's" shouted out the window of a passing car or two. I noticed when people stopped to say something encouraging and I noticed when others kept their eyes down (and even their kid's eyes were down!) and they shuffled by without comment.

As I was adding the "Obstruction" to the sign, it got to be quite funny. I think the local Republican Bush supporters decided to try to hide me and my sign. The first car pulled up and parked in front of me. The passenger got out of the car and said, "Sorry to block your sign..." (lol) So I said, "No problem. But since you're here, how do you spell "Obstruction?"

I got up and moved the sign and my belongings to the next open area. And ANOTHER car pulled in and blocked me before I even finished the word.

So I moved again! And you guessed it...

Another car pulled in front of me.

So laughing, I grabbed my stuff and walked across the road to the other side. That's when one other person joined me. A few more cars pulled up and blocked my signs even though there were plenty of other open spaces!

I eventually finished my new sign, "unequal under Bush, NO MORE obstruction of justice ...lies" and left. I very carefully drove home.

And that ends my tale...nobody better yell at me for the junk food.

Moral of the story: Don't wait! Act now! Grab your food, your cell, and the articles of TRUTH and DISSENT and take it to your neck of the woods.

UPDATE: From OLinda Know Your Rights from the ACLU