The people of Sderot “can’t do normal things day to day” like get soap in their eyes in the shower, for fear of rockets, said America’s most famous plumber, whose real name is Samuel J. Wurzelbacher.

“I’m sure they’re taking quick showers,” he said. “I know I would.”

Wurzelbacher’s status as a rookie was evident when he stood in front of a pile of spent rockets and said: “I have thousands of questions but I can’t think of the right one.”

What he could summon was contempt for Israel’s critics, who are outraged by the more than 870 Palestinians killed in Israel’s bruising air and ground onslaught against Gaza’s Islamic militant Hamas rulers. Thirteen Israelis have also died since the operation began, including four killed by the rocket fire that touched off the war in the first place.

“Why hasn’t Israel acted sooner?” Wurzelbacher asked. “I know if I were a citizen here, I’d be damned upset.”

He described himself as a “peaceloving man,” but added, “when someone hits me, I’m going to unload on the boy. And if the rest of the world doesn’t understand that, then I’m sorry.”

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/…..56978.html

i’m mad as hell right now because cole’s piece is being used as a reason why we shouldn’t protest – i kid you not i just got it in my email, it was sent to the entire list to argue that we shouldn’t bother with today’s protest.

and i’m also personally frustrated by some of what you wrote, for example: “The difficult move for those of us who are protestors, is the thought of creating a “next level” power move through a tool like lobbying.”

who’s us? i have been thinking about this stuff. the very first fdl “roots project” visit to a senator’s office was organized by your’s truely. i supported strange bedfellows. i have no problem with lobbying. i’ve been involved in non-protest related actions as well as protest related and i’ve given quite a bit of thought to these issues. doesn’t mean i don’t have it all wrong – i very well could. but why the lecture as though i’ve never given a thought or been involved in any of this?

I also suggest Dr. Irwin Abrams and Dr. Charles Chatfield. Chatfield has written a great deal on the history of peace protesting. Both are my mentors.

The Constant Weader at http://www.RealityChex.com

furthermore i don’t think what cole is saying is new (although i do think it is useful if he would just quit with the false choice thing). btw, i’m going mostly off of what i’ve read from gene sharp and especially bill moyer. if you think they are wrong, could you direct me to some additional reading? thanks.

i like shrill krugman much better.