Scott Koenig and the San Diego chapter of Protest Warrior boldly joined some anti-war protesters for an afternoon stroll:

THE RALLY on the corner is over, and the protestors start forming up for their march. I turn to my group and start gathering everyone together. But not everyone can stay for the entire march, and our numbers dwindle down to about twenty-five.

The radicals try every trick in their playbook to prevent us from shadowing their march. They put some of their people in the middle of our marchers, and attempt to slow us down. They block our path with bicycles. They try to lead us down false turns.

But it doesn’t work. We remain close to their main body, and continue to hand out our flyers to counter their propaganda. We also get some positive response from many of the folks in the park, who are happy to see some “equal time� for a change.

Most of the protestors, on the other hand, aren’t happy at all about our presence. As I walk in parallel to their march, one of their men approaches me.

“Why are you trying to suppress our freedom of speech?� His tone is accusing.

“We’re not,� I calmly respond. We’re exercising our own right to free speech.�

“But why do you always have to march with us?�

“Because we disagree with part of your message, and we’re here to present a rebuttal.�

“But you never do your own protests – you always follow us around!�

“That’s not true, we hold our own events.�

“Where?�

“I’d rather not say.� Why do their work for them?

“You’re trying to intimidate and repress these women.� Now he’s playing the role of the valiant protector, and casting me as a woman-hater.

“Hey, they present their message, we present ours, and the public decides – that’s democracy.�

“Democracy?� He sounds upset. “You’re trying to suppress speech – that’s fascism!�

“Nonsense – we all have freedom of speech in this country. There’s a free marketplace of ideas.�

“You mean, like competition?� He replies, derisively.

“Exactly. And if the people keep buying our ideas instead of yours, maybe it’s time for you to try out some new ones.�

That shuts him up.

Great job, Scott!

Head on over to his blog and read the rest.