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It's admirable that you keep the left "off balance" at your university and that you are afforded the environment where you can take the high road (as you put it). The reality of it is you have to meet people where they are... not just geographically, but in their thinking as well. These Code Pink losers are in the streets. Even Jesus went among sinners in order to save them.

Back in November, after one Friday night at Walter Reed a gentleman came over who wanted to "discuss ideas". He claimed to be a pacifist. I told him that no one on the corner where he'd just been standing shared his views. He said, "But they are against the war." I told him they were against THIS war but would not be against one that would further their own agenda. I challenged him to research Code Pink, and look up where they gave money to the insurgents (he was told it was humanitarian aide). I said he should be familiar with what they stood for before standing and being associated with them. He said he would look into it and I can only guess that he did, because we have never seen him back on that corner. Even if it's one person at a time, it is possible to exchange ideas on the street but you can't do that if you don't show up.

Being clever, one step ahead, does keep them off balance as well. For some of us the primary mission is not only to support the troops, but to get Code Pink to move on. Their agenda has no business being on display in front of a military hospital. We are trying to get them to take it to Capital Hill and leave the wounded alone. With them away from the Main Gate we can better focus on our uplifting messages directly to the troops.

It is possible to find (or make) an opportunity to enchange ideas, but keep in mind, most of these people have memorized a different kind of rhetoric which they think is correct only because it's louder than our logic or because it gets on TV. Trying to communicate in a language that they can understand unfortunately leads to tactics not found on the high road. FReepers need to be flexible. Semper Gumby!