Standard Mischief

I’ve just stumbled upon a page that informed me that the Neo-nazi (National Socialist Movement) are planning to march somewhat near my home this Saturday, June 10th. They got a permit to march somewhere on park grounds near the Antietam battle site (famous for a September 17th, 1862 battle in the War between the States, bloodiest single day in American history, counting casualties on both sides).

I’m thinking of going, not because I’m an 88 or a 11/3, but to watch the counter-protesters. The permit was issued by the National Park Service for 100 marchers, and I’m sure they will be doing well by getting half of that. The thing is that the counter-protesters have on the last two occasions caused problems, a whole-hog riot in Toledo, Ohio; and a bunch of arrests last time in Orlando, Florida.

I snagged one flyer that have a counter-protester meet-up up in Baltimore, MD at 8:30am. I presume that they will carpool down from there.

If I end up going, I’d just want to observe. I’m not big on protests, and fifty wackjobs are more properly ignored, but there’s just some people that can’t leave well enough alone. I have to admit I am intrigued. I’ve somewhat followed the biased, one sided news coverage leading up to some of the major WTO protests here in DC, and also stuff like Pier 57 during the RNC convention up in New York. “Free Speech Zones” and current police tactics of just surrounding peaceful protesters and arresting them as a means of “preventive detention” piss me off just as much as hearing about the Tobacco Ninjas stomping kittens to death.

I know the area well from years of hiking the area and I’m not a slave to my car, so I can park five miles away and hike in.