What are you doing on Saint Paddy's Day?

I'll no doubt be sitting and grumbling about lacking the ability to travel. I'd very much like to be in Washington, D.C., driving snakes off the Mall. If there is a charter bus running, say, through the Quad Cities or Peoria, I'd love to hear about it & join up. Considering the history of behavior of the "anti-war" protesters (I tend to think of them less as anti-war, and more as anti-freedom, anti-American, anti-greater-human-decency), in vandalizing and defacing our taxpayer property, I'd very much like to be there to stand by the veterans.

Part of the issue, as I see it, lies in the misapprehension that was expressed in a comment at Smash's post on the upcoming events (said comment sparked a new post, with a few samples of "activist" vandalism):

The Wall belongs to those who died, I understand that. But our civil liberties -- which include gathering at the Wall in protest of war -- belong to US.

The Wall does not belong to the dead. The dead own nothing except their souls, if you believe in that much.

The Wall belongs to the survivors, in remembrance and out of respect for both living and dead who gave for their fellow man. Let me repeat: out of respect. That means folks don't need to be going up and spitting on it or on the other Americans who served. That means folks don't need to go all high-and-mighty with righteous indignation about the possibility that they won't be allowed to approach it to mentally or physically urinate on the names of loyal Americans. That means folks should leave their paint at home, or if that's not an option, then just stay home themselves.

Jalal and his buddies have the right to peaceable assembly. The Constitution doesn't actually say, though, that they have the right to vandalize -- or even threaten to vandalize -- our people's properties. And, if threats have been made, then those who cherish the memories of those whose names are engraved in that black slab have every right to be on the defensive.

And we're talking about a few hundred American military veterans against a few thousand candy-a$$ed leftwits. I don't think there's any real contest, here. One aging marine can take out a whole pit of copperheads and still have breath to dance a Highland Fling. I've seen it done.

So if you're planning to cause trouble by disrespecting or vandalizing any war monument or memorial, let me give you some friendly advice:

Don't.

Friends don't let friends march stupid. And patriots don't let it happen twice.