Sigh! There Goes The Neighborhood Again.

.....Hmmm, maybe ten years ago there was a ritual in Bremerton that dictated that the first Saturday (or Sunday, I can't remember for sure), all the anti-abortion groups in town would gather alongside Warren Ave. from the bridge all the way out to Riddell and protest abortions, and other causes as the mood fit. I didn't mind per se. I disagreed with their viewpoint for the most part, but they didn't interrupt my progress. Their protests were relatively peaceful. I didn't bother them, they didn't bother me. Life moved on.

.....The protests died away. Fewer people attended each month until eventually the practice died out. I really can't say whether it was that the population of Kitsap County was becoming more liberal? Or there were other, more important things, to protest? I really can't say other than things 'quieted down'.

.....Then a handful of months ago the protests started up again. Not nearly to the same degree as before. Certainly not nearly as many people participated. But WOW! Talk about a change in tactics. Instead of simple protest signs, these people flashed huge scenes of abortion procedures. Incredibly graphic and incredibly huge. Incredibly shocking and troubling. Which was the intent of course. The problem with these protests though is that after a while the shock factor goes away and people, as strange as it appears, become used to the graphic scenes and basically ignore them.

.....Which strikes me as rather sad. Whatever your personal beliefs happen to be, these kinds of things should never just be taken for granted. But that's neither here nor there.

.....The ante was raised again. Several local lists and web-pages are now being spam-ed with these images. I understand the intent, but am not sure I agree with the tactics. They have thrown these images at me on a regular basis, is my mind going to be suddenly changed simply because it is now flashed at me electronically? Was there any attempt to actually dialog with me before bombarding one of my groups with graphic images? Instead of possibly changing beliefs and minds what they've mainly done is made me rather disgusted with them and less willing to listen to their viewpoint all together.

.....Fanatics of all types make me nervous, no matter if they lean to the left or the right.

.....Aaron.