Demagogue

I recently moved to Pittsburgh from DC and almost every morning I walk by the downtown Planned Parenthood-- complete with anti-abortion protesters. It's usually a few women (mostly) with the same recycled, 5-foot aborted fetus pictures that were used by Operation Rescue in the 80s.

Every morning it takes a lot of self-restraint for me not to spin on my heels and say to them "who do you think you're convincing with your grotesque pictures? Even people who might be inclined to agree with you find your tactic repulsive and the rest of us think you are NUTS. This is a busy city street for pete's sake! It's 8 am and people are just trying to get to work! If you really want to help your cause do something other than indiscriminately harassing EVERYONE and ANYONE who walks by, including young children on their way to school."

But I don't say anything. Instead I just give them a big, warm smile and point casually to the big display PP has outside for "Pledge a Picketer!" and remind them they're earning money for Planned Parenthood-- and then I point to myself to let them know I'm one of their proud pledgers.