It seems that the obvious fact that antiwar protests hurt liberals more than they help is starting to catch on in liberal circles. This diary at kos is interesting because it hits the major points, and the comments nearly all are supportive of the idea that ANSWER jackasses ruin just about every thing they touch like a magic shit wand.

I hope everyone learns to give up on protesting, at least until people are pissed off enough to do it in an organized, intelligent fashion. Anyway, protesting right now is stupid and counterproductive for these reasons:

1. The people who show up are more interested in acting like jackasses than changing peoples minds. It's like a giant outlet for kids to just piss-off their parents, not change foreign policy.
   
2. Protests become magnets for every jackass left-wing cause like "free Mumia" and those obnoxious anarchists (who have probably never even read Emma Goldman) that show up wearing all black and act like idiots.
   
3. No one dresses correctly, they wear hippy clothes and emulate the failed protests of their parents' generation, rather than the effective ones by MLK which succeeded precisely because the protesters looked respectful while the racist asshats looked like, well, racist asshats.
   
4. No one gets upset when cops beat up hippies and anarchists, in fact, the people whose minds you are trying to change love it. I admit it, when a cop beats a hippy or a kid wearing all black in combat boots I feel nothing but joy too. I want to see hippies getting beaten up, it should replace baseball as our national pastime. Ask anyone even slightly conservative and they'll agree, and these are the people who you are asking to change their minds.
   

The rules for all future pro-environment, anti-war etc. protests should be based upon the idea that you are protesting to convince people that your idea is good, right, and reasonable. They should include the following provisions if they wish to have any success and not just be immediately ignored by the majority of Americans.

1. No one may wear costumes, build puppets, or carry signs with dirty language. If these people show up, they are the ones who get the attention, and your message is immediately and totally destroyed. Tell them to leave and never come back.
   
2. People should wear their best clothing. No one is too upset when a anarchists gets the snot beaten out of them. They get very upset when cops beat up men and women that look like them. So, dress like the people whose minds you are trying to change. Wear suits, dresses, and put on your best face. This is like a job interview for your idea of changing the world.
   
3. Protesters should know why they are there, be respectful to the media, and if interviewed, be prepared to say something succinct and informed about why they are there. Do not give the finger to the cameras (and I'm someone who loves giving people the finger).
   

Three simple rules for effective protests. Will left-wingers listen? Probably not, the pot smoker contingent always seems to screw it up. That's why we give up, because it's wasted energy. Once people are willing to have a serious protest, then we might decide to show up again.