Two Oklahoma men whose sons were killed in Iraq staged a small protest on Monday at the state capitol. They said the Iraq war never should have happened and it is past time to end the United States participation in the tragedy. Warren Henthorn of Choctaw said: “This thing has lasted longer than World War II, and there doesn’t seem to be any end in sight.” His companion, John Scripsick of Wayne said in the past American efforts to defend freedom have gained world wide respect, but the Iraq war is having an opposite effect and causing many to hate America. Dr. Katherine Scheirman, who retired as an Air Force colonel in 2006, supported their arguments. “It doesn’t take courage to be like Rush Limbaugh or Bill O’Reilly or Richard Cheney,” she said, “and talk tough and warmonger when you haven’t put yourself or a member of your family on the line.”
This was a small protest not involving more than a dozen or so people. Critics continue being told by President Bush that opposing his ideas on Iraq constitute a lack of patriotism. The essence of patriotism is the presence of such small gatherings in which some people speak what is on their mind. If one examines, the origin of the American Revolution, it began with small gatherings.