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GREENSBORO — Nine protesters were arrested Thursday during a demonstration downtown against President Bush's decision to increase troop levels in Iraq. One was taken to the ground with a Taser.

What was he doing with a taser?

The rally began at around 4:30 p.m. with chanting, signs and music from a local drum corps. Drivers in cars honked their support as they passed through Elm and Market streets.

When I honk, it is generally not to indicate approval.

The crowd swelled from a few dozen to about 100 without incident, standing on all sides of the intersection.

Nine arrested, including one taken to the ground with a taser isn't considered "without incident" where I live.

But shortly before 6 p.m., a large group of protesters charged into the middle of the street, erecting a sign, refusing to move and holding up traffic. Some danced; others held banners.

No wonder folks were honking.

Police moved in to break up the crowd, shocking Kristopher Michael Hilbert, 19 , of Raleigh, with a Taser when he refused to move.

He should hardly have been shocked that the cops do that kind of stuff to people who won't get out of the street even when ordered to by uniformed government officials with guns.

Hilbert fell to the ground. Officers surrounded him, placed him in plastic hand restraints and put him in a squad car.

At least they didn't beat him with their nightsticks. The media must have been present.

As others refused to move, they were restrained and marched to a nearby sidewalk. There they sat flanked by police until squad cars arrived for them.

No rides are free. The drivers were paid by citizens who have jobs and better things to do with both their time and money.

Among those arrested were Liz Seymour, 57, and her daughter, Isabell Moore, 27, both of Greensboro. Seymour is an activist and writer who has contributed to The New York Times.

Let's not even go there.

"I've never been arrested before," Seymour said as she stood next to her daughter in plastic hand restraints. "But I decided after a lot of soul searching that we needed to do something to show that this affects all of us. We've gotten so used to this war being a crisis situation that nothing feels like a crisis anymore."

If you continue to flagrantly disregard the law you will be arrested again, so you may as well get used to it if you plan to continue your life of crime 'Seymour', or whatever your real name is.

Police identified the others arrested as Jonathan James Henderson, 23, of Greensboro; Timothy Lang Hopkins, 61, of Greensboro; John Anderson Hedlund, 20, of Greensboro; Pamela Theresa Crosson, 32, of Greensboro; Adam Henry More, 18, of Holly Springs; and Catherine Elise Lemaire-Lozielemaire, 23, of Greensboro.

BOTL

All nine were charged with impeding traffic. Hilbert also was charged with resisting, delaying and obstructing a law enforcement officer.

Various groups were represented at the protest, including the Greensboro chapter of The World Can't Wait and members of N.C. Anti-Racist Action. Many protesters said they thought the police use of a Taser was unwarranted.

Most criminals are opposed to apprehension. That is why they frequently resist arrest.

"I was standing right next to (Hilbert), doing the exact same thing that he was doing, and they didn't Taser me," Seymour said. "I guess it's that the scruffy-looking kids get taken to the ground and older women don't."
Officer K.B. Johnson, who administered the Taser, said he gave warning first.

Seymour is right, they should have tasered her as well.

"He was resisting and I told him I would Taser him if he did not move," Johnson said. "He was resisting, and when you have a crowd situation like that, you have to start with someone."

Well said.

Just as officers cleared the street, a fire engine on an emergency call came through the intersection — a sign to some that demonstrators shouldn't have blocked it.

"I'm here to protest Bush and this war," said Karina Stephens, 20, of Greensboro. "But you have to know when to stop and endangering people by standing in a street isn't going to help anyone."

If only she could have figured that out beforehand and alerted her friends.

Hopkins, who was among those arrested, said moving into the street was a shocking act designed to wake people to the dangers of continuing the war.

The Jihadists probably will disrupt traffic in a different manner.

"I wanted to make a nonviolent statement that this is a state of emergency now," Hopkins said . "Things are getting worse and we have to get people to pay attention."

There are people who are paying attention. Many of them have far higher I.Q.'s than the average turnip. Unfortunately for Mr. Hopkins, he doesn't appear to be among them.