Huh? People are smashing McDonald's up, pouring Coke down drains, withdrawing American brands from Parisian restuarants--and it's as common, and noticeable, as burning our flag. It's soooo adolescent--"Look! We're burning your flag in our demo! The symbol of your contry! Aren't we outrageous?! Aren't you upset?!!"

Yawn. Yes, dudes, outraged. Yay you. See you at the movies.

I think you can credit the demonstrators with motives stronger than adolescent angst. Sure, there are going to be the usual fluffbrain show-offs and blowhards who show up at these things no matter where in the world they occur or what political stand they take, but there are many people all over the world who are genuinely disturbed about this war and more importantly about the way we got into it. My brother lives in the Netherlans and has a lot of Dutch friends and he tells me the antiwar (and anti-American) sentiment comes from people whose integrity and intelligence he respects, whether he agrees with all their points or not.

Seems odd to me to call the behavior of Europeans who refuse to buy Coke adolescent without mentioning that there are, after all, equally adolescent Americans refusing to buy French wine. Or sell computers to Canadians.

after all, equally adolescent Americans refusing to buy French wine

But we have been mocking them ruthlessly for weeks.

Some people join protests because they feel passionately about an issue and have a burning need to do something. Some people join to get out of class.

Yes, and the crackpots always get the TV coverage. Always.

I don't know, are people actually doing that no-wine and "freedom fries" thing or just saying they will? I guess it's too early to quantify anything definite.

Dude. Thy're buying the wine and then pouring it out.

Dude. Thy're buying the wine and then pouring it out.

?????Really????

Oh, yeah, that'll show them.

The *House of Representatives* cafeteria now serves Freedom Fries and Freedom Toast. Air Force One serves Freedom Toast.

This is not a joke.