I have been to every anti-war protest for this war. I was one of those protesting before the war and getting signatures for the (doomed) Iraq peace pledge before the war. I was one of those who marched on Lake Shore Drive and was illegally detained on Chicago avenue by the CPD five years ago. I was also protesting the Gulf war 17 years ago. All along I have been involved in the Labor Movement. With my years of activist experience, I have to say that this is the worst idea for a protest any of us has ever conceived; at least that I can remember. This action makes it even easier for the media to marginalize us. There are numerous local Catholic groups who show up at protests, and this action will cause some to abandon the movement as it makes it seem like the larger movement is anti-Catholic. It makes us look wild, thoughtless and stupid. It turns off the masses, which we will need to really ever create change. And the timing could have not been worse! Did anyone at all, for a second, think about the fact that Easter is the holiest day in the Catholic calendar? No, it is not Christmas, that day is just the most commercialized. This act on this day is very offensive. Also, why Catholics? Why not some foaming at the mouth evangelical preacher like Pat Robertson and his sheep? There are millions of them who still love Bush and love the war. This Pope is against the war, the last Pope was against the war (and he admonished Bush to his face about it even when Kerry would not), and most Catholics are against the war. Even if, as some are saying, George is not standing against the war, you have to consider the rest of the parish in attendance. Some of you have excused this, stating that the parishioners are all rich anyhow, which is only partly true. Many come from other neighborhoods to the cathedral on holy days. Many of them are rich, but against the war. Despite that, this could have been staged in a number of other places where George comes or goes. Finally, don't stop to justify everything single thing that fellow activists do. We do have to stick together, but realize that not all protest/civil disobedience ideas are wonderful. Some ideas are just stupid, and this is a perfect example. None of us is flawless and not all of us deserve to be protected from the consequences of bad decisions. Just accept the fact that this was a bad idea, and that now those involved have to deal with the fallout.