Some people don't respect the First Amendment

I was very excited recently to participate in one of freedom's greatest gifts: a protest rally.

I brought my two teenage daughters along so they could experience firsthand what democracy is all about.

We disagree with what our political leaders are doing, so we tell them with our vote, letters and phone calls, and if that doesn't work, we organize and demonstrate. There were no guns, no threats of violence, no illegal acts; we weren't inciting a riot.

We're just people fed up, carrying signs letting other people know that we are fed up.

Hopefully we also sent a clear message to the decision makers that we are fed up. By far the greatest response from passersby was positive and encouraging; a few even joined us. They showed us with horn honking, thumbs up signs, smiles, cheers and waves that they were with us.

So why, I want to know, were we cursed at and threatened by people who claim to cherish freedom? My 14 and 15yearold daughters were told repeatedly to f*!% off.

Old men in business suits drove by and flipped them off. One delightful man drove, almost on the curb where they were legally standing, and screamed "Why don't you go join Al Qaeda?"

The only positive response by a person who disagreed with our position was from a woman who yelled "God bless George Bush."

Everyone has the right to disagree and to yell out a blessing for someone is perfectly acceptable. But when did it become acceptable to curse at and threaten anyone, especially children, just because they don't agree with your political beliefs?

I know people who wanted to participate in the rally but were afraid to because of the intimidation tactics used by the opposition. They are afraid the cursing and threats will degrade into physical harm.

How are the terrorists abroad different from the terrorists at home who try to intimidate others by fear tactics? Why are the brave men and women in our armed services fighting and dying supposedly for our freedom while those at home whose mantra is "support our troops" are trying to limit the freedom of those who disagree with them? Sherry Jensen Thousand Oaks