tolerance on parade

By Diogenes ( articles ) | Oct 04, 2005

How to tell when you've hit a nerve:

On October 2, 2005, the Race for the Cure in Denver began with a loud horn and dozens of pink balloons released into the Denver skyline. As the first wave of 60,000 runners hit the first mile of their run, their eyes were drawn to the Truth Truck, parked just across a grassy divide from the Speer Street route. As the runners continued, the truck's presence was explained by bright pink signs with black letters proclaiming "Abortion Causes Breast Cancer" and "abortionbreastcancer.com". By the time the second wave of racers were approaching the truck, the protesters were nearly deafened by boos and threats. A seemingly non-stop contingent of rabid pro-choice women threw full water bottles and verbally assaulted the protesters behind the police tape. Several times, bold individuals crossed the tape and attacked the pro-life crowd, incensed at the images on the truth truck and word "abortion." One protester was punched in the face by an irate woman. Two men exposed themselves to the women and children in the protest area.

Had the signs read, "Brahms's Third Symphony Causes Breast Cancer," would any runner have broken stride?