I protested the annual DC anti-abortion march yesterday. It was much the same as last year, except that there were a few more pro-choice protestors (primarily World Can't Wait people) this year. The anti-abortion activists were more confrontational this year, pulling signs from our hands and ripping them up, threatening to burn them, throwing holy water on us and the like. I had a chance to have a few civil debates along the lines of the ones I participated in last year, but most people were content to shout slogans and ad-hominem attacks. I did learn something new, however: apparently, a large number of the protestors are participating to fulfill the public service requirement of their parochial schools. A significant number of these, I am given to believe, are protesting solely to fulfill this requirement. I talked to a couple of teenagers who said that they were actually on our side. Having been asked how much I was being paid to protest the march (the belief that abortion clinics are a "fortune five-hundred industry" seems to be quite common), it gives me some sense of vindication knowing that at least some of the anti-abortion protestors are themselves being compensated for attending the march. I took some pictures; insha'Allah they'll be up tomorrow.