Ruining a Protest

By Kathy Murdock-Helms
Montclair, Va.

I was disgusted to read about the violence and vandalism perpetrated in the District over the IMF-World Bank meetings last weekend ["A Day of Vandalism, Violence," Metro, April 26]. Yes, we are fortunate to live in a country where we can protest what we feel is unjust. But we also live in a country where there are laws and rules for a reason. When protesters choose to break the law and become unruly, I am not interested at all in what they have to say or protest about. They've now become a group of punks who are using the "protest" as an excuse to break the law and behave violently. Mother Teresa said, "I will never attend an anti-war rally; if you have a peace rally, invite me." Protesting peacefully will speak volumes above anarchy. The law-breaking hooligans in Washington did a great disservice to a legal political demonstration.