I don't drive a Volvo or have a family lawyer. (My ride is a 15 yr old Toyota, and I plan to take the subway to downtown LA). I might respond with violence under the scenarios you describe. But I know that violence is the last refuge of the desperate or the unimaginative or the cowardly, and that the entire point of protest is communication. If I haven't moved the "conversation" beyond mere confrontation then I have failed.

I am old enough to remember Viet Nam. It wasn't stopped by a few radicals trashing property, or by making the so-called "oppressor" mad at me - most of the cops were and still are ordinary human beings trying to support their families. Viet Nam was stopped when enough people in the country understood what was going on and said "Enough". This can only happen when those of us knew what was going on were able to explain it and convince those who still didn't get it.

I ask you, by committing violence, are you helping the conversation with our opponents or hindering it? What are you communicating to Joe Average who thinks you should all be thrown in jail? Did you ever consider the possibility, indeed the responsibility you have to the average people of this country to get them to understand? These are folks who could be our allies, indeed who must be our allies, if we are to succeed. They'll never buy what you are saying if you insist on violence. Sometimes you have to take a lot of abuse for your opponent to listen to you, to move the conversation forward. Please think of the tremendous responsiblity you have to those folks who still don't get it.

Reasonable people can and will disagree about all this, but please don't go vilifying and stereotyping those of us who choose to practice peace. All of us must rise above the bullying and stereotyping that we so decry in others.