Protests define America

I often hear people, especially those who are on the same side of the political spectrum as myself speaking out against protesters and protesting. I have done so on occassion myself when I thought that it was excessive or showed a lack of common human decency. However my message to those who pooh-pooh protesting is to say that the right to protest that which we believe to be wrong or oppose is one of our most cherished rights as an American citizen and should be respected. Now I do not agree with the anti-iraq war protesters but I would die defending there right to protest because thats what it means to be an American.
Now one area that I do disagree with many of the protesters on, aside from the issues that they are protesting. Is the lack of common decency that is displayed by protesters. An example of this is something that I was recently told about. A friend of mine told me about a protest that took place at the funeral of a soldier that was killed in Iraq. The protesters actually pickted the poor fellows funeral telling his family that he was a "warmonger" and was "going to hell" this of course caused the soldiers already distraught family greater pain. It also made the anti-war protesters and the anti-war movement look like heartless savages. Because after all there is common human decency that should be maintained. Causing already distraught family of a fallen soldier even more pain simply becasue you think the war in which he/she fought is legal is in my opinion unhumanine.
However our right to PEACEFULLY assemble is guarrentieed in our constitution. Any who love and respect our constitution must, therefore respect and protect the right to protest. I do however have to acknowlegde that it is usually the people and institutions that protect the rights of the protesters that are so many times the focus of the protests. But that I suppose is how it is suppose to work in a free society.
Now I believe in the right to protest that which you don't agree with and feel is wrong, it is also anyones right to spend your life opposing much of the very agenda that the protesters promote. Rigorus debate is the cornerstone of any great democracy. So the peta people, who protest my eating of meat and wearing of fur, have the right to protest and I have the right to eat my ten ounce t-bone, buy my wife a new mink coat, and call them quackes, so long as I protect there right to protest. Because it is also might right as well.
Now seeing as how I am on the subject I must clarify something, a citizens right to protest does not give them the right to destroy other peoples property, break the law ( which they can do in civil disobediance but then shouldn't be surprised when they get arrested) or commit violent acts against there countrymen.
So the point I am trying to make is that it is not unamerican to protest your government ( although it is possible for some unamerican groups to protest in america) it is uniquly American to protest your government. I will give my life to protect that right, and yet will also spend my life opposing much of the liberal, radical and ill advised ideas proposed by those who seem to make a living protesting damn near everything. That afterall is the beauty of America.