More from yesterday's rally to protest the release of a dangerous local police officer facing 13 felony counts for rape.

The rally was smaller than we had hoped, undoubtedly the rain did not help, but it was a feisty and energetic group that showed up in front of the Nesbett Courthouse yesterday afternoon.

Holding up signs and waving at passing motorists the crowd did their level best to let the city know that a potentially dangerous man was being released into their midst.

I stood with AKMuckraker in the drizzle and talked to various women who showed up. One by one they tentatively approached AKM to tell her that they were there because she posted about the rally on Mudflats. By my estimation more than half of the twenty or so people who showed up did so because of AKM's post.

We listened to the women express their shock that the judge had decided on such a low bail for a man who in all probability is a serial rapist, and who used his job as a police officer to stalk and victimize at least six different women in our city.

I was very struck by the fact that the rally consisted of only women, except for myself and one other guy who admitted that his wife had made him come down with her. The idea that this is a women' issue and that men do not need to stand up and protest violence done to members of their community is ridiculous.

It is my opinion that as men we need to show up and demonstrate that we do not condone this type of behavior. If we stay silent we risk being defined by the guy's like this who use their larger size and strength to intimidate and violate those that cannot defend themselves.

I have been in situations where women have looked upon me with unease, not because of me personally, but because of what I represent. I am a man, and I shoulder the weight of all of the violence that men have done to women, whether I like it or not.

It is up to all men to demonstrate that REAL men are gentle and non-threatening. By virtue of our strength we should protect, and never abuse, those who are defenseless.

Everyday there are men in the world hurting others and giving women a reason to fear them. If, as men, we do demonstrate that those are cowards, and not true representations of what it is to be a man, then we have only ourselves to blame if we find women avoiding us or expressing fear at our approach.

Which is why I allowed myself to be talked into giving a short interview to the nice, and very assertive, KTUU reporter. I am not very comfortable on camera, but since there were no other males, I felt I had no choice. You can find me at the 2:20 mark.

By the way here is Mudflat's post about the rally.