The national Tea Party Express II, a conservative protest movement will make a stop Wednesday in Walnut Creek.

It’s the ninth stop of its national bus tour. If you want to participate in the rally or protest the protesters, head on down to Civic Park 1375 Civic Drive at 5:30 p.m.

Be nice to each other. The Walnut Creek police have plenty of riot gear thanks to all those federal anti-terrorism grants. And if you’ve been watching the cable TV stations, you know all about the rowdy back-and-forth between liberal and conservative voices over the validity of the Tea Party movement.

I’ve heard that local Republicans plan to attend the rally dressed in costumes befitting the occasion, such as the “Grim Reaper.”

But one Republican, who shall remain nameless, has decided against dressing up as a hooker under the premise that she had to get a side job to pay her taxes. It’s just as well. She answers to a board of directors. There’s You Tube. It could all go bad.