Hundreds of people. dressed in red, converged on the Capitol Tuesday, waving banners and signs and demanding that Rick Perry and the GOP stop their war on women.

The "Seeing Red" protest was the last-minute brainchild of Austin singer-songwriter Marcia Ball, who conjured up the idea a mere 48 hours earlier. A friend of hers posted the event on Facebook, and at noon, supporters began converging.

"What the heck’s happening with our poor country?" asks Ball. "Who knew that in 2012 in the USA we would be fighting about contraception and basic women's health?"

On March 6, and the following two Tuesdays, between noon and 2:00 PM, Ball decreed that she was going to put on a red shirt and stand in front of the Texas State Capitol, holding a sign decrying the defunding of women’s health services. She didn't know if it would be just her and a few friends, or a few hundred. "This is my own personal response to the outrage of the Texas Taliban’s war on women and, peripherally, my sadness over the death of foreign correspondent Marie Colvin who gave her life to tell us about the inhumanity and injustice of those who target the powerless. My vigil is in honor of Molly Ivins who said nothing will change until we get out in the streets and bang on pots and pans."

There was plenty of pot-banging at the protest, and plenty of men and women of all ages, holding all sorts of signs. Ball admitted that it would be "completely unorganized," although it was very civil and congenial, considering really large crowd. People driving by honked in support.

Sheryl Stack was in attendance, at what she admits was her very first political protest. "It is reprehensible that we are heading backwards in women's health care," Stack says. "I really do believe, though, that enough of us have had enough of this war on women that we will no longer stand for it." On the way to the rally, she wished she'd had time to make a sign that said, "Keep Your Laws Off My Body." But at least she was dressed in her newest red shirt and ready to join the throng.

"As I approached, I was delighted to see so many women and men dressed in red, holding signs, banging on pots, playing musical instruments, shouting, clapping, whistling, meeting each other, and making new friends. I walked through the crowd looking for friends, and wound up on the front curb. I walked right up to a woman holding a big sign that I could only see from the back. I introduced myself and told her I wished I'd had time to make a sign, and she said, 'I have to go back to work now. Do you want mine?' And guess what? It said — in beautiful, bold, italic capital letters — KEEP YOUR LAWS OFF MY BODY! I was happy to hold that sign up to honking cars, thumbs up, and peace signs."

Some of the more memorable signs read:

Viagra = Covered | Contraception = Not | Really??

Keep Your Laws Outta My Drawers

What Year Is This?

Defund Boner Pills

Are Men Who Take Viagra Sluts?

As Ball reminded us, this is not a “women’s movement.” And to be sure, many men were on the scene — as well as a number of our Texas legislators including State Representatives Elliott Naishtat, Donna Howard and Mark Strama.

The Seeing Red protest will happen again on the next two Tuesdays, March 13 and 20, from noon to 2 p.m. in front of the Capitol at Congress and 11th Street.