There was a time when I did the whole protest thing, so I have the upmost respect for those who feel a cause is important enough to them to act.
If I felt protesting worked? I'd be out there on some issues, but I don't feel protesting works. It only works if you have a president that is concerned about being re-elected or cares about polls, and public opinion. We also have a Congress that supported the war and isn't doing much about coming up with a valid plan to end the war in Iraq either. Demonstrations putting the focus on President Bush isn't going to make them concerned.
Reality is not only this President but Congress, Republicans and Democrats alike in Washington still support the war and while all of them want our troops home they don't even agree on how or when. I want our troops home too, but I also want Iraq to be secure enough that we don't have to keep sending troops back.
But, if you really do want the war to end? Putting direct pressure on Congress and helping to support new candidates for office is the way that is going to happen. If you do protest, keep your message simple, a difficult task given ANSWER was the main organizer of the demonstration this weekend, but KISS is the best way (yes that is Keep It Simple Stupid). Make it about real people not Cindy Sheehan or Jesse Jackson or any of the "celebrities", focus on it being normal every day Americans who felt this was important enough to do something.
I'll do it my way and you do it your way but I hope you join me in one part, and that is replacing most of those in Washington. That is the true path to change and action.
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10 comments:
Hi, your blog is great. I was just out blog surfing for detailed info on rally when I ended up on your page. I watch C-SPAN coverage, who is ANSWER? Why did they burn an American flag? Why did some say they supported Al-Queda?
CU
Peace
You have a very Thoughtful post. Cindy Sheehan REALLY destroys the "cause". The groups she is involved with..Most, I feel and I have good reason to, are flat out Anti-American. They don't support the Troops ate all. Cindy Sheehan has said some of the most Hurtful thing about our beloved country...why is she praised by the Liberals??
Here
There's a link if you want to find out more about Answer. I personally don't support them because they go very far to the extreme as far as their agenda. As to the flag burning? Pretty typical for that sort of protest, it is meant to show their unhappiness with government. Some feel they support terrorism because as I said above they lean alot more extreme than most of us. I don't believe they do support terrorism in a direct sense but many believe being that anti war supports terrorism which is why it is often said.
Jeff, Cindy isn't supported by all liberals. Not just me but several of us, some who are anti-war have stated she has done more harm than good on many levels. Had she stuck with her original message and not gone off on all of the side issues I think she would have had more support from the less extreme of the left.
I support her right to protest as an American but I can't go beyond that.
When she first made one of her demands that President Bush force the twins to enlist? She lost me.
I totally understand how she after the loss of her son and already being anti-war before that would join or try to create an anti-war effort. But it has to be realistic, which I don't feel she was.
Jeff said The groups she is involved with..Most, I feel and I have good reason to, are flat out Anti-American. They don't support the Troops ate all.
Just what constitutes your term, 'anti-American?' It would be interesting to see what you mean by this term.
Then, you might also like to define the phrase, 'they don't support the Troops...'
If I might guess, you are not interested in debating, but rather pigeonholing. Am I correct?
Most protesting nowadays, to me, is just grandstanding for little groups and factions of those groups to get their 15 minutes of fame. Hell, the way things are going, people will get 45 minutes of fame now, but not that many people will know about it.
The last protests that impacted this country for a change for the better were the civil rights protests in the 60s. Why? Because they were peaceful. The leaders at the time, for the most part, gave great speeches that denouced violence and spoke of racial untiy. Plus the fact the country was changing and the time was ripe for peaceful protests. Yes, they were leaders who weren't preaching peace and violence was committed. But the leaders really believes that they could change things and they did.
Most protests now look disorganized and the country, for the most part, doesn't want to listen. Apathy has taken over the country and we must be very weary of that fact. They are people in this country that can still write great speeaches, but don't. It seems the trend is to yell the same thing over and over again when it has landed on deaf ears for the first, second, third time.
I have always said, if you want to change governement, do it from within. Get the people you want in office and start to make change and then change will occur. That isn't the easiest way and it takes a long time. Also, the people who start with good intentions may fall prey to the system and it may continue business as usual. But that doesn't mean we should'nt try.
But, in this world of two minute microwave popcorn and why-can't-I-get-my-downloads-to-go-four-seconds-faster, I feel that my words will fall on the deaf and the blind. Also, the internet is not the end all be all. It is a great tool and I feel that it reaches more people than ever in history, but we still need to go out and let the human touch still be the main focal point of all debate. It is easy to type up a storm and know that you can hide behind the firewalls, but to stand up in a crowd, in person, and say the same things and be open to critics and harm, not that is what will instill change.
And it must be from the heart. If there are cameras or not, it must be said face-to-face, person-to-person, not let's click on the webpage or see it on TV. Shake a hand, talk to someone, debate the arguements one on one with poise and grace, just like the founding fathers started all those years ago. Once we can go back to that, change for the betterment of all can really start.
C, that was perfect. I could not agree more.
Thank you.
Lisa,
I agree with both you and Cyberseaer about protests these days. And, you're both right about the batter alternatives.
Constructive conversation and non-confrontational discussion is the way to go, these days...
MLK understood it too.
I feel the same about the antiwar protestors as I do the people who are up in arms over John Roberts. If you wanted to make a difference, the time to do it was last November. It is a noble fight, but it is being fought too late and wrong.
I was against the war, but any type of rapid pullout would be catastrophic. Much like I think leaving Somalia led to attacks against us, leaving Iraq would be irresponsible and ignorant.
I have been called anti-American and an America Hater, but the terms are meaningless. The true anti-Americans are the ones just sitting aoriund watching what is going on and saying nothing. Especially conservatives. How can you support a guy who has the responsibility and accountability of a common criminal.
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