The Furious Spinner

It's been three years since the war began. I remember where I was when it started: Scottsdale, AZ. I was so angry and upset. After months and months of organizing rallies, writing letters, making phone calls side by side with millions of other people around the globe, the Emperor invaded Iraq—illegally to my way of thinking. It became clear to me then that Bush was an Emperor and he didn't care what we thought, and he didn't care what the world thought. I still don't know for certain why they did what they did to Iraq. I am ashamed for my country and its leaders. Since that time, the world seems to have been knocked off its axis. I would not have believed our country could fall so low in such a short amount of time. But I believe it now.

The human toll caused by this war is enormous. Between 17,000 and 48,000 American soldiers have been wounded. Over 2,300 have been killed. Ten of thousands (some say even 100,000) of Iraqis have been killed. The country of Iraq is in ruins, and Cheney still goes around saying nothing bad is happening in Iraq that they didn't bring on themselves—or words to that effect. The health effects of the war machine are being felt worldwide as depleted uranium hitches a ride on the thermals. (It's a bird, it's a plane, no, it's depleted uranium!)

Despite all that, there is hope. I hope the people stand up and say they're mad as hell and they aren't going to take it any more--and then actually act. We can keep hounding our elected representatives (at all levels of government) even though we've lost faith in them completely. We should support third parties at the local and state levels as much as possible until they're ready to be a viable force at the national level. Right now the Dems are complicit in the wrongs being perpetrated by the Republicans because they are silent. As Molly Ivins said about the D.C. Dems, "I can’t see a damn soul in D.C. except Russ Feingold who is even worth considering for President. The rest of them seem to me so poisonously in hock to this system of legalized bribery they can’t even see straight."

Yesterday I was at the library (as a patron) talking with a friend about the war and other atrocities and a man came up to us and asked us what we were talking about. He had a Massachusetts accent, so I made the mistake of assuming (we know what that makes me) that he might participate in our dialogue. I said, "You're either a liberal or you left Massachusetts because it was too liberal." He kept talking over me and trying to put me down in that way that patronizing men have where they think they're being charming and they're...not. He said bad people were out to get us. What bad people? I asked. "Those who blew up the World Trade Center." "But that doesn't mean we give up our civil liberties," I said. I asked if he thought it was right for this administration to be wiretapping American citizens. He said, "Are you emailing Al Qaeda. Well, then you've got nothing to worry about." I said, "That's not the point. It's not about me. We're supposed to protect everyone. That's what this country is supposed to be about. We don't give up our civil rights because we're afraid." He kept talking over me every time I spoke.

I should have walked away. Everyone says dialogue is good, but this didn't feel like a dialogue. I don't understand how smart people can believe that George Bush is actually protecting us. The world is far more dangerous than it was before he became president. But what his supporters say is that nothing has happened since 9/11. TO US. In fact, at least 17,000 American soldiers have been wounded, 2,300 have been killed, at least 35,000 Iraqis have been killed. How is that "nothing?"

Yesterday and today, people all over the world are protesting this war. The Emperor and his fashionistas will pay no attention, but at least we will be in solidarity with one another—at least the Iraqis will see that millions of us disagree with the policies of our government.

Mario's sick today, so I don't know if I will be out in the streets protesting yet, but I'm with them in spirit.

Blessed be. 1 comments

1 Comments:

Good for you. "Take no guff when you strut your stuff"

By  Tom Marshall, at 2:32 PM  

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