2003-03-21 9:07 p.m.
Everybody Sucks
I can't make up my mind whose side I'm on.
I'm against the way we went to war in the first place. I think Bush is a moron and what he and his administration are doing is criminal. I'm angry that this will push a lot of people who were already predisposed to hate us over the edge. I'm concerned that if this doesn't turn out well, it will push back our relations with every other country on the planet back for decades. I'm offended at the idea that there even is such a thing as a "good" outcome, because the only sure thing about this whole situation is that people are going to die.
Protesters say, "We're going to stand in the middle of the road and inconvenience you, but don't let it alienate you. Instead, take it as a patronizing statement that you are a sleepwalking, greedy dupe of capitalism and you haven't put two seconds' thought into your stance on the war." Commuters say, "We support your right to protest, but please don't do it anywhere where you might actually be seen or heard, especially if it means it might make me 15 minutes late to work on a day when no one's expected in on time anyway."
I have yet to meet a protester who can present a coherent explanation of how creating chaos in San Francisco is going to stop the war. (I asked one on a mailing list I'm on. She'd sent out a URL about a protest and suggested we e-mail her directly for more information. I e-mailed her privately and asked her very politely what precisely the protests were intended to accomplish and made it clear that I was against the war and asking in a spirit of genuine inquiry. I never got a response.) Yet I'm irritated that "Mornings on 2" presented the protests mainly as a traffic story, as if there's no other reason we should care.
This is about the only sentiment I wholeheartedly agree with right now. Too bad I can't figure out what my voice is actually saying.
