Why bother, you say?
No-one in my circle of friends is in favour of this war with Iraq. Yet that doesn't stop me from wanting to protest it, even though I have no-one to convince directly. And even though protest seems futile in the face of the apparent indifference of certain world leaders.
After thinking alot about our current state of affairs and our chances of effecting change through popular mobilization, I have come to the conclusion that protest is something you do because the alternative is doing nothing. Nothing gains nothing. Going to demos at least defines your position, clarifies your perpective. And yes, perhaps having done something, you might feel better, which is not bad, in my book.
One positive thing that has come out of this is that the public has been more willing to hear about some of the going-on that have, until recently, only been exposed in alternative or radical leftie media. You'll hear "This is all about oil" at the lunchroom tables or around the watercooler of even fairly conservative companies.
Why the truth is considered radical or leftist, I'll never know, but it has always been that way since as long as I can remember. At least more people are listening now. Let's hope that by listening and acting, the people can avoid some of the horrors that experts are predicting as aftermath.
No-one in my circle of friends is in favour of this war with Iraq. Yet that doesn't stop me from wanting to protest it, even though I have no-one to convince directly. And even though protest seems futile in the face of the apparent indifference of certain world leaders.
After thinking alot about our current state of affairs and our chances of effecting change through popular mobilization, I have come to the conclusion that protest is something you do because the alternative is doing nothing. Nothing gains nothing. Going to demos at least defines your position, clarifies your perpective. And yes, perhaps having done something, you might feel better, which is not bad, in my book.
One positive thing that has come out of this is that the public has been more willing to hear about some of the going-on that have, until recently, only been exposed in alternative or radical leftie media. You'll hear "This is all about oil" at the lunchroom tables or around the watercooler of even fairly conservative companies.
Why the truth is considered radical or leftist, I'll never know, but it has always been that way since as long as I can remember. At least more people are listening now. Let's hope that by listening and acting, the people can avoid some of the horrors that experts are predicting as aftermath.
