I have an anti-war diatribe. You are FREE not to read it. I am FREE to write it. Isn't it grand?7:42 p.m. - 2003-04-15
You know, the more I think about it, the more I dislike it.
When did America become a place where those who had a *gasp* different opinion deserve to be punished? And those who punished them were publicly applauded and rewarded for doing so?
I suppose I should put a disclaimer on this entry. Just to be clear. This entry is an opinion. I am pretty sure that I am Constitutionally allowed to have one. It certainly seems that it is okay to discriminate right now when a person expresses an opinion, lately, but this is pretty anonymous, so I think I’ll take my chances. Yeah, I am an American. In general, I am proud of that. I love living in America. I know that in most other places, I would not have the opportunities, and quality of life that I have here. I love America. I was as shocked and horrified as everyone else was on September 11th, 2001. I cried. I mourned. I was one of the people who did not lose a loved one during that tragedy-- but while I acknowledge that I haven’t felt their grief, I can certainly sympathize. I don’t really feel that September 11th has anything to do with what I am discussing here, but I know that many people do (at the very least) associate September 11th with this war. Furthermore, I support the troops. I DO NOT support the war, but I know that the troops are certainly not to blame. I am not an especially political person, although that seems to be changing lately. I acknowledge that I don’t know everything. About this war, about politics, about...well... anything and everything.
That said, I think this war is a load of bullshit. Steaming fresh horse crap. Lime green vomit that smells peculiar indeed. I have disagreed with this war since I first heard rumblings of it. My first response was, “Why?” My second response was, “Are you joking?! That’s it?” Don’t get me wrong, I hate Saddam Hussein. He is a horrible person, and I would be very happy were he to go away. Ever heard that saying? About how if there were a nuclear war, the only things left would be cockroaches and Cher?
Well, I think he is a cockroach. I suppose that he might die in this war... On the other hand, Iraqi citizens will definitely die. Our troops? Some of them will also definitely die. This math doesn’t really add up for me. It has been a while since I took algebra, though. So... a whole bunch of people will die. But the one person that we are essentially killing them for? Well, it’s not a sure thing. It didn’t make sense to me. It still doesn’t.
Then there is the news. Lots of anti-war protests? Of course. When I watched the news,though, they didn’t really get that much coverage. *impersonates newscaster’s voice* “In other news, thirty-eight thousand people gathered in St. Louis today to protest the war.” *switches to female newscaster’s voice* “But some other protesters also gathered today...not to protest the war... but to support it!” *Cuts to 5 minute clip of 3 people who have a pro-war bumper sticker on their car.* Yeah, that would be the whole protest right there. The bumper sticker. This was kind of exaggerated, but it does mimic an actual local newscast that I saw before the war started. There was a couple minute clip of 3 high-school age guys talking who were for the war-- they weren’t really protesting though. They were putting fliers under people’s windshield wipers. No footage or comments from the people who were protesting the war.
And who exactly asked Bush to send the troops out there? I think, judging by the reaction, that the Iraqi citizens did not want us to invade their land. Their troops did not surrender the instant they saw our troops. The United Nations did not support the decision to go to war, because the inspectors weren’t given enough time (back when people were acting like this war was still about the possibility of nuclear weapons. Been a while since I heard anything about that. Hello, North Korea? Remember them admitting that they had nuclear weapons? But, no, we went to war with Iraq instead). The U. S. is acting like a bully. “We’ve decided we know what is best for your nation, so just sit back and let us fix it for you.” How pompous is that?
Now I’m seeing some trivial stuff that just strikes me as bad. I’m going to quote Time magazine-- “The Baseball Hall of Fame has canceled a celebration in honor of the 15th anniversary of the movie Bull Durham. Hall of Fame president Dale Petroskey doesn’t like the way Durham stars Susan Sarandon and Tim Robbins have been speaking out against the war in Iraq. ....” It goes on a bit more, its a paragraph blurb on the People page. These people were pretty much bitch-slapped for expressing their views. And of course, we all have heard about the response to Michael Moore’s speech at the Oscars against the war. I didn’t realize how much pro-war sentiment was being enforced, until I was watching tv with some friends, Michael Moore came onscreen (talking about some trivial thing, it had nothing to do with the war and was probably filmed a year ago), and when (Person) A said, “That’s the guy who made those comments about Bush.” (Person) B said, “What an idiot.” and changed the channel. I know it doesn’t seem that special, but jesus christ! He just was saying what he thought! And of course, the whole Dixie chicks ban. I’m trying not to take a cheap shot at country music fans, but its going to come out that way-- that was not exactly a surprise.
Anyway, this has pretty much come out a not very well articulated diatribe. This was, however, just me vomiting out my feelings on the matter. I feel much better having expressed my feelings. And you are free not to read it. You are free to disagree with it. You are free to think I’m an idiot (although that would kind of be ignorant, since you don’t know me, and my opinion on one matter is certainly not enough to derive such a conclusion from). But I am free to have, and express, my opinion. Without censorship and punishment. So there. Go America!
:o)
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