Ramblings of a Technology Addict

Saturday, March 22, 2003

Struggling Today

I see all the protestors on the television, some hundred thousand in New York, likely between half a million and a million across the United States today. I see those in San Francisco with molotov cocktails and lying down in the street, blocking ambulances. I see those who truly desire peace and not just some news coverage.
One of the arguments I've seen a lot of lately is that the protestors lack a united compelling message. I suppose if there was a worthy message among them, I would likely be right there with them. Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be one. "No War for Oil" is common, but this isn't about Oil. If we wanted to buy Iraqi oil, we could. Not real hard. "This is about Bush's Daddy." I hate this one. Have you seen what Saddam does to his people? He's been known to drop them one by one into a plastic shredder. Or the fact that he orders his olympic athletes to be beaten with iron bars. Or the fact that the protestors all over the world, were they in Kirkuk or Baghdad would have had their tongues removed in public and then be left to die.
It's times like this that I have to ask myself, "who's right here?" I can only come up with one answer, and it comes from Thomas Jefferson. "I have sworn upon the altar of God, eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man." and also "The ground of liberty is to be gained by inches, [and] we must be contented to secure what we can get from time to time and eternally press forward for what is yet to get. It takes time to persuade men to do even what is for their own good."
We must do our best to convince those out there who are picking up signs or molotov cocktails, and blocking the streets of our cities, that what we are doing is righteous. And pursuing the freedom of an oppressed people who otherwise, left to the hands of those who understand little of freedom fought and died for, continue to find themselves in plastic shredders and under the thumb of a despot. We must continue. We must press on.
10:05:43 PM comment []