From one state capital to the nation’s capital…. I was among the few dozen local folks who protested Bush’s ongoing war in Iraq from the Eastport Bridge on Saturday. From 12 noon to 2 p.m. we walked and waved signs, doing our local part in concert with the many tens of thousands who were doing the same thing in Washington.
I just want to comment on the nastiness of some of those who obviously disagreed with the those of us on the bridge, which is to say they also disagree with most members of Congress and most of the American public. To the fellow who drove by in a Cadillac with a license plate that read “USNA 60’” and honked at us and flipped us his middle finger, let me just say that along with me on the bridge was a Korean War veteran and a retired Navy officer. Yeah pal--peace is patriotic. If you still think this debacle is good for our country or for anybody else-that’s your business, so go out and protest all you want, but please, grow up already!
And to the fellow who repeatedly drove back and forth in the big white SUV proudly displaying your poster, grow up too pal! He kept showing us a drawing of a World War II era GI with the caption “Why don’t you root for our side once in a while you liberal moron!”. Hmmm….so if we are against the war, we are liberal morons? And as for rooting for any one side in particular, would you be referring to Shiites or Sunnis? Whose side are we on Mister? What are we fighting for? And as for both of you, go out and protest for the war, but attacking those with whom you disagree is, well, it’s downright Un-American. So, whose side are you fighting for?
I am sick and tired of those who proudly proclaim to support American freedoms yet bash anyone who actually employees those freedoms. Ari Fleischer and Condoleeza Rice both warned us to be careful about what we say. I remember the same kind of blather from the Vietnam War era when I was just a child. It seems that some people can never learn a lesson from history, whether it’s in Southeast Asia, the Fertile Crescent or the streets of our cities. They also seem to forget the crucial role our government played in putting Saddam Hussein in power. The Taliban are on the move in Afghanistan, the place where we should have sent more troops and aid! Iran is on the warpath and civil war rages in Gaza, Lebanon and Iraq. And how did North Korea disappear from the news?
Meantime, our power, economy, military and prestige has suffered and we have lost over 3000 men and women in a war that has gone on longer THAN OUR INVOLVEMENT in WORLD WAR II!!!! Think about that! Yeah-I guess I must be a liberal moron if that’s what I’ve come to realize, but what does that make our President?
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4 Comments:
While I may not approve of name calling or hand gestures, I tend to agree with their sentiment. What will happen if we pull out and leave Iraq to all of the divergent forces that will bear in the Middle East. Mroe importantly, what will be the result in our country. Do you believe less Americans will die if we leave Iraq, I think not. The security of the entire universe will be threatened and exposed.
If we bring our troops home and give up in Iraq, be prepared to seek shelter.
Larry Miller
Thanks for your comment, but is the security of the entire universe really at risk? Wow-that's a big trip to lay on us for holding signs at the bridge. Maybe we ought to call on Superman or the Justice League to fight. Hey-20,000 tropps or 200,000 troops more--it's a civil war that we can't solve. We went in under a shower of lies and deceit and we are being asked to send more in under the same false pretenses. Notice how they do not even call it a "surge" anymore? Are any of us actually safer because of this mess? Hey-we are down by 20 police officers in our own city with a homicide rate double that of the previous year. Do you not see the connection? Police and fire fighters all over the country have been sucked into Iraq. And, if you re-read my comments, you'll see why I believe this thing has made us all less secure. PEACE---but not peace at any costs is the best way out. We cannot do it alone. Do the math-we are in debt up to our ears and payable to no less than the Godless Red Chinese!!! How's that for national security? Bush is a threat to peace and our freedoms. Thanks--and please keep reading and commenting.
Got to go with Paul on this one. We borrow money from the Chinese to buy oil from the Saudis who give the $$$ to the Sunnis and Shias to fight the US soldiers in Iraq. And somehow supporting this without question makes me more of a patriot? How exactly does that work?
Thanks for the support. As this is about "local" politics, I was making a comment more about the free speech issue and the behavior of the folks who somehow think that local folks questioning our foreign policy are "liberal morons" or deserve getting "fingered." On the local level, I again turn to the lack of a full complement of police officers, the underfunded schools, out rising crime and high homicide rate and the potential of long term sea level rise etc..These are all security issues-local, global and even the "entire universe", to borrow from a previous comment. I feel less secure than I did a few years ago--but at least it's safer to fly! Did you know that we spend many dolars per person for airline securiy, yet only a penny for public transit customers for security? (From a Brookings study)
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