I have no time for the those who took to the streets this weekend, de facto, in support of Saddam’s murderous regime. These are people who feel the need to soothe their morally atrophied consciences deafened by political correctness, the modern obsession with emotion and the life of comfort and material excess1.
Their act of protest is a far cry from a reasoned consideration of facts, the reality of international politics, of Iraq and the suffering of its people under Saddam or Iraq’s threat to the Western world. Theirs is a response based on emotions only, without thinking of the consequences of such action. Hate America? Join the protest. Hate Bush and the Republicans? Join the protest. Hate Tony Blair and the government? Join the protest. Hate Israel? Join the protest. Hate politicians? Join the protest. Hate the fact nobody takes you seriously? Join the protest. Hate your mediocre existence? Join the protest. Hate rational discourse? Join the protest. Miss the marches of the communists, peace movements, anti-Vietnam protesters etc of the Cold War era? Feel inadequate or need to feel important? Join the protest.
In fact, ‘peace and motherhood’ have very little to do with the global protests against the US and UK determination to remove Saddam. What is the point of peace, if the price paid for it is someone else’s pain and suffering? Proclamation of support for all things pink & fluffy and for general concepts of ‘goodness’ is the perfect anchor for those drawning in moral vagueness unable to reason their way out complex issues that defy simple solutions.
How much easier it is to look away, or to hastily cover the offending sight with excuses, defensive answers and idealistic slogans or level accusations against those who try to point out unpleasant facts. This type of anti-rationalism prefers slogans to serious consideration of complex reality.
However, this is a luxury not afforded to those who battle for their survival – physical and moral – wrestling the remnants of their humanity from the daily tyranny, whether they live in Iraq or Iran, North Korea or China. It is a fight that they are almost certain to lose without help, their oppressors poised to pounce on any expression of integrity and purpose as a sign of defiance. No-one can undo the suffering already inflicted on them. I protest against those who deny them the chance of living like humans for the rest of their lives.
Note1: I have nothing against comfort and life of excess, the point is that those who have it should not claim the moral high ground in deciding what is better for those who have to face different and starker kind of reality.
The liberals do have some arguments that merit consideration, but it is difficult to take those seriously because their proponents show no realization of difference between rational idea and sophistry. For example, this whole “Bush is motivated solely by oil” idea. Come on, can you give us some evidence? A memo even? Or is this just wild accusation-mongering?
My daughter and I decided we couldn’t let this nonsense go unanswered, so we became counter-protesters at our local (Phoenix, Arizona USA) demonstration. It also gave me a chance to take photos of the variety of loons on display.
These are visible on my blog.
I don’t know how much good we did, but it was better than sitting at home and grumbling… and we also suspect the protesteers themselves didn’t have much real effect.
John Moore, you did well.
I’ve not done as good – I’ve only hectored one couple!
I was riding through town towards the end of my bike ride yesterday afternoon when I spotted a huge “not in my name” poster in someone’s front window. Then I saw a couple in general issue hippie gear walking towards the house (him scraggly beard, her large orange wooly jumper – not conclusive proof but my gut instinct was proven correct). So I swung the bike around and hollered something about “hoping they could face the free people of liberated Iraq knowing that you had perpetuated their suffering”. Not a great heckle but, hey, it was off the cuff. The only response from the targets was a dissapointing smirk from her!
The really ironic thing for me was that I was on an eco friendly bicycle (albiet a fairly expensive Italian racing machine) and they had just got out of a capitalist Volkswagen Golf carrying shopping from a supermarket run by prominent New Labour doner Lord Sainsbury.
The “Free Palestine” placard provokes a kneejerk response from me: “From Palestinian terrorists!”