in light of it all.. being called idealistic, and a fantasizer. being told that i am not patriotic and i hate my country. having people say that i don't support the people that this government has sent to iraq. reading the comments placed here recently in an attempt to engage me in argument over war vs. peace. in spite of it all, i refuse to give up on my belief in peace and non-violence.
there are times when to let go and there are times when to hang on, this is one of those times when i choose to hang on to something i have believed in all my life.
i used to say that i wished i'd been around during the 60's, during the peace movement. i've got my own now. i've got a president who is off his rocker, a man who believes in holy wars, a man who claims to be the leader of this great country but chooses to forget the very tenants which he has been elected to move forward. i've got a country full of people who tell me how anti-american i am because i won't tow the line. i've got people who go for the quick fix of violence all around me. i don't need the 60's anymore, i've got the 00's. this is my time in the line and i will walk it proudly until the day i am told the line has finally reached the end.
there were hopes last week amongst the peace community. leaders of other countries saying that for once the world is not waging war, instead it is waging peace. there were reports that the father of this president, a former president himself, had joined with a bunch of plutocrats to say that this was bad. i was told that tony blair is under such scrutiny by his populace that if he supports this war he will be out of office in a millisecond.
but tonight the hopes have died down. the hopes of the millions who's voices people refuse to hear have been crushed. i found myself near tears. i found myself seeking out comfort, where comfort couldn't be found.
but i will tow this line. i won't let it go. in light of it all everything i have known all my life, everything i have believed in, everything i have clung to and made a part of my heart-- that each life is incredible, that all no human being is worth more than another, that we should strive to love even our enemies-- has not left me. tonight, in light of it all i refuse to give up my belief that peace and non-violence are the only answers.
Comments
You hang in there, Brooke, you have as much right to hold on to your beliefs as those who disagree with you hold on to theirs. You're a person with much integrity and it has always been interesting to read you. It's important that americans with views like yours speak up, cause as the anti-americanism is growing those in the rest of the world who share your opinions and concern should know there's people like you over there.
And hopefully you will enjoy the trip to Greece, it's a beautiful country :)
Posted by Nico at March 18, 2003 2:47 AM
"a man who claims to be the leader of this great country"
Um, actually, he IS the leader of this great country. No claim about it.
Posted by david at March 18, 2003 10:05 AM
Well, it depends on how you define leadership, David.
And hang in there, Brooke. You have a nice blog and share clear, honest opinions, I am glad I stumbled upon you today.
Posted by Jo at March 18, 2003 12:11 PM
Well, Jo, there is the literal meaning, of which there is no debate. You can say he's done a lousy job, but then he's simply a leader who's done a lousy job.
And if a leader does the will of the people, well, look at the latest polls.
Posted by David at March 18, 2003 12:39 PM
David, who do you think designs and "reports" on the polls? Ignorant jackass. Sorry people,it had to be said. Why is it ALWAYS a "David"?
Posted by Michelle at March 18, 2003 3:51 PM
"David, who do you think designs and "reports" on the polls?"
Oh tell me wise one. Do I need to put on my tin hat first?
It's a giant conspiracy? You believe what you want dear.
As for your jackass comment, its hard to argue with someone who has such command of the english language.
I wish you peace also.
Posted by david at March 18, 2003 4:21 PM
Let's not descend to the level of our leaders. ;) We can have civil disagreements. David, I recommend a few books: _The Media Monopoly_ by Ben H. Bagdikian, _Manufacturing Consent_ by Edward S. Herman and Noam Chomsky, and _Age of Propaganda_ by Pratkanas. They are all scholarly books that show how the media plays the major role in shaping perceptions and desires. No tin-foil hat needed!
Posted by pb at March 19, 2003 9:54 AM
Paul, I have no illusion that the media plays a big part in public opinion, and I also fully understand how statistics can be skewed.
Still, to look at the polls and not to consider their numbers and the meaning behind the numbers is a mistake imho. To completely ignore them is to stick your head in the sand.
If you ignore the polls, then it would seem only fair to ignore the 'peace march counts', whose backers also have an agenda.
I've often read your site. Great site, but no doubt you lean to the far left. I consider myself somewhere near the middle. Most of the sites I read are far left, and I respect those who promote peaceful solutions.
Still, I find it hard to take seriously those on the far left and far right, who both seem unable to look at things from both sides.
Kottke, in fact, seems to be one of the only popular bloggers who has tried to stay away from on the fringe rants.
http://www.kottke.org/03/03/030318the_war.html
I could also give you a list of books that back my opinions, but I don't hold any false pretenses that you would run out to read them.
I think the whole 'media is conservative/liberal' argument is senseless, and I'm fully aware that 'war' is good for business in media circles.
But to think there is no truth to polls, when taken as a whole, that there is a conspiracy to all reporting, does, in my opinon, require the tin hat.
All I really want is consistency. If the polls mean nothing now, they won't mean anything a year from now. So if the war goes bad, or the economy remains in the dumps, and the polls show bush in the gutter, lets not start quoting them, or turning to them for use in our opinions.
Posted by david at March 19, 2003 2:24 PM
Thanks for the response, David. We should probably take this conversation offline as we've strayed horribly from the topic at hand. Feel free to send me email.
The only way Bush's numbers would go into the gutter is if the mass media turned against him--and that probably won't happen. The point I'd like to make is that polls themselves are affected by the mass media because it is the media that shapes public opinion. And mass media certainly has an agenda because they are owned by large corporations who have an interest in who is in power. (b/c it affects their ability to make money.) I wouldn't be adverse to reading books that make the case that there is no media monopoly, or that media is truly objective. I just haven't seen any books that make this case...beyond ill-researched opinions of "media" personalities.
Posted by pb at March 19, 2003 2:50 PM
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