Week on the War

[oldhen]

The area has been abuzz this past couple of weeks, with folks braving the sometimes wet, sometimes bitterly cold New England weather to take to the streets and rally. The enthusiasm has been infectious, sometimes literally, was laid low by the flu after one rally in the rain, good to see people with so much spirit

Comments

An open mind

[chaibacca]

Open-mindedness and acceptance of reality is the only thing that will lead to policy change. That's a long way off. Make no mistake -- Bush's sinking approval ratings and public skepticism about the war are no indication of people suddenly waking up, but rather people are fed up with high gas prices (multiply $3/gallon times the number of gallons that fit into an SUV's tank and imagine paying that much each week) and they are impatient with the fact that we haven't made any measurable progress in Iraq for a long time. Fox doing its best to close people's minds faster than other forms of news and realizations of reality can open them -- this conservative propaganda is a business that is actually making money in a capitalistic society, and that says a lot. So, why? I think it's basic human nature for people to see what they want to see, and to believe what they want to believe. Fox overall promotes feel-good imagery that is a whole lot more attractive than the news of prisoner abuses and the gruesome retaliations against soldiers

Re: An open mind

[oldhen]

Make no mistake -- Bush's sinking approval ratings... ...are no indication of people suddenly waking up

I know - unfortunate but true.. There really doesn't seem to a real people's movement these days - no popular leader of the stature close to ML King or Malcolm X, no real alternative to the two parties. People need to be better informed, you'd think with so many news sources but a few keystrokes away, it shouldn't be that hard - but well I guess you have to want to be informed. Just wish there were some people's leader to carry a progressive message to the avg. American.

It's good to learn from history, but I suppose the US today is very different from the sixties, and what worked then might not work now.. I guess one thing we can do is try and educate / inform people more..