Friday, April 18, 2003

 

The Effectiveness of Protest
I was reading the newspaper earlier today, catching up on some from several days ago. Sometimes, I go for a week or 10 days before I catch up. I only get the Sunday paper, well actually I get 2 separate Sunday papers, the local and one from metro Seattle, and then there is the local free rag which comes 2 times a week on Wednesday and Saturday. So, today, I had 2 of the big Sunday editions and 4 or 6 of the little locals and I spent almost the entire day reading articles in the newspapers. And then, I tuned into a news program and heard a story on something I read an article about. I can't say exactly which paper it was in, but the article was on the effectiveness of protest and it was relatively short as newspaper articles are for the most part as this was not a "feature" article from the front page. The article centered on protest marches, rallys, sit-ins and the like. It posed the question of how effective this kind of protest really is in the present time. The article went on to indicate that the numbers of people participating in protest marches and rallys has been decreasing since it peaked in the late 60's. I tend to agree, that protest attendance is down compared to the 60's but I think this is because of the subject matter of the protest, NOT that less people care as the article tended to indicate. I think people care about causes just as much today as in the 60's, but Viet Nam was a hot button issue, with wide consequences, and a lot of other protests I've heard of and seen just don't push that button for people. So, I am not surprise that attendance is down from the 60's, the issues today just don't ahve the same impact as the conflict in Viet Nam. Face it, Iraq just does not do it for a lot of people, me included. I find it hard to get worked up about this thing in Iraq, so I doubt I would attend a protest about Iraq. I was close to one a while back, and a lady blocking the road threw a large cup of soda with ice onto my car because I had a "I support the Troops" sticker in my back window and an American flag sticker and she yelled at me about promoting the killing of innocent women and children in Iraq. Wow, she was really pissed at me, and what had I done? I wasn't carrying a gun, I wasn't shooting anyone, I was just trying to get on the auto ferry to cross over Puget Sound and attend a musical event and art show at the Seattle Center! As I stated in a previous entry, had she connected the ice and soda with my body, I could have had her arrested on assault charges. Fortunately for me I rolled up my window, so only my driver side door was hit with the contents of her attack soda. Why was this woman willing to do me violence? Was it because I had a flag sticker in my back window? Was it because I had a sticker saying I support the troops? What was it? Well, suffice to say, I made my ferry and made the event and drank way too much beer considering the fact that I was driving. On the ferry, I thought about this woman who "attacked" me with a cup full of soda and ice and wondered what it was which prompted her to take aim at me. So, now that I read this article in the newspaper, I know why she took aim at me, she felt she had to, she felt srrongly, so strongly that she had to do something, even if it was just to throw a cup of soda and ice my way. So, yes, I think protest is alive and well, and there are people who are passionate about a cause, and here it was that I met one on my way to catch the auto ferry. I applaud this woman for being there, for taking a stand, though I did not agree with her position. I spent 21 years in the military. My job was to support and defend the constitution of the United States, and I did that. My oath was to the commander in chief, the office of the president, not to the man holding the office. I do not like Bush the person, but I sure as anything support the office of the President as the commander in chief. The founding fathers had it right when they put a civilian in charge of he entire military machine as it lends perspective. We have a country in which this woman can do this and no one will will suffer reprisals as a result. I would not want to live in a place where this woman would suffer for being at a protest rally. So, I just ask this question, would you?

Posted by: Rowlfe - at: 4/18/2003 12:37:00 AM

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