When we're actually at peace, nobody ever says "give peace a chance." But once somebody else breaks the peace, it becomes a catchphrase. Well, we gave peace a chance, and they blew up the World Trade Center. Now it's time to give war a chance, and over 90% of Americans agree. Still, it's worth revisiting some of the more prevalent cliched intellectual crutches so many in the remaining 10% rely upon to get through their days.
I guess having your head in the sand must be a conservative trait - we've been "giving peace a chance"?? Tell that to the thousands of people who are suffering because of our policies and arrogance - and the arrogance of turning our heads to the injustice that our country has committed. I make no apologies for looking with skeptical eyes at what our governement does - or with wanting us all to do better.
I will not buy into the illogic of "love it or leave it", nor will I be bullied into resigning to violence and injustice or, even worse, to supporting it. The fundamentalists have stolen Christianity and Islam from it's true meaning, the rabid conservitives are stealing freedom and liberty from the true meanings of those words too. The reason I'm looking for and promoting civilized solutions to international problems and working for peace is because I love liberty and justice - the new oppression is taking that liberty of expression and forcing one definition down everyone's throat.
Interesting that my friend Al thinks that if someone is critical of this country's foreign policies they are somehow self-flaggelating, that they have low self-esteem. My contention is that the radical conservitives are so anal they feel everyone must follow their rules, that they fret so much that someone might be doing something, even in private, that they don't approve of that they want to legislate every detail of personal life. In the same breath, they want the business they own and the government they hope to own, to be free to do whatever they wish - we should "trust them" to do the right thing, since they know best. Sorry - that kind of paternalism isn't going to fly with me.
What difference is it really whether I'm forced to wear a burqa, or forced to keep silent about my political views and religion? Having been beaten up for not loving Jesus, this is an important issue to me. School prayer is a fun topic along these lines, as well. The fundies assume that when they get prayer in school approved, it will be their prayer that will be prayed. I would need not apply to write the prayer.
An excellent resource on women's issues in the Middle East can be found here, by the way.
So let's see, this stream of consciousness is flowing through this post - political freedom of speech, religious tolerance, women's rights, staying aware and informed of public and foriegn policy - and standing up to policies that are unethical and unprincipled. Sheew, that's enough for one morning!
