Defending the Truth

In political forums, you get a lot of complaining; but does anyone do anything about it?

I'm wondering what political rallies/protests all you've been on.

As for me, I usually attend protests against the war, though I've been fairly inactive for a while. The last one I've been to was a huge one that was held in D.C. that attracted a few hundred thousand people. And before that one I was camping outside Bush's ranch along with Cindy and the rest of the mothers and supporters. Both of which as a part of the group "Military Families Speak Out".

Quite frankly I don't think demonstrations and rallies do any damn good. It's usually a bunch of fools out there holding signs and chanting silly ass shit. I don't think it does anything constructive toward whatever you're protesting about.

Be advised that my opinion is not intended to be a knock on you personally.

I think I'll adopt that as my signature!

Oh? Say that to Martin Luther King, say that to Gandhi.

I can't. They're both dead.

I half expected that response knowing your humor!

But the point still stands.

Perhaps, and unfortunately.

But the way I see it is, even though protesting may not carry that of an earth-shattering and change-inducing message; I think not protesting something would carry a very negative connotation for our country and how it conducts business.

Say, for example, people did not protest the war, or did not protest the erosion of civil liberties. Those guilty would then look at it and say...well, no one complained about it; we figured you guys thought it was alright.

Don't get me wrong...I don't claim to be living under the illusion that if I marched with thousands of other people tomorrow to end the War in Iraq, then it will end tomorrow: no one's saying that. But I think the consequences of not speaking up are very significant. Without a healthy dialog, and without protests then a democracy cannot survive.

I think you guys are undervaluing demonstrations too much.

I will give you a serious response. I don't think protest and rallies have the same effect as they did in King's or Ghandi's day. Most people don't give a shit enough and see protesters as more of a nuisance. I think the reason for this is that some of the things people protest about are pretty stupid.

The anti-abortion crowd is responsible for some of this. They bitch about how abortion is killing, but want nothing to do with all those children born in bad circumstances.

Not enough people give a shit for protests to be effective. The government is going to do what it's going to do anyway. Also, protesters need to stop that stupid chanting - it's, well, stupid.