Blogcritics: Comments on No business as usual

Comment by Rob

Sat, 22 Mar 2003 00:54:32 EST

Protesters puking and defecating in public, that is somewhat unusual, and should both get their message across and rally more people to their cause.

Comment by Rob

Thu, 20 Mar 2003 19:34:25 EST

Well your position is clearer in your reply than it was, to me at least, in your initial post. I think it is "convergence" that actually weakens those anti-war protesters whose motives are purely anti-war, and not anti-capitalism, anti-globalism, etc. As with any party or group affililiation you are known by the company you keep, and your Republican analogy points that out. As for protests, anti-war Americans primarily spend time demonstrating against the U.S. actions, but never against the actions of any other country or dictator, etc. One reason for this is that we live in a country where the government is actually answerable to its citizens, so the protests might have an effect, and that makes sense. It is that so many of the protesters appear to only be involved if the US is involved This leads to the idea that the protesters are solely anti-US/gov't, and when they affiliate with A.N.S.W.E.R. and others, they weakebn their anti-war case. Protest away, I just hope that the folks who were blocking emergency vehicles today didn't case someone's death.

Comment by M. Simon

Thu, 20 Mar 2003 15:25:55 EST

We need to block as much traffic as much as we can for as long as possible to piss off the commuters, waste gasoline, and contribute to global warming. It is kind of like killing for peace only slower.

Comment by Brian Flemming

Thu, 20 Mar 2003 13:41:12 EST

Rob, Yes, it bothers me. It bothers me when the radical left seems to have a blind obsession with hating the U.S. These folks are analogous to their counterparts on the radical right, who are similarly an embarrassment to most conservatives. I also disagree with strictly pacifist organizations who are against war in any situation. History proves that sometimes taking up arms is the only way to achieve justice, and it is naive to believe otherwise. However, simply because there are groups who are opposed to this war for reasons that differ from my own doesn't mean I'm going to isolate myself from the movement. That would merely be an excuse for inaction. If you've noticed, a word frequently used in the movement is "convergence." The various groups with only one agreement--this war is wrong--have banded together despite their differences. I guess an analogy on the right would be the Log Cabin Republicans. These gays and lesbians stand side-by-side not only with Republicans who disagree with them, but also a great many who literally hate them. Their voting with and lobbying alongside conservatives doesn't mean they agree with the (usually religious) conservatives who feel they should be rounded up and killed. I do have a feeling that "bothers" them, though.

Comment by Rob

Thu, 20 Mar 2003 06:55:12 EST

Does it bother anyone that Int'l A.N.S.W.E.R. is run by the Worker's World Party, a communist organization that is opposed to the US in any and every case? Did anyone notice that these protesters didn't turn out in the streets to protest any of the dictators and murderers in power around the world, but are more the willing to show up when they can oppose the President of the U.S. ?