Out of Iraq
March 18th 2007 02:08
There's a big anti-american protest going on in my city today. Actually, there are heaps of them going on today--they are protesting the American presence in Iraq (this is, afterall, the anniversary of the US' invasion). But the thing about protests is that they often find themselves oh-so-very confused.
I know everyone wants to jump down my throat and yell "american" the moment i critize the protesters and make any indication that America might be right (shudder) and to be clear from the outset, I DO NOT BELIEVE AMERICA IS RIGHT. However, I am an American and do you know what I received from my government the other day?? An email letting me know that the protesters were going to gather at a specific location from specific times and that i should be careful. I should try and avoid the area at those times if at all possible. and do you know why i was sent such an email? Because most of the time the protesters can't tell the difference between the cause they support, the enemy, and people who are on their side.
I'm all for protests. In fact, I think getting involved, taking a stand, making time to stand with a group of like-minded others and express yourself if pretty damn trendy. But i really really really want people to think about the cause and instead of alienating supporters, draw them in. A protest that alienates is bound to be less sucessful then one that makes a really strong base of support and only continues to build.
I sound American--hell, I am American--but i live here, and I support American withdrawl from Iraq (ok that's not totally true, I believe America never should have gone in in the first place but i'm not sure that its any more responsible to withdraw from Iraq after the chaos we've created. ) But I would be right next to those protesters voicing my opinion that war was illegal, illegitimate, and wrong. I would be there with them but because i sound like the spokespeople of a government I didn't vote for, whose policies I don't support---i would be labeled the enemy.
So I'm avoiding the protest and hoping that the people who gather are informed and competant. I hope they don't cause trouble for anyone by conflating people of the country with the government of the country. I hope that the passion and the dedication to seeing this war ended (hopefully in such a way that Iraq ultimately is left better off than it is now) will be the only reason these people have gathered and hopefully, they will welcome whatever support they get, from where ever, and whom ever it is coming from.
I know everyone wants to jump down my throat and yell "american" the moment i critize the protesters and make any indication that America might be right (shudder) and to be clear from the outset, I DO NOT BELIEVE AMERICA IS RIGHT. However, I am an American and do you know what I received from my government the other day?? An email letting me know that the protesters were going to gather at a specific location from specific times and that i should be careful. I should try and avoid the area at those times if at all possible. and do you know why i was sent such an email? Because most of the time the protesters can't tell the difference between the cause they support, the enemy, and people who are on their side.
I'm all for protests. In fact, I think getting involved, taking a stand, making time to stand with a group of like-minded others and express yourself if pretty damn trendy. But i really really really want people to think about the cause and instead of alienating supporters, draw them in. A protest that alienates is bound to be less sucessful then one that makes a really strong base of support and only continues to build.
I sound American--hell, I am American--but i live here, and I support American withdrawl from Iraq (ok that's not totally true, I believe America never should have gone in in the first place but i'm not sure that its any more responsible to withdraw from Iraq after the chaos we've created. ) But I would be right next to those protesters voicing my opinion that war was illegal, illegitimate, and wrong. I would be there with them but because i sound like the spokespeople of a government I didn't vote for, whose policies I don't support---i would be labeled the enemy.
So I'm avoiding the protest and hoping that the people who gather are informed and competant. I hope they don't cause trouble for anyone by conflating people of the country with the government of the country. I hope that the passion and the dedication to seeing this war ended (hopefully in such a way that Iraq ultimately is left better off than it is now) will be the only reason these people have gathered and hopefully, they will welcome whatever support they get, from where ever, and whom ever it is coming from.
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