Sunday, February 23, 2003
The sweeping ignorance of the general public is something that continues to amaze me. It especially seems to flare up in situation with heightened frustrations. My day today was booked-ended by two charming examples of ignorable anger.
Stepping out of the car at the train station this morning I noticed an abnormal amount of people waiting when my morning grogginess was interrupted by a strangers voice bellowing “No need to hurry buddy, we ain’t going anywhere anytime soon.” He was right, we weren’t going anywhere for a good 50 minutes.
Fifty minutes that was spent absorbing the tensing atmosphere of the numerous commuters standard at various stations each getting equally more frustrated as each minute of train tardiness placed them further from their schedules. It was an impending foreshadow of what was to come.
As a commuter you come to expect the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority (MBTA) will get you to your destination on time roughly 40-45 percent of the time. Now, most of the time they get you there no more than a few to 10 minutes late. And then there are the days like today.
Priding themselves on doing their best to guarantee your prompt arrival and thereby increase you confidence in them, the MBTA maintains a refund policy if your train is more than 30 minutes late. How this policy works is that should you be on a train that is 30 or more minutes late to its destination, you can fill out a form with the MBTA and they will send you a refund. However, they still instruct their conductors on these late rail vessels to still collect all fares. As you can imagine, this is a policy that can ruffle some feathers, which I got to witness first hand in the following exchange between a couple of irate commuters and our fearless conductor.
Irate Commuter #1: “So let me get this straight, we need to fill out a form to get a refund.”
Fearless Conductor: “Yes sir, just go to the ticket counter in South Station or fill out the form online and I believe they will send you two free tickets.”
IC #1: “Why don’t you just not take my ticket?”
FC: “I wish I could sir, but unfortunately they do not allow us to make a decision like that, I’m sorry.”
Our conductor continued along picking up tickets from commuters who were no doubt just as frustrated but who at least had been taught the principle of decorum while the irate commuter continued grumbling to a fellow irate commuter. This insightful exchange went a little like this:
IC #1: “That is so stupid, they (MBTA) don’t know how many people are riding these trains. You’re telling me he absolutely has to collect these fares. Who’s gonna know?”
Irate Commuter #2: “Oh, you’re telling me, its stupid, he’s just an idiot.”
Mind you, the conductor is well within earshot of this exchange. I have no idea how he was able to keep quiet, because I barely could, but as I turned to see whom our irate ignoramus #2 was, I realized it must have been easy. After all, I’m sure slurs are a little bit easy to brush off when they are coming from 40-ish year old woman sporting a feathered Cheryl Tiegs hairdo circa 1978. I figured her presentation pretty much effaced anything she had to say.
I can only imagine what it must be like to be in the middle of a train full of very pissed-off and late commuters. There is probably some version of the scenario in hell. However, I can see the point behind our irate commuters regrettable exchange and question how the MBTA applies its 30-minutes fare refund. By instructing their conductors to continue collecting fares on these refund-eligible trains, the MBTA is banking on public indolence; that people will just be too lazy to take the time to fill-out the refund forms. And I’m sure they are right, but they need to realize the position they are putting their employees is in. I hate seeing a working-class Joe getting shit, for simply doing his job.
Fast-forwarding past the ill-bred corporate part of my day, we find my evening commute brushing itself with another ignoramus.
Walking toward the entrance to the subway, I was stopped by a clearly flustered woman asking me if I could point out a particular building she was looking for in the area. Apparently my two seconds pondering was a little too long for this woman as she blurted out, “Oh, you don’t know, what good are you?” Coincidentally, that was the same question I was asking myself as I played my eight game of solitaire while my inbox continued to ping with new messages a few hours earlier. But stepping out of myself for a second, I apologized to her and kept on my merry way knowing full well the karma police were sure to take care of her.
Don’t get me wrong; I’ve been in similar situations as all of our players today, but I do my best to swallow because making a public spectacle is not high on my list of priorities. It did give me some fodder for the rest of my trip though as I realized in public, we’re literally only an indiscretion or judgment lapse away from chaos. They say ignorance is bliss, but not when you feel the need to display. So to our irate friends out there, do us all a favor next time; be considerate of others and shut-up.
Stepping out of the car at the train station this morning I noticed an abnormal amount of people waiting when my morning grogginess was interrupted by a strangers voice bellowing “No need to hurry buddy, we ain’t going anywhere anytime soon.” He was right, we weren’t going anywhere for a good 50 minutes.
Fifty minutes that was spent absorbing the tensing atmosphere of the numerous commuters standard at various stations each getting equally more frustrated as each minute of train tardiness placed them further from their schedules. It was an impending foreshadow of what was to come.
As a commuter you come to expect the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority (MBTA) will get you to your destination on time roughly 40-45 percent of the time. Now, most of the time they get you there no more than a few to 10 minutes late. And then there are the days like today.
Priding themselves on doing their best to guarantee your prompt arrival and thereby increase you confidence in them, the MBTA maintains a refund policy if your train is more than 30 minutes late. How this policy works is that should you be on a train that is 30 or more minutes late to its destination, you can fill out a form with the MBTA and they will send you a refund. However, they still instruct their conductors on these late rail vessels to still collect all fares. As you can imagine, this is a policy that can ruffle some feathers, which I got to witness first hand in the following exchange between a couple of irate commuters and our fearless conductor.
Irate Commuter #1: “So let me get this straight, we need to fill out a form to get a refund.”
Fearless Conductor: “Yes sir, just go to the ticket counter in South Station or fill out the form online and I believe they will send you two free tickets.”
IC #1: “Why don’t you just not take my ticket?”
FC: “I wish I could sir, but unfortunately they do not allow us to make a decision like that, I’m sorry.”
Our conductor continued along picking up tickets from commuters who were no doubt just as frustrated but who at least had been taught the principle of decorum while the irate commuter continued grumbling to a fellow irate commuter. This insightful exchange went a little like this:
IC #1: “That is so stupid, they (MBTA) don’t know how many people are riding these trains. You’re telling me he absolutely has to collect these fares. Who’s gonna know?”
Irate Commuter #2: “Oh, you’re telling me, its stupid, he’s just an idiot.”
Mind you, the conductor is well within earshot of this exchange. I have no idea how he was able to keep quiet, because I barely could, but as I turned to see whom our irate ignoramus #2 was, I realized it must have been easy. After all, I’m sure slurs are a little bit easy to brush off when they are coming from 40-ish year old woman sporting a feathered Cheryl Tiegs hairdo circa 1978. I figured her presentation pretty much effaced anything she had to say.
I can only imagine what it must be like to be in the middle of a train full of very pissed-off and late commuters. There is probably some version of the scenario in hell. However, I can see the point behind our irate commuters regrettable exchange and question how the MBTA applies its 30-minutes fare refund. By instructing their conductors to continue collecting fares on these refund-eligible trains, the MBTA is banking on public indolence; that people will just be too lazy to take the time to fill-out the refund forms. And I’m sure they are right, but they need to realize the position they are putting their employees is in. I hate seeing a working-class Joe getting shit, for simply doing his job.
Fast-forwarding past the ill-bred corporate part of my day, we find my evening commute brushing itself with another ignoramus.
Walking toward the entrance to the subway, I was stopped by a clearly flustered woman asking me if I could point out a particular building she was looking for in the area. Apparently my two seconds pondering was a little too long for this woman as she blurted out, “Oh, you don’t know, what good are you?” Coincidentally, that was the same question I was asking myself as I played my eight game of solitaire while my inbox continued to ping with new messages a few hours earlier. But stepping out of myself for a second, I apologized to her and kept on my merry way knowing full well the karma police were sure to take care of her.
Don’t get me wrong; I’ve been in similar situations as all of our players today, but I do my best to swallow because making a public spectacle is not high on my list of priorities. It did give me some fodder for the rest of my trip though as I realized in public, we’re literally only an indiscretion or judgment lapse away from chaos. They say ignorance is bliss, but not when you feel the need to display. So to our irate friends out there, do us all a favor next time; be considerate of others and shut-up.
Wednesday, February 19, 2003
I miss college and its hallowed grounds chock full of students, fueled by click of mouse total information access, warped on personal beliefs that they are going to make a difference and change the world. Oh, to be young and naïve without a care or true responsibility filled to the brim with idealistic optimism. Makes me…jealous.
College is the greatest ego-booster around. Sure you’re paying them to learn and the workload can get treacherous, but if you make it through to graduation, you walk out of it feeling like the world owes you everything. When I received my diploma I was hell-bent on staying true to myself and not compromising any of beliefs or dreams, which meant nothing more than avoiding the “real” world as long as physically possible. It was a good year and half of bartending, traveling and, of course, partying, but eventually, reality sunk in. It was time to put my degree to work. So, off went the Birkenstocks and out came the neckties.
When I finally landed my first “real” job, I was resolute on retaining my individuality at all costs. But gradually, corporate life began to chip away the chip on my shoulder and compromise became my modus operandi. I went from vowing to never wear a tie to vowing never to own a suit to owning a suit. It didn’t take to long to deduce that it’s pretty tough to assert your individuality in the gray corporate world, especially as a young professional. But, I’m starting to come full circle; at least trying to anyway.
After five plus years in corporate settings, I’ve begun to experience a resurgence, or depending on your level of cynicism, regurgitation, of that same difference-making, bucker of the system ideology that so ruled my academic world days. I suppose it’s the old “knowledge is power” idiom, but that 21-year-old kid who vowed never to wear a tie has traipsed his way through enough brain-storing sessions to solicit my own
out-of-the-box thinking which when taken off-line to discuss with myself has led to the obvious conclusion, I hate corporate life.
I could undoubtedly dedicated pages upon pages dissecting the roots of my hatred, but that would merely be trying to give credence to all things Dilbert and not truly bring forth what the solution to my hatred is, finding something I like. But, to talk about corporate clichés is cliché.
There are millions out there who feel the same way as me, but how many want to do something about it and how much can you rebel against the corporate doctrine without running the risk of being branded an insubordinate and getting your butt tossed to the proverbial curb? So the thinking becomes “how much can I really make a difference?” It’s the classic syndrome of being tiny drop in an ocean of standard operating procedures so we continue to ebb along with the flow to earn our societal keep.
The obvious aside, I’ve come to realize that, ever so subtly, you really can take a stand for your principles and I’ve resolved myself do what I can to go against the corporate grain. I’m not talking earth-shattering, fuck the establishment type rebellion, but little things, like taking a lunch or actually working nine to five, real simple stuff that helps me live my belief that my life will forever be more important than anything that requires me to sit in a cube. Which brings me to my intended point.
Sitting through what will now forever be known as the President’s Day Blizzard of ’03 watching inch upon fluffy inch pile up to feet, I resigned myself to not going to work the following day. With all non-essential city and state workers already told not to report in the following day, I figured my company would follow suit and I knew I would have a good morning’s worth of shoveling staring me in the face. Well, my company made no mention of anything the following day. It was business as usual and I still stayed home, but it wasn’t without the corporate guilt nibbling at me all day.
You know, it wasn’t long ago that the world would have had no problem stopping for the day to allow people to dig out and god forbid, enjoy the majesty of such a storm. Not today. In this era of real-time info and work first mentalities, those adhering to the corporate-first creed hopped in their SUVs and headed straight to work as if it were business as usual. I’m proud to say I wasn’t one of them. Let the revolution begin.
College is the greatest ego-booster around. Sure you’re paying them to learn and the workload can get treacherous, but if you make it through to graduation, you walk out of it feeling like the world owes you everything. When I received my diploma I was hell-bent on staying true to myself and not compromising any of beliefs or dreams, which meant nothing more than avoiding the “real” world as long as physically possible. It was a good year and half of bartending, traveling and, of course, partying, but eventually, reality sunk in. It was time to put my degree to work. So, off went the Birkenstocks and out came the neckties.
When I finally landed my first “real” job, I was resolute on retaining my individuality at all costs. But gradually, corporate life began to chip away the chip on my shoulder and compromise became my modus operandi. I went from vowing to never wear a tie to vowing never to own a suit to owning a suit. It didn’t take to long to deduce that it’s pretty tough to assert your individuality in the gray corporate world, especially as a young professional. But, I’m starting to come full circle; at least trying to anyway.
After five plus years in corporate settings, I’ve begun to experience a resurgence, or depending on your level of cynicism, regurgitation, of that same difference-making, bucker of the system ideology that so ruled my academic world days. I suppose it’s the old “knowledge is power” idiom, but that 21-year-old kid who vowed never to wear a tie has traipsed his way through enough brain-storing sessions to solicit my own
out-of-the-box thinking which when taken off-line to discuss with myself has led to the obvious conclusion, I hate corporate life.
I could undoubtedly dedicated pages upon pages dissecting the roots of my hatred, but that would merely be trying to give credence to all things Dilbert and not truly bring forth what the solution to my hatred is, finding something I like. But, to talk about corporate clichés is cliché.
There are millions out there who feel the same way as me, but how many want to do something about it and how much can you rebel against the corporate doctrine without running the risk of being branded an insubordinate and getting your butt tossed to the proverbial curb? So the thinking becomes “how much can I really make a difference?” It’s the classic syndrome of being tiny drop in an ocean of standard operating procedures so we continue to ebb along with the flow to earn our societal keep.
The obvious aside, I’ve come to realize that, ever so subtly, you really can take a stand for your principles and I’ve resolved myself do what I can to go against the corporate grain. I’m not talking earth-shattering, fuck the establishment type rebellion, but little things, like taking a lunch or actually working nine to five, real simple stuff that helps me live my belief that my life will forever be more important than anything that requires me to sit in a cube. Which brings me to my intended point.
Sitting through what will now forever be known as the President’s Day Blizzard of ’03 watching inch upon fluffy inch pile up to feet, I resigned myself to not going to work the following day. With all non-essential city and state workers already told not to report in the following day, I figured my company would follow suit and I knew I would have a good morning’s worth of shoveling staring me in the face. Well, my company made no mention of anything the following day. It was business as usual and I still stayed home, but it wasn’t without the corporate guilt nibbling at me all day.
You know, it wasn’t long ago that the world would have had no problem stopping for the day to allow people to dig out and god forbid, enjoy the majesty of such a storm. Not today. In this era of real-time info and work first mentalities, those adhering to the corporate-first creed hopped in their SUVs and headed straight to work as if it were business as usual. I’m proud to say I wasn’t one of them. Let the revolution begin.
Thursday, February 13, 2003
High alert, dirty bombs, safe rooms, gas masks, anthrax, nukes, emergency safe kits, fear. I’m starting to get the feeling I’m in the middle of the old Creature Double Feature movie showcase. It’s only a matter of time before the Godzilla warning reaches the red level: “Severe risk of massive destruction reigned down from an oversized lizard.”
Seriously though, this is getting a bit scary. I went from having a perfectly groggy train ride this morning to completely paranoid by the time I pulled into South Station, because I read the morning’s paper. Stories about people stockpiling duct tape and plastic in case we are hit with some sort of chemical attack and my respective city’s plans in the event of an attack permeated any sense of lucidity I had. Duct tape and plastic? Look, I realize duct tape might very well be the most useful fix-it tool around, but I’ll be damned if it and a few hundred yards of plastic are enough to create a barrier from a chemical attack.
But this is what the Office of Homeland Security recommends, to create an air-proof room in your house by duct-taping plastic over the window and doors. Even if this were to work, has anybody given any thought to the fact that creating an air-proof barrier to keep chemicals out will also prevent fresh air from getting in? Why don’t the just tell us to place a place bag over our head and tape it around our neck, it be much more effective and use considerably less duct tape.
I’m not sure if I can even give in to these warnings or if I even have a choice. It is scary though and I can’t help but wonder if this is what it felt like in the 1950s at the beginning of the Cold War? Are duct tape and plastic shelters the equivalent of fall out shelters? Can the reinstitution of air raid drills be far behind? I’m not ever one to give in to too much hype around anything, but I can’t help it, news of this is every where you turn. This real-time dissemination of information may be the exact reason why this fear may be more intense than the Cold War. Information traveled at a snails pace compared today, but the question remains, what spurns greater hysteria, instant information access or slow information gathering which allowed time for the human psyche to wander into dangerous paranoia?
Hysteria aside, I question the merit of getting the public geared-up for things like this. Duct tape and plastic, honestly, this is the best our government can come up with? I’ve already heard stories of people wrapping there entire houses with plastic and can’t help but wonder if the OHS has cut some sort of back-ally deal with plastics and duct tape manufacturers of the nation?
About the only thing close to the area of rational I can think of, is that this push to create survival kits was hatched as a psychological ploy to prevent people from feeling helpless. In other words, if we can physically touch, feel and purchase something tangible, it can give the illusion that we are truly not powerless against terror. Makes sense I suppose.
But for me, well, I can’t pray victim to it; this is what the terrorists want, to induce fear. I will say that I feel I can relate a faction of a bit more to what life must be like in Israel on a daily basis, a situation that must be the ultimate example of hell on earth. Survival mode has become second nature for them and I can only imagine what would happen to the American psyche if things started blowing-up with the regularity of things there. I still won’t be purchasing my duct tape and plastic anytime soon, but if those air rais sirens go off, you’ll find me hunkered down under my desk subsisting on whatever crumbs from a years worth of eating lunch at my desk has left me.
Seriously though, this is getting a bit scary. I went from having a perfectly groggy train ride this morning to completely paranoid by the time I pulled into South Station, because I read the morning’s paper. Stories about people stockpiling duct tape and plastic in case we are hit with some sort of chemical attack and my respective city’s plans in the event of an attack permeated any sense of lucidity I had. Duct tape and plastic? Look, I realize duct tape might very well be the most useful fix-it tool around, but I’ll be damned if it and a few hundred yards of plastic are enough to create a barrier from a chemical attack.
But this is what the Office of Homeland Security recommends, to create an air-proof room in your house by duct-taping plastic over the window and doors. Even if this were to work, has anybody given any thought to the fact that creating an air-proof barrier to keep chemicals out will also prevent fresh air from getting in? Why don’t the just tell us to place a place bag over our head and tape it around our neck, it be much more effective and use considerably less duct tape.
I’m not sure if I can even give in to these warnings or if I even have a choice. It is scary though and I can’t help but wonder if this is what it felt like in the 1950s at the beginning of the Cold War? Are duct tape and plastic shelters the equivalent of fall out shelters? Can the reinstitution of air raid drills be far behind? I’m not ever one to give in to too much hype around anything, but I can’t help it, news of this is every where you turn. This real-time dissemination of information may be the exact reason why this fear may be more intense than the Cold War. Information traveled at a snails pace compared today, but the question remains, what spurns greater hysteria, instant information access or slow information gathering which allowed time for the human psyche to wander into dangerous paranoia?
Hysteria aside, I question the merit of getting the public geared-up for things like this. Duct tape and plastic, honestly, this is the best our government can come up with? I’ve already heard stories of people wrapping there entire houses with plastic and can’t help but wonder if the OHS has cut some sort of back-ally deal with plastics and duct tape manufacturers of the nation?
About the only thing close to the area of rational I can think of, is that this push to create survival kits was hatched as a psychological ploy to prevent people from feeling helpless. In other words, if we can physically touch, feel and purchase something tangible, it can give the illusion that we are truly not powerless against terror. Makes sense I suppose.
But for me, well, I can’t pray victim to it; this is what the terrorists want, to induce fear. I will say that I feel I can relate a faction of a bit more to what life must be like in Israel on a daily basis, a situation that must be the ultimate example of hell on earth. Survival mode has become second nature for them and I can only imagine what would happen to the American psyche if things started blowing-up with the regularity of things there. I still won’t be purchasing my duct tape and plastic anytime soon, but if those air rais sirens go off, you’ll find me hunkered down under my desk subsisting on whatever crumbs from a years worth of eating lunch at my desk has left me.
Thursday, February 06, 2003
I have been involved in many interesting discussions and opinion volleying on the Iraq situation of late and just do not understand the perspective of the anti-war factions. How, if in fact evidence is given that Iraq does possess Weapons of Mass Destruction (WND), could you possibly be anti-war? Do people honestly think the freedom and luxuries what we have today were just given to them? Our me-first generation has taken self-indulgence to level never seen before. Ironically, it’s the freedom of our deeply rooted, spoiled brat American way of life that serves as the catalyst for the anti-war platform.
Now, I’m never one to ever champion violence over diplomacy, but when that breaks down, how can you argue against something that has been the solution for thousands of years. How can you argue against History, against what civilization has dictated is the resolution to conflict? It doesn’t make it right, but how can it be changed?
Many will argue we have too many problems to worry about within the United States borders before flexing our Democratic muscle all over the globe. I agree with that. We need to worry about education; natural resources, the environment, the economy, jobs and the million other problems facing the American public, but we should have been worrying about these yesterday and everyday prior to it.
We have built a culture and society that thrives on commercialism. It’s why you can read this from your palm pilot or access soft-core porn at the touch of a button while dialing for a pizza to better enhance our position as the world’s fattest nation. We are capitalist gluttons, slaves to money and power and the only thing that is going to reverse this is a drastic tragedy, the kind of tragedy that could be made possible if we let hostile nations continue to build to WMD.
But I question the rhetoric of these anti-war proponents, wondering if they have no sense of pride or historical cultural significance. You preach peace and non-violence at all costs, but are you willing to die for these ideals? Because if enough proof exists that Saddam has a chemical weapons surplus and is building to nuclear capacity, that is what inaction will bring, death. American Revolutionist Christopher Gadsen once argued that is it is easier to stop the work of “crafty, dissembling, insinuating men” before they get the chance to “carry their point against you.” I ask that all those diametrically opposed to war think about that for a second because if we don’t strike preemptively, we will be left in the smoldering debris these rogues will reign down on us.
If what Colin Powell presented to the United Nations is true, then Iraq is not only harboring WMD, but he is also going to great lengths to conceal them from the from the UN. Powell stated that Iraq has two of three components needed to build a nuke and he firmly believes Saddam will not stop until he succeeds in doing so. We are dealing with a madman here, a deceitful killer of his own people who despite his own innocent propaganda, will stop at nothing to see his mission fulfilled. His actions since the Gulf War have subtly done nothing to dispel this. If he is allowed to gain the munitions needed to reach us, he will. And North Korea will probably follow suit.
Look, I’m not going to argue against those who believe there is not root connection between Iraq and Al-Qaeda, or those who think this is Bush attempting to finish what his Daddy didn’t. But what I will ask is that you strongly consider the hatred and resentment that Iraq and other nations have for the U.S. and realize these people would like nothing more than to see our way of life destroyed. The people of these nations, so often referred to by the anti-war folk as innocent victims, aren’t playing by the same rules as us. They are people living under supreme dictatorships who hate us for our freedom, the very freedom that permits the dissemination of the anti-war extollers. They are people who would take much pleasure in eradicating you for simply having the freedom to push a peace agenda to preserve them.
We are a spoiled generation; we Gen X and Y’er’s. We’ve had everything in our lives given to us, leaving us with no sense of the true sacrifice Democracy comes with. In this information age five minutes ago is an eternity, so trying to wrap our arms around the significance and freedoms won for us by our ancestors in wars past is impossible. But the fact of the matter remains, if not for the likes of U.S. led war victories, we wouldn’t be enjoying everything we do today. Oppression is a horrible force.
Realize that I am basing all this on the extreme last resort. I support and am in complete favor of the peaceful disarmament of Iraq and removal of Saddam from power. But the realist in me has no faith that Saddam will ever go down without a fight. So I ask you anti-war folk, if it came down to your life or that of somebody in a foreign land, which would you chose? World peace is a great ideal; just tell me how we can get there without conflict, because if you can, than you my friend will go down in history as greater than god him or herself.
Now, I’m never one to ever champion violence over diplomacy, but when that breaks down, how can you argue against something that has been the solution for thousands of years. How can you argue against History, against what civilization has dictated is the resolution to conflict? It doesn’t make it right, but how can it be changed?
Many will argue we have too many problems to worry about within the United States borders before flexing our Democratic muscle all over the globe. I agree with that. We need to worry about education; natural resources, the environment, the economy, jobs and the million other problems facing the American public, but we should have been worrying about these yesterday and everyday prior to it.
We have built a culture and society that thrives on commercialism. It’s why you can read this from your palm pilot or access soft-core porn at the touch of a button while dialing for a pizza to better enhance our position as the world’s fattest nation. We are capitalist gluttons, slaves to money and power and the only thing that is going to reverse this is a drastic tragedy, the kind of tragedy that could be made possible if we let hostile nations continue to build to WMD.
But I question the rhetoric of these anti-war proponents, wondering if they have no sense of pride or historical cultural significance. You preach peace and non-violence at all costs, but are you willing to die for these ideals? Because if enough proof exists that Saddam has a chemical weapons surplus and is building to nuclear capacity, that is what inaction will bring, death. American Revolutionist Christopher Gadsen once argued that is it is easier to stop the work of “crafty, dissembling, insinuating men” before they get the chance to “carry their point against you.” I ask that all those diametrically opposed to war think about that for a second because if we don’t strike preemptively, we will be left in the smoldering debris these rogues will reign down on us.
If what Colin Powell presented to the United Nations is true, then Iraq is not only harboring WMD, but he is also going to great lengths to conceal them from the from the UN. Powell stated that Iraq has two of three components needed to build a nuke and he firmly believes Saddam will not stop until he succeeds in doing so. We are dealing with a madman here, a deceitful killer of his own people who despite his own innocent propaganda, will stop at nothing to see his mission fulfilled. His actions since the Gulf War have subtly done nothing to dispel this. If he is allowed to gain the munitions needed to reach us, he will. And North Korea will probably follow suit.
Look, I’m not going to argue against those who believe there is not root connection between Iraq and Al-Qaeda, or those who think this is Bush attempting to finish what his Daddy didn’t. But what I will ask is that you strongly consider the hatred and resentment that Iraq and other nations have for the U.S. and realize these people would like nothing more than to see our way of life destroyed. The people of these nations, so often referred to by the anti-war folk as innocent victims, aren’t playing by the same rules as us. They are people living under supreme dictatorships who hate us for our freedom, the very freedom that permits the dissemination of the anti-war extollers. They are people who would take much pleasure in eradicating you for simply having the freedom to push a peace agenda to preserve them.
We are a spoiled generation; we Gen X and Y’er’s. We’ve had everything in our lives given to us, leaving us with no sense of the true sacrifice Democracy comes with. In this information age five minutes ago is an eternity, so trying to wrap our arms around the significance and freedoms won for us by our ancestors in wars past is impossible. But the fact of the matter remains, if not for the likes of U.S. led war victories, we wouldn’t be enjoying everything we do today. Oppression is a horrible force.
Realize that I am basing all this on the extreme last resort. I support and am in complete favor of the peaceful disarmament of Iraq and removal of Saddam from power. But the realist in me has no faith that Saddam will ever go down without a fight. So I ask you anti-war folk, if it came down to your life or that of somebody in a foreign land, which would you chose? World peace is a great ideal; just tell me how we can get there without conflict, because if you can, than you my friend will go down in history as greater than god him or herself.
