February 19, 2003

A similar thought from Samuel Johnson (Rambler 68):

Nothing is to be estimated by its effect upon common eyes and common ears. A thousand miseries make silent and invisible inroads on mankind, and the heart feels innumerable throbs, which never break into complaint.

Please, please tell me that you people are joking, that this site is an extended and fairly deeply buried but at heart ironic piece castigating what you're (I pray) pretending to propound...the people out there on the streets of your country and mine protesting against this war, this blatant facade for US vengeance and greed, ARE the majority - one and a half million people, not placard-waving radicals but ordinary people with 'ordinary' moderate opinions stood up in London and waved in Bush's face what that sycophantic coward Blair won't say - that we do not want a war. It is not justified. It is not even against the right people. It is yet another example of American arrogance and ill-thought out militarianism that they think they can force the whole world under threat of nuclear war because some psyco engineered a tragic and terrible act of terrorism against them, and for this the whole Arab world comes under fire. You couldn't find Osama, so let's string up the next best thing - the visible demon-fiigure of Sadaam Hussein. Hussein is a terrible man and the people of Iraq live in fear and subjugation. But at least he doesn't attempt to conceal his menace under the good ole' stars n'stripes values of "justice" and "peacemaking." Call it what it is - belligerence, war-mongering, and above all this unfounded cultural imperialism that says your way is best. Your way, let's remember, produced Vietnam, as well as supplying most of the arms to the countries now turning them against us. Ironic, hey? America was attacked, and innocent people lost their lives, which is an awful thing. But worse things are happening every single day in Burma, Kabul, Palestine, Rwanda...but as long as you can set up your McDonald's there, you don't give a damn. What on earth makes you think that your nation alone amongst nations should be immune to the terror suffered by millions every day - and what makes you think that on the basis of some very tenuous evidence and a good deal of propaganda and government lies, you and your moronic president can drag us all into one great big crusade to wipe out the Middle East, oh and let's not forget, castigating all us "doves, liberals and lefties" who don't agree with your views. Sadaam dictates Iraq. You think you can dictate the world.
Take a long, hard look.

Uriel, I agree. As a country, we are asking for our comeuppance now that we have issued a foreign affairs policy that makes it a goal for us to become the world's bully. It's one thing to be a world leader, it's another thing to act as if the world must follow us. This foreign policy we're pursuing is something which has been in the works for about a decade, by outsider hawks; unfortunately they are now inside the White House. Everynight, before I go to sleep, I curse the butterfly ballot. The nation is in a horrible situation thanks to that.