We Don't Want Your Stupid War - October 25
Thousands rally in Washington to protest war
What I'd like to say to those flag-burners is this: If you hate this country so much, you have two choices. Either go find somewhere else to live, or try to make a change. And I don't mean puppetry and protests and slogan shouting. Change from within. Run for office. Start locally, think nationally. Screaming at the top of your lungs day after day is not going to accomplish anything. You hate this country? Change it, help someone else change it, or leave it. Being a weekend protester is just not going to get the job done.
- Michele Catalano
It's a rare occasion when Michele and I agree on anything political. Every now and then, though, she comes up with something that makes sense regardless of whatever side of the fence you happen to occupy. It's true, of course, that Common Sense (the concept, not the lobbying group...or was that Common Cause?...oops....) has no political orientation. It just is what it is.
I would agree with Michele that Indymedia is of the Liberal persuasion. That, however, is where I part company with these loons. The problem here is that Indymedia is to the Wingnut Left what Rush Limbaugh and Ann Coulter are to the Nutcase Right. Neither side contributes anything of value to the ongoing political debate in this country- unless you consider vitriol, insults, and pie-in-the-sky impracticality valid debating tools.
Marching, burning flags, and screaming invective at George W. Bush and Karl Rove is all well and good (Lord knows I've done my share), but what does it really change in the end? Do these Wingnuts honestly believe that the GOP power structure does anything but laugh at them?
Do you want to see changes in this country? Great; then do something constructive- get involved with the SYSTEM. Run for office. Work to elect someone who is and reflects your values. VOTE. Show up (and participate) in town meetings. Your voice CAN be heard, and you CAN make a difference- if you can learn to work within the existing political structure in this country (and, no, that's not "selling out"- whatever the Hell that means). How do you think the GOP took over Texas and later the White House? It sure as hell wasn't by burning flags and rioting.
Get involved, or be prepared to continue to be marginalized and ridiculed as out-of-touch fools. It's your choice.
