Friday, February 14, 2003

New York, New York I have been too busy organizing for the massive peace march in New York City this weekend to write very much.  The rally will likely become a focal point for the clash of expectations:  the police and people who have been terrorized by the FBI and Homeland security alerts, vs. the thousands of people who don't think Iraq is an immediate threat, who see the terror alert levels as mass hysteria, orchestrated by the government to justify its actions. For the second time, apparently a mass hysteria over threat has been triggered by a disinformation campaign from Al Qaeda.  It turns out that the poor detainee-- who singlehandedly managed to terrorize the American population into purchasing duct tape and plastic, aided and abetted by our own Captain Ahab (nee GWB), was simply lying.  I am not into martial arts, but I believe the principle is to use your opponents force against him, while conserving your own power.  This is a perfect image for what is happening to the U.S. today.  Al Qaeda is very successfully playing to our mass hysteria, and in the process inflicting immense psychological and economic damage, at virtually no cost to themselves. The truth is that the greater our government ratchets up the sense of fear in this country, the more we are losing the war against terror. In New York, our message will be to stop the madness of an unnecessary war, to stand up against fear, to say that the American people are much wiser than their mad leaders, and that we can fight terrorism better through strengthening international cooperation, expanded inspections in Iraq, recognizing our common interests (not our American imperial interests), etc. Any simple leadership manual will tell you the most authorative and secure leadership uses the strength of the people to achieve common ends.  Bush only has contempt for real people, so he is incapable of the trust needed in a leader. These are dark times, and I never believed I would be living through another world war, brought on by our own stupidity.  But that is what seems to be happening.         9:26:55 AM   comment []

© Copyright 2003 Toby Sackton. Last update: 3/3/2003; 11:24:20 PM.