Turning Negative Energy PositiveI try not to post about politics unless I have something I think is useful to read. I've been on a few other sites where this subject has been discussed lately, and I've found that there are a lot of really angry, bitter people out there who are having a hard time directing that anger toward something useful.
You can read some comments from these people here. As I said on Jack's site, I completely understand why some on the left who don't believe in the current war and don't back the current administration are angry. I understand that anger because I've felt it too in past years.
However, the point should be made that standing around berating the president and his policies with personal attacks is not all that productive. In fact, it is a very real possibility when these comments are made in a public forum, verbally or written, the enemy will use them to gain new recruits and drum up support for their cause. I understand people feel like they are just exercising their constitutional right to dissent, but screaming their dislike for what's going on will not change who we have as President or the fact that we are currently at war.
In deference to our troops, instead of spewing out all that hatred and frustration, would it not be better to use all that energy to actually work toward a change? Why not volunteer for the candidate of their choice in the 2006 elections and try and make a change in numbers at Congress? Join a grass roots campaign and make sure your message gets out there in a classy way, talking to the democratic base and making sure they realize how important you think it is to see a change in Washington?
Let me be clear...I think it's everyone's right to speak out when they don't agree with what's going on in Washington. However, we need to be sure that we do it in a way that is productive and does not effect how our troops can do their job and makes the problem worse. That is all I was saying at Jack's site. I don't think those that don't agree with Bush should just "shut up and take it". I think they should stop whining and if they really care about what's going on and would like to see a change they should do something useful to help make that change happen.
As a side note...while we were in the airport last October waiting to fly to Dublin, we were immersed in a sea of Army personnel waiting on their charter to Iraq. The CNN airport news channel ran a story about some protester (can't remember which or what group). What I do remember is the reactions of the soldiers...they ranged from downcast faces and hunched shoulders to people shaking their heads in disbelief to jaws clenched in outright anger. Remember...the troops can see and hear you when the news covers this....and so can the enemy.
It is my sincere hope that those that still hold onto their bitterness and anger with such fervor can turn that energy toward actions they can take that might actually make a difference.
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Comments
Good points all, Paula. And since I am not a pacifist I do have trouble understanding all the anger vs. taking action to effect change. And you're right, it's a war now so different things do need to be taken into consideration...national security, safety of our troops, etc. People just need to be careful they're not painting a target on some poor private's head when they denigrate the president and the policy. They don't have to respect the man, but they do have to respect the position.
Posted by: Peaches on December 21, 2005 01:38 PM
I find it kinda funny really. The same loons who were shrieking about the blue dress a few years ago are now saying suck it up and support the Prez. Yes, it's war (a war I generally support, BTW), so it's not exactly the same, and it would be nice if peeps took the soldiers' feelings into account, but still...this is going to be one long-ass war (the war on terror). You can't expect peeps not to express their ugly, hateful feelings for a decade or ten until this is over.
What I find disgusting (though of course I respect their right to express yada yada) is the zero attention by the left to the HORRIBLE stuff done by the Islamists on a continual basis (FGM, anyone?), yet an unrelenting focus on outlier events done by Merkins and every supposed booboo by Bush. OH MY GOD, he authorized phone tappings of peeps with links to al qaeda. Big whoop. He didn't round them up and put them in camps like last time we were attacked on our soil, hey.
Posted by: Paula on December 21, 2005 12:00 PM
