Oct 30 2007
Leave the Troops there - lower their pay
The first war protest I ever watched was from the balcony of The Crescent City Brewhouse. I was haveing a great time eating and drinking with my land lord, Ajit Singha Asi. We’re both peace lovin’ fellows but like most people, both of us have the capacity to use violence or threats of violence to manifest our justified will. For me this was most notably done by removing crack-heads from my stoop. Though Ajit is of a much larger stature than I, he is a naturally gentler man, but his background is from the warrior faith Sikhism. The Sikhs are bound at times to grow their hair out, carry a tiny comb, wonder woman bracelets, special underwear and a short dagger. To those of us who are juvenile this may seem humorous, but anyone with sophistication will recognize the garb as a means to achieve ultimate religious coolness. At any rate, it sure beats a Zucchetto Stole Cassock.
As we sat on the balcony at the beginning of the Iraq invasion watching the protesters, I couldn’t help but feel no connection to the movement. The primary reason being that I had ignored history, international/national/local news and politics my entire life. Only a fool would say they’re against something when they don’t know what it is. More than that though, what I recognized was somewhat of a fashion statement being made with the protesters and their totally hip political action. I’m not sure why the French Quarter was decided to be the best place to make an impact: Jefferson would be a much better target. The first decade of this Millennium has proven to be quite an earth shaker, for it successfully perked my ears to the “events” of humankind and political agendas. It only took a terrorists attack, an idiot president, neohippies and North America’s largest man made natural disaster, to do so.
Since then I’ve taken a crash course in politics and religion and the insanity both tend instill in a man of a rational nature. A good example of this just happened in the election of Louisiana’s first “Indian” head of State. His name is Bobby and he is as southern, catholic and republican as any politician I’ve ever seen. The newly elected President George W. Bush appointed him Assistant Secretary of Health and Human Services for Planning. Seven years later, less one charity hospital, Bobby is still about as Indian as I am. I don’t really know enough about him to outright dislike him, but on a very superficial level, I just can’t stand his prickish grin. I hope the Vishnu is on his side. After he won the election, I watched WWL in astonishment as Indian businessmen materialized on my tiny TV stating that they are getting ready to do business with our State. I know we have the enormous asset of the Mississippi port but why on earth do we need an “Indian” governor to import Indian goods? It sounds racist to me. Maybe I’ll call any local big business corporation and complain to an Indian in India about importing outer sources. I liked the message behind Campbell’s campaign. Louisiana should be compensated from the foreign oil imports that wreck our wetlands, endangering the gem of the south; we don’t need more cheap foreign curry powder.
I’ve been hearing more and more sympathies going out to our foot soldiers in Iraq. “Bring our boys home” is the mantra. Has anyone asked the boys why they chose to be in the military, if they don’t want to be fighting the good fight? The people elect the president, the president declares war, the boys are slaving for freedom. It’s their honor, it’s their adrenalin rush, it’s their paycheck, it’s the learned skills and experience they’ll use at home for the rest of their lives. I am against this war but the war is simply the end of a chain of votes by the United States people. That’s why I believe the draft is an essential element in a Nation State’s Army. I’m concerned about human rights and world peace but on a survivalist level, I’m concerned with the peace in my backyard and the liberty behind my apartment walls first. To achieve this there is only one solution: Everyone needs to mind their own fucking business and the States need to be treated equally by any axis of goodness. This is a difficult goal to achieve so long as gods deciding what isReal eState.
in february of 2003 –before the war had started– there was in new orleans a demonstration to prevent what had yet to befall iraq. we followed the perimeter of the quarter from armstrong park to canal, down canal to decatur to jackson square, where the crowd assembled for speakars. if you had been on the brewhouse balcony you might have waved– i was carrying a sign that said INSPECT ISRAEL.
the quarter was chosen as the easiest location for out-of-towners to reach collectively on time– it was logistical good sense.
you may put to rest your concerns that the demonstration was a fashion statement by ‘neohippies’. while there may have been one or two who knew little of politics, many of those marching that day –the crowd included iraqis and vietnam vets– knew only too well what american imperialism has unleashed upon the world in the last century, particularly in the years since WW2.
there is a marked difference between that march and the one you’ve featured here — the one in february of 03 was long enuf –massive enuf– to take half an hour to make the half-circuit around the quarter. we still believed in the people power of an earlier era, and woke up several months later to realize that marches are not going to change a thing, fascism is far too advanced and the contradictions of america too deep. the krupps and mitsubishis are too heavily invested.
the only thing that’s going to stop that war and end the occupation is the iraqi resistance itself, if –like the NLF of vietnam– they can get their shit together into an organized front.
If war is the end of a chain of the people’s votes, why should everyone be sucked into service? Why not just the ones that voted for what would eventually become war?
unokhan I meant no disrespect. When I watched the protest I was shamefully ignorant of politics. I wouldn’t have understood your sign if I did see it. When I said it was a fashion statement I didn’t mean it in a derogatory sense. What I meant was that it had no impact because most of the people walking in the march already exuded a repugnance to war by their very being. At the time I “looked” far more like a hippie than anyone in the march however if there is reason I have no qualms with deadly force. The fact is that my reaction to the march weakened my attitude towards being against the war.
Good question young grasshopper Wooz.
The reason a draft is essential during war is that it levels the playing field of a Nation so the votes reflect truth. If the Krupps and Mitsubishis have the threat of members of their family havening to be in harms way they will give more thought in what they vote for. An all volunteer Army is difficult to feel sympathy for, killing is what they want to do. Therefor any opposition to the wars much be in consideration to a foreign Nations citizens. Not only are they strangers in a distant land, they are all of an alien culture. Mix in religious demographics and it’s easy to see why a person who has nothing to loss, and no threat of lose, would support actions that “seem” to strengthen their way of life.
WARNING massive generalizations follow…
Also, when at war an Army’s primary job is to occupy, the secondary job it to kill. While having an all volunteer army increases the level of it’s secondary job, it’s primary job is weakened. Since it’s difficult to recruit people into such a dangerous job extreme measures have to be used. This skims an unnatural “type” from the general population. It’s much more likely that the civilians of the nation we’ve invaded will continue to like us if they are exposed to a more random “type” of American. Over exposure to Ramo Swarshinigger can have negative consequences.
Did you mean Rambo Schwarzenegger?
If that’s really you in the picture you remind me of Legolas from LOTR, except less gay.
But more trippy.
Yes that’s me, in 1999. This is of me from 2003, and no it’s not photoshopped.
How did your eyes turn blue?
I was experiencing religious coolness.
Bullshit. You religious? No way.
$5 says he was a Jesuit.
I guess I should then ask how your eyes turned brown in the Legolas phase…
oh never mind. They were simply dilated to the max. Gotcha.