03/20/2003 Entry: "'Liberated' To Death."

In the shower this morning I was thinking seditious thoughts.

I tried listening to 93.7 FM "Enemy Combatant Radio" for a while this morning, but I could only handle so much of it. It's great to hear people enthusiastic about their civil disobedience and peaceful protest, but after a short while I get a little ill from the media spin.

Don't get me wrong, I have the same reaction, probably stronger, with major media and government lying sessions press conferences. Earlier this week I stopped in a corner store (which was probably run by one of Those People, right Rep. Myrick?) which was playing talk radio in the store. It was all I could do to hold onto my OJ.

"Mo-o-o-ve! I have to get to work!" One woman waiting for a bus (that was not likely to come anytime soon) stood out in the street, bellowing at the protestors in front of her. The intersection at 2nd and Mission was blocked by a small but sincere group, removed and calmly standing, holding hands, just two city blocks from the much larger, drum-beating and circle-dancing blockade at Market and Kearny. The woman finally got in the protestors faces in frustration, yelling at a man with a bandana on his head asking her to stay calm. She screamed that she couldn't afford to miss more work. I walked past, not sure whose point I agreed with more.

People are funny. It would be quiet for a while, and then the cars which had backed up (and really hadn't moved, either) would erupt into a fit of honking. If honking doesn't work on normal traffic jams, what makes them think it'll work on protestors whose whole point is to jam traffic?

A woman in a very large, black, brand-new SUV tried to force her way through the intersection on another side. Protestors kept telling her to stop, that she was endangering pedestrians, that they were writing down her license number and would file police complaints later. She kept her windows rolled up tightly and stood behind her sunglasses (framed by her perfectly-done hair) and just demanded that they let her through. She had to get through. I think in that case I know whose point I agreed with more.

So here we are. So here I am. So now what?

Replies: 4 comments

Those damn protesters made me miss my dentist appointment. Now I'll have to wait a month for the flossing lecture.

Posted by The Boyfriend @ 03/20/2003 01:03 PM PST

Not sure who is right. Part of me felt like I should have been there.. but then I realized that violence takes many forms, including the insertion of your beliefs on another person.

I don't think there is a "right" answer

Posted by Vince @ 03/20/2003 04:46 PM PST

Well of course there's a right answer. Mine.

Posted by Mark @ 03/20/2003 06:42 PM PST

1400 were arrested in SF yesterday and only 3 in DC. Why are they protesting here in the most liberal city in the country yet not in DC or NY, where it would make a stronger impact and get wider coverage?

Posted by Todd @ 03/21/2003 09:26 AM PST