Press Action

The RNC Demonstrations: Exercise in Futility

Posted 08/31 |

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I think that the ongoing antiwar movement, and its added credibility given that it was marching before the war began, is anything, anything but futile. Even if it has no actual influence beyond the symbolic, symbols are important.

Posted by j cummings from on 08/31 at 09:08 PM

More marching in circles. Though one thing is very evident...if there ever was any doubt before the RNC demonstrations, that we are the ignored, silenced part of this country, it is most obvious now.

Posted by Colette from on 09/01 at 02:50 AM

j cummings, symbols are not needed now. Kozol and Goodman et al would say you have been properly educated. What happened before the RNC convention is different: no one knew we wouldn’t be heeded. When you know something is futile and you go right ahead and do it anyway and feel satisfied that you’ve done something--made a gesture--in your expected failure you are part of the problem.
Yes, Colette. But look at how the “rebels” played the game beforehand; see how they run, now, to the beat of the lockstep drums, doing what they’re told: demonstrating in their properly designated areas. It is very sad to think that the leaders of the movement to free us from the bootheel are so...weak minded? I don’t know what the word is. We are like a spoiled little child throwing a temper tantrum in the middle of the supermarket. I remember when I was a child and had to face the horribly abusive wrath of my father: once he sent me to my room and I, in the righteous fury of a six year old (who could read Fenimore Cooper), trashed my room, throwing things everywhere, breaking nothing. Then, I stood in the midst of this and thought, “I’d better put this back before my father sees it. He’ll kill me.” I did. Then I lay down and took a nap.

Posted by secor from on 09/01 at 01:56 PM

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