Tuesday, July 27, 2010
What Are They Waiting For?
The war in the US may not be as visceral as what my friends in Sarajevo or Gaza experienced, or as intense as what my cousins in Belfast endured, but it is every bit as demoralizing in terms of the sense of helplessness it can evoke. One of the major differences between the US conflict and the others is that they were invaded, while we have been attacked from within. As such, the remedies and rules of engagement we impose upon ourselves are unique; civil disobedience and boycott is OK, but sabotage and armed insurrection are viewed as beyond the pale. A restricted arena of moral sanction.
One of the unusual aspects of US social activism, however, is that resources of discontent are focused on attempting to mobilize the inactive, rather than used to support those who have already chosen to act--a classic cart-before-the-horse scenario. Utterly illogical and ineffective.
To answer the question what to do, I can only suggest looking for someone or some group that appears to be fighting intelligently, and offer to lend a hand. Given these people are in the news and online everyday, my question to the dissatisfied is, What are they waiting for?
One of the unusual aspects of US social activism, however, is that resources of discontent are focused on attempting to mobilize the inactive, rather than used to support those who have already chosen to act--a classic cart-before-the-horse scenario. Utterly illogical and ineffective.
To answer the question what to do, I can only suggest looking for someone or some group that appears to be fighting intelligently, and offer to lend a hand. Given these people are in the news and online everyday, my question to the dissatisfied is, What are they waiting for?
