As we approached the cineplex, we noticed an anti-war demonstration. We were very much in danger of NOT noticing the war demonstration. There was about fifteen people on a plaza holding polite "No More War" signs. No yelling. No blocking foot or car traffic. Certainly no media. Just a nice, polite anti-war demonstration. I almost missed it and no one - myself, the outdoor diners, the other movie goers - were deterred in the least from our destinations or activities.
This isn't just an Evanston thing. We saw an even smaller one last weekend in Logan Square. What the heck is going on here? Where are the huge anti-war demonstrations of the late '60's and early '70's? Where's the flag-burning? Where's giving the governor a reason to call the national guard - even though they're all in Iraq? Julie noticed that everyone in both demonstrations seemed to be in their 40's and 50's. Maybe even 60's. These people remember, and may even have participated, in those earlier demonstrations. Where's the anger and outrage? Where are the college students?
Then I read this on BreitBart...
WASHINGTON (AP) - Frequent tours for U.S. forces in Iraq and Afghanistan have stressed the all-volunteer force and made it worth considering a return to a military draft, President Bush's new war adviser said Friday."I think it makes sense to certainly consider it," Army Lt. Gen. Douglas Lute said in an interview with National Public Radio's "All Things Considered."
"And I can tell you, this has always been an option on the table. But ultimately, this is a policy matter between meeting the demands for the nation's security by one means or another," Lute added in his first interview since he was confirmed by the Senate in June.
Aha! The reason anti-war demonstrations across this country are so lame is because college-age students aren't having their butts involuntarily sent to an unjust war. No one is forced to chose between fighting in a war they don't support and burrowing their way into Canada. If Mitt Romney's boys were in danger of having their numbers pulled in the big war lottery, there would be a lot more outrage from young republicans. As long as the war is over there and dad's not making anyone hop in a hummer and look for roadside IED's in the dessert, then "polite" war demonstrations are going to continue. Every Friday, after work, bring a covered dish.
Want to see a quick end to the war? Bring back the draft. Send more children of Congressmen over to Iraq. See more public outrage as the war really hits everyone's home.
And go see Ratatouille. Great film. Awesome animated short before the feature, too. Called Lifted, it's a fine example of a "simple, but impossible task" scene done without dialogue.
THE BS NEWS QUIZ OF THE DAY
On Saturday, I asked...
"A man in Seattle was assaulted in a karaoke bar for singing which song?"
25% picked Bobby Vinton's "Blue Velvet"
Hmmm...Who did the punching? This Guy?
25% also picked Booker T's "Green Onions"
One of the finest pop rocks INSTRUMENTALS ever. I'd punch someone, too, if they added lyrics.
No one fell for Jimi Hendrix's "Purple Haze"
50% got it right with Coldplay's "Yellow"
According to The Smoking Gun, a woman assaulted a man at the Changes Tavern when he tried to warble his way through the Coldplay classic. She apparently only had two well-articulated complaints; his singing sucked and the song fucking sucked. Everybody's a critic.
To quote the song in question...
I swam across
I jumped across for you
Oh all the things you do
Cause you were all yellow (and you sucked)
