Saturday, March 04, 2006
The member from the Socialist Alternative Party rang me up for the second time. Halfway through deciding whether his persistence is a good thing or not. Atleast though I can be pretty sure that the first phone call we had didn't completely convince him that I was an idiot....that's a good thing?
I mentioned it to a friend, someone who is in the American army, and have been in the Iraq war that I was interested in the protest "troops out of Iraq" and he asked, why protest against something I knew nothing about.
It's with an afterthought that a question arose....what makes a soldier in a war know more or even anything about the way and situation he/she is fighting in?
Hmm.
However....he got angry. Stated that I had a negative view of America without ever being on American soil and that I should grow up and get some life experience.
I think it was the question I asked which prompted the anger....I asked, has he ever met Saddam Hussein. This is the preampt towards my point that everyone have a perception towards something without ever knowing or meeting the subjet in question.
The media, our own research, influence from parents, teachers and friends seek to shape our perception of ideas in the world and political perception is just the same.
Doesn't make it right or wrong, but people are allowed for their own conclusions. But some are more right than others....and here I speak of the famous words by Orwell shaping the gist of the communist regime in Russia.
I think....just like in history, there are general truths although there's always leeway for the argument of the opposite. Like...Hitler's holocaust would be deemed a horror, but some may say that his rise to power brought much wanted strength to Germany. Generally though, the public will say such a thing must never happen again....yes?
Political truth....wow, an oxymoron? Perhaps.
I would say though, American unilateral decision to invade Iraq under the pretense of nuclear war threat which in reality is another phase of their war on terror, is something that has show that American power in today's society has now breached the sovereignty of another's nation.
And now the Iraq war is taunted as the child of the Vietnam war.
A complete mess, its political structure going to pieces, hundreds dead and more dying as insurgents continue their campaign.
The American government once again does not realise the implications of their interference and or choose to ignore it.
Even putting aside the abuse that went on in the prisons, we are now facing the very real reality that there is literally nothing anyone else can do, or is willing to do. American being the largest socio-economic power in the world is being depended upon by other lesser countries for trade and aid. It would do them good to realise those aid is not coming without attachments.
Even if a world embargo ensues, either the world structure collapse, or it'll last a week and stop.
=/
I respect the idea that he willingly dons a uniform and fights for his country. I even respect that he trusts in the liberal ideals that exists in America.
But I refuse to believe the war in Iraq in justified on the basis that America should fight back because it was attacked.
Violence isn't an answer. It perpetuates the idea that it solves problems, but in reality it excerberates differences and causes more hostility.
We see it through history and again, it's not learnt. The constant terrorism between Israel and Palestine has sustained a near to 60 year pathway of blood.
The mindless abductions and bombings by various groups whether in the middle east or in Russia and elsewhere, has done nothing but gain people's enmity towards the causes of these 'freedom'/terrorist groups as well as death and massacre.
War and violence. Creates more war and violence.
So just because I haven't been on a battlefield, just because I'm not firsthand to view events doesn't mean I can't form an opinion. Of course, it is often useless and sometimes dangerous to form opinions without due cause, but I trust that somehow through my studies, I would have had cultivated a highly critical mind.
You know...I will join the meeting on Wednsday and see what it is about.
Mused by Sukunami Taka around 11:25 PM
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