2 on A fundamental deception lies at the core of thepeace & justice movement

[Dave Farber <dave () farber net>]

------ Forwarded Message
From: Anne Thomas Manes <anne () manes net>
Date: Mon, 17 Mar 2003 08:34:01 -0500
To: dave () farber net
Subject: RE: [IP] A fundamental deception lies at the core of thepeace &
justice movement

Dave,

For IP...

Thanks for giving us both sides of the argument (even though it does hurt).
In response to Brian Connelly's article, I have to say this:

Saddam Hussein is indeed a cruel and oppressive dictator. If there ever was
someone in this world that deserves the label of "evil", he's the one. And I
agree that regime change is a laudable goal. I don't think that very many
protesters would argue. I just don't believe that we need to go to war to
effect that regime change. The UN efforts are working. By going to war, we
will destroy the efficacy of the UN.

But Mr. Connelly is correct. Peace marches don't avert war. At least not in
this case. I guess I'm not too surprised that I've seen no major media
coverage of the worldwide candlelight vigil yesterday
(http://vigilpics.moveon.org/images/index.html). It's been overshadowed by
the fact that Bush is planning to launch the war within the next 24 hours or
so. It's very depressing that he totally ignores the voice of the worldwide
community.

Anne


------ Forwarded Message
From: Justin Rood <justin () justinrood com>
Reply-To: justin () justinrood com
Date: Mon, 17 Mar 2003 08:28:26 -0500
To: dave () farber net
Subject: RE: [IP] A fundamental deception lies at the core of thepeace &
justice movement

Dave,

Certainly, if this guy is concerned that free expression is needlessly
self-aggrandizing, he shouldn't be writing columns and posting them around
the internet, don't you think?

Just for the record, this man's piece is riddled with inconsitencies.  First
and foremost--which is shocking, coming from a former peace-nik, is this:
the primary reason not to invade Iraq is that it is a blatant violation of
international law.  No matter how bad a dictator may be, we are not allowed
to send in our armies to remove him.  It's the principle of sovreignty, and
right now George Bush should be glad the rest of the world is so dead-set on
respecting it, or he might have to high-tail it to an undisclosed location
himself.

He says has regrets about demonstrating during the first Gulf War because it
may have led Bush Sr. to leave Saddam in power (which contradicts one of his
central points, that demonstrations have no effect).  Yet he asks for no
regret from Bush Sr. who supported this awful dictator Saddam at the very
heights of his awfulness.  When Saddam was doing all the horrible stuff Bush
Jr. conveniently refers to when justifying this war.

I'll leave the smaller untruths alone -- that being anti-war never hurt
anyone's career (just ask a Dixie Chick); that protesting is just a way to
get known (can YOU name 20,000 of the people who showed up for the last
rally in Washington, D.C.?), or that the anti-war movement is all about
smoking pot and affirming life (tell that to the busloads of nurses,
families and other everyday folk who drove to DC from hundreds and thousands
of miles away to demonstrate).  And, finally, that it is somehow useless to
exercise one of our most basic freedoms, the right to free expression.


Justin Rood
New York, NY

------ End of Forwarded Message

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