Minds in Conflict, Hands at Peace
So we're at war.
Make Sense, Not War
Two nights ago after GWB's address to the nation PBS had a special FRONTLINE and NOW that I found eye opening and compelling. What was especially compelling about them was that they were on the way to convincing me that ousting Saddam is a good thing.
What I can't support is the method we've used to go about doing it. I keep returning to the imperfect analogy that it's stupid to throw stones at a hornet's nest. And makes less sense to blow up the tree where the nest is hanging. We cut it down, and the hornets just fly to the next tree and start a new hive. In the mean time we've lost a tree and all that was contained in the branches.
If Saddam and his close buds are the hornets, there must be better ways to get him out than to terrorize a nation and make ourselves the pariah of the world.
Have you noticed that SUV drivers can be very dangerous because - for the most part - they're folks who haven't been trained to drive what is, in essense, a small truck? (this is connected, I promise - stay with me)
I used to drive a 15 passenger van into NYC every week full of undergrad students, so I know that it's a whole different animal. An SUV is in many ways more like driving a 15 passenger van than driving a Hyundai. So when an SUV driver tailgates with their blindingly bright headlights, drives too fast and is unable to stop quickly, tries to make a sharp turn that would be no problem for a normal sized car - well, they're in trouble.
Without meaning to, SUV drivers can become bullies on the road - pushing other cars out of the way, tailgating, speeding - things that wouldn't be so serious if a smaller car did them. And, sadly, those who are the most in danger are those outside of the SUV.
I see our country as a big, fat SUV of a nation right now. And the guy driving it doesn't understand the danger of being percieved as bullies by the rest of the world. Doesn't understand, or doesn't care. I do believe in nation building (which, up until a week ago, GWB didn't think was such a great idea) and this is NOT nation building.
And this guy wasn't even elected.
Knit this.
So we're at war.
Make Sense, Not War
Two nights ago after GWB's address to the nation PBS had a special FRONTLINE and NOW that I found eye opening and compelling. What was especially compelling about them was that they were on the way to convincing me that ousting Saddam is a good thing.
What I can't support is the method we've used to go about doing it. I keep returning to the imperfect analogy that it's stupid to throw stones at a hornet's nest. And makes less sense to blow up the tree where the nest is hanging. We cut it down, and the hornets just fly to the next tree and start a new hive. In the mean time we've lost a tree and all that was contained in the branches.
If Saddam and his close buds are the hornets, there must be better ways to get him out than to terrorize a nation and make ourselves the pariah of the world.
Have you noticed that SUV drivers can be very dangerous because - for the most part - they're folks who haven't been trained to drive what is, in essense, a small truck? (this is connected, I promise - stay with me)
I used to drive a 15 passenger van into NYC every week full of undergrad students, so I know that it's a whole different animal. An SUV is in many ways more like driving a 15 passenger van than driving a Hyundai. So when an SUV driver tailgates with their blindingly bright headlights, drives too fast and is unable to stop quickly, tries to make a sharp turn that would be no problem for a normal sized car - well, they're in trouble.
Without meaning to, SUV drivers can become bullies on the road - pushing other cars out of the way, tailgating, speeding - things that wouldn't be so serious if a smaller car did them. And, sadly, those who are the most in danger are those outside of the SUV.
I see our country as a big, fat SUV of a nation right now. And the guy driving it doesn't understand the danger of being percieved as bullies by the rest of the world. Doesn't understand, or doesn't care. I do believe in nation building (which, up until a week ago, GWB didn't think was such a great idea) and this is NOT nation building.
And this guy wasn't even elected.
Knit this.
posted by Annie at
Thursday, March 20, 2003
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