You know, one thing I've always thought funny about people like Not In My Name and Valcartier2007 is that they are essentially scared and ignorant, just like the rest of us.
I agree that the bulk of society is wilfully ignorant and even zombie-like - hell look at voter turnout in Canada or our insatiable desire for "stuff". Those things make me mad/scared too and I try my best to do my part by recycling, eating local foods, consuming less, driving less, supporting local business, getting involved with local politics, voting, joining the Army to help my fellow man, etc. However, what Not In My Name et al. do when they see the same problems is retreat into a world of hubris, rhetoric and moral superiority. That way they can scoff at us "zombies" with our "head in the sand" and say to themselves "I'm not like them, I'm
better."
The thing they fail to realise is that they have no dominion over reality and truth and they rarely have realistic answers to real-life problems. They often speak in absolutes and state opinion as fact when the real world abhores absolutes and where perception is often reality. That's why you will never see a coherent alternative from them about how solve Afghanistan (or Darfur or Nazism or poverty). Rhetoric mandates that they must be anti-military and show "solidarity" with the people of Afghanistan when in fact they don't really know what either of those means. They shout "Solidarity" at rallies and march through the streets while the soldiers they relfexively loathe and look down their noses at risk their lives, and occasionally lose their lives, to bring peace and hope to a people that have known neither for a generation. The saddest part is that their ilk will rarely put their money where their mouth is and actually
do something to change the world other than mouth slogans like... well, like zombies. But of course, they're not zombies as most have read much about the world and some have travelled and all have formed strong opinions of how they want to see their world look. I would just caution Not In My Name and Valcartier2007 that you pause for a moment before calling any kettles here black. Soldiers are often very well educated, worldly people who have formed strong opinions about how they would like the world to be.
The irony here is that most soldiers are probably truer socialists than these anarchists. The word socialist has a negative connotation to it and most soldiers would object to the description but I ask you to think about it. Being Canadian they may already be strong supporters of many left-leaning policies like universal health care and EI. More to the point, they understand the need for those who are better off to help those in need. They know better than most in this country that there are people who are desperately poor and they are willing to risk their lives to improve their lot. They recognize the need for the collective to come to the aid of the most destitute and oppressed.
That's all I got.
MG
P.S. I'm still waiting for your alternative solution to our problem in Afghanistan.
