31 July 2007

Smart and Not-So-Smart Liberals

I don't get so many jokes in my inbox these days, but every so often I'll get an email about a protest, rally, or online petition. And that's usually worth a snicker.

I've participated in protests, but I don't think much of them. Or to be more precise, I don't think much of protesters. Generally speaking, I think they're more interested in making themselves feel like they're doing something without really doing something. Making a sign and chanting a few stanzas of "Hey, hey, ho, ho" with fellow hippies or fundamentalists (as the case may be) is more of a psychological indulgence than a serious attempt to change things.

Case in point: today's planned protest of John McCain's visit. Putting aside the obvious issue of McCain's snowball's chance in Hanoi of winning the nomination, does anyone really think a gaggle of 20-somethings and their grandparents with signs and lawn chairs will change McCain's mind about anything?

* sigh *

I have more confidence in the efforts of a different group disenfranchised liberals who finally seem to have figured out how to actually be productive in changing things.

And unlike all the protests, rallies, and petitions, it actually works.

2 comments:

ohdave said...

Speaking of which.

Please consider posting my little call to action.

This Friday, everyone needs to call their Congressperson's home office (since they're on recess) and express their outrage over this FISA bill. Let them know how we feel. If they voted the right way, tell 'em good job. If they didn't, tell 'em what you think.

It's not hard. Go to house.gov or senate.gov and find your Senator or Representative, and look for their contacts. It takes 2 minutes or less. And it takes about that long to call, or you can find a comment form on their site if you would rather do that.

We have to make our voices heard.

Anonymous said...

I could not agree with you more my friend. Nothing is funnier than a bunch of smelly/greasy middle aged hippies trying to relive their youth and "speak truth to power".

Going braless, doing drugs and having lots of casual sex is kind of cool if it is just a phase and you are 20. Going braless when you are in your 50s and gravity has taken it's toll is unsightly. Even some of the older men now could use a bra to hold their moobs in place.