I was 11 when I saw that at my next door neighbor's house. I didn't know much, but I knew that Buddhists were supposed to be the most peaceful and non-violent people on earth. And here he was killing himself in protest just so people would know he knew it was wrong. So it had to be wrong. I went home and just sat in my room.

[snip]

If you showed the Iraqi dead to Americans day in and day out, the hundreds and thousand of them; showed them crying, showed them orphaned, showed them homeless, showed them bleeding under sheets in hospitals, even a child would know it was wrong, and immoral and unwinnable.

Ahhh, this wouldn't be the old "Americans are really good at heart and would surely put a stop to this if only they knew..." argument would it?

If so, I disagree.

Many, many Americans are well aware and have been for some time. It is my belief that we simply do not care about the Iraqis. Further, I don't believe we care about our "troops."

Not all of this could have been avoided but much of it could have been. Unlike the Buddhist monk you referenced we, as a people, simply do not care enough to take action. Oh yes, we voted for an end to the occupation and there have been a few protests, but we have never taken it to the level it needs to be taken to. The thieving crooks and warmongers in charge and the Democrats who enable them are not listening. They have proven time and time again that they are not listening. In the end they are not to blame. We know who and what they are. Glenn Greenwald has been writing about it for what seems like an eternity now. We know what they are going to do and not do... some of us have known this for quite some time. In the end it is not their fault. They are a known quantity. It is our own fault -- we haven't given them enough reason to listen.

We don't care about the Iraqis and we don't care about our own state of affairs. We don't care enough, so ultimately we get what we deserve -- what we have asked for through our inaction. Buddhist monks are among the most peaceful, faithful and loving people on the planet, which is why he burned himself. Americans simply can't be bothered. On the whole, we aren't willing to do much of anything in protest. No, Americans have a hot date with American Idol or... well, Unclaimed Territory for that matter.

.

Americans believe that the defunding of the occupation equals harm to the troops because those Americans are stupid (or at the very least ignorant in the extreme). One could blame the press and the Democrats for not explaining this issue better but really, come on -- all one has to do is think logically about the situation and realize that no one, with perhaps the exception of Bush, would let "harm" come to the troops because the occupation has been defunded. Seriously, what do the morons who believe that think is going to happen? "The troops" will be out there in the middle of a firefight and all of the sudden their armor and munitions resupply will stop? The troops will stop getting paid but still have to stand their ground in occupation?? The American people are, on the whole, lacking in even the most basic critical thinking skills.

I find it funny that anyone actually thinks that defunding the occupation would change anything. BushCo would simply assert his "unitary executive" right to continue the "war" and would divert funds from somewhere else to make that happen. He doesn't give a shit about congress, the constitution or separation of powers. The defunding of the occupation might bring into stark relief, yet again, the Administration's lawlessness but since when has that mattered? If people really wanted to get out of Iraq they would impeach the bastard. No one is willing to do that though. So, unless or until that happens people can write about and discuss what the American people really want and how they are not being listened to until the cows come home. It won't make one iota of difference.

.

I find your kind of dismal surrender - I'm sure you refer to it as being realistic - puny and repulsive. Believe it or not, George Bush really doesn't own this country. --Kitt

Lol. Well we agree on one thing -- Bush does not own this country. Now, that realization doesn't matter a whole hell of a lot if no one is willing to remind him of that fact does it? And, like I said in my previous post, acts of congress, laws and the constitution haven't stopped him so far but this defunding of the occupation will be the magic bullet right Kitt? In like fashion, I find your comments and lack of an understanding of the situation to be defensive and clueless. I hardly think calling for impeachment to be a "kind of dismal surrender." In fact I think you may be projecting a bit. "Puny and repulsive?" I would say that fits the description of those who still believe some version of "the democrats will save us" or "eventually Bush will listen to the people and act accordingly." I find those beliefs foolish and the people that hold them "puny and repulsive."

.