Perceiving the Situation

By Michael Albert

Beyond Bush and his ilk predictably trying to use calamity to propel

their reactionary agendas on every front they can, from repressive

legislation about eavesdropping, to military expansion, and even to tax

policy -- it is certainly also true and must be faced that many citizens

are in a violent mood, suggesting all kinds of anti-civilian acts. So

many that it feels overwhelming.

But how many U.S. citizens who are advocating bombings realize that the

people of Afghanistan already live in a horrendously war-torn country,

made virtually rubble from its war with Russia? How many understand that

hunger and the danger of starvation for Afghanistan is so great that a

misstep at this juncture - for example, cutting off all outside food

aid, even without bombs - could cause not thousands but literally

millions of innocent deaths by starvation? Not many of our citizens, is

my guess. When such information is conveyed, how many will hold to the

vengeful stance? When it becomes evident that vengeance by assault on

civilians is precisely terrorism, that assault on civilians for

political purposes is precisely terrorism, how many will want to hold to

warring indiscriminately, to being a terrorist? One wonders how many of

those working at Ground Zero in NYC would wish military devastation on

innocent civilians in another country. Not many, if any, is my guess.

But what is even more promising, is that even in a moment of great pain

and mourning, even at a time of national rallying, even when all public

pressures cry for war, even before there has been opportunity to counter

media madness and government manipulation with valid argument and

evidence, even now many and probably most people are already wondering

at least somewhat about the wisdom of Bush's stance, and are even

contemplating such unspeakable conclusions as that the cure for

terrorism is not more and even greater terrorism, and that the cure for

fanaticism is not to dispense with civil liberties.

I think there may be a tendency afoot among many activists, totally

understandable, to see the great outpourings of nationalism and to be

pessimistic beyond what evidence warrants. Yes, the events have been

horrible in their immediate impact, of course. And yes the hypocritical

willingness of Bush and others to try to parlay pain into more suffering

in different forms, and even into more terror, has been stunning and

terrifying. But there are good signs too - not solely in the humanity of

the massive outpourings of sympathy, but also in the opposition to race

hatred against Arabs that has erupted as quickly and perhaps more

pervasively than the reverse, and in the almost instantaneous emergence

of both reason and activism regarding war prospects.

Thus I want to share with you information from a communication from

Portland Oregon. The letter writer communicates that:

"Today we had an anti-war demo in Portland. Like so many of you have

expressed, I too have felt that we are heading into a very dark time for

activism, no less radical politics.

"Now, Portland has seen a fair amount of activism lately - events large

(1500+ for this year's May Day march, which had a permit taken out by

the City Council because organizers refused to get one and the city

didn't want to arrest everyone) and small (40 radical activists and

union brothers and sisters shutting down the Port of Portland and

delaying the offloading of an Italian vessel in protest of the G8 police

rioting, a picket line which the longshoremen refused to cross, setting

off similar actions as that ship proceeded along the west coast).

"I say all that for context, because I reckon things are a bit "better"

here for that sort of activism than in many other communities around the

country.

"Having said that, this was the largest demonstration I've been to in

Portland since the Gulf War! Organizers were able to do a pretty good

count as we were walking along a narrow area, and there were at least

2600 people there to speak against the incessant beating of the war

drums.

"Nobody could believe it. Everyone (strangers I talked to, acquaintances

I talked to) had been feeling very isolated and had taken on a very

bleak attitude about the future of `the left.'

"We marched in the streets without a permit, spanning 12 or more blocks.

There were no police anywhere to be seen. "This caused some problems, in

that they *do* tend to be helpful with traffic control. Ah, well... we

did ok without 'em on that one too, a few irate drivers notwithstanding

:-)

"Well, 2600 isn't enough to stop the impending war, but it's a far

bigger start than anyone expected. All is not lost! Let's not let our

gloomy perspectives of the moment, (which are perfectly understandable

as we watch the manufacture of consent occur before our very eyes, at

breakneck speed) let's not let that gloom turn our very rational fears

into a self-fulfilling prophesy.

"Afterward, I went to a `vigil' organized by the Christian Coalition :-(

This occurred in the main `public' square in town (semi-privately owned

and operated). There were fewer people at this one, but not by much. The

creepy rhetoric of right-wing Christianity was toned down, but not by

much. At least it was toned down though. We were there mostly in case of

needing to protect any victims of the racism seething beneath the

surface.

"I stood amidst the sea of American flags, amidst the `rousing'

renditions of the great patriotic hits, holding a `Jingoism Hurts

America' sign. I got into some rather interesting conversations with

people who wanted to know what jingoism meant. I described it as a form

of rhetoric using a chauvinistic patriotism to justify an arrogant and

belligerent foreign policy. Some nodded and walked away, but many

lingered to discuss. My friends and I were only too happy to oblige :-)

With some sensitivity, it is possible to clue people in on the

activities of the CIA in the overthrow of democratic governments, the

institution of autocratic regimes such as the Taliban, and the creation

of Osama bin Laden himself.

"I couldn't believe the conversations! Who knows if we did anything.

Anyhow, it's not necessarily doom and gloom - let's get back out there

and be visible, now!

I got the above letter without a return email address for its author.

But here is my reply.Yes, you did something. You did precisely what we

all need to be doing. You went out and worked for peace and justice, and

you did it without fear and without arrogance, and without

presuppositions. And you showed, in the process, what the potential is

of such work.