Here is an example of what frustrates me about the anti-war movement (of which i myself am a part... by virtue of being "anti-war" and what have you).
http://www.moveon.org/windowlight/
In the email that i received regarding this, it said:
>
> We have joined together to articulate a vision
> of how the world should be -- of how nations
> should treat each other, of how we can
> collectively deal with threats to our security.
>
> One simple way to show your continued
> commitment to this vision is to put a light in
> your window. It could be a Christmas string
> or candle, a light bulb, or a lantern. It's an
> easy way to keep the light of reason and hope
> burning...
>
I think that - in theory - this could be a beautiful protest. Thousands... millions of homes shining out their opposition to the war. What an image. A statement of solidarity. Giving two shining fingers to Blair and Bush.
But then a voice in the back of my mind points out that this action basically involves burning resources to protest a resource war.
There *are* things that can be done to effectively protest this war. Stop buying petroleum products for a week. How's that for a relevant, direct, deliberate protest against the murder of Iraqis?
Don't burn *more* oil in protest. Burn less. Nobody drive their car for a week. Everyone stay home. Don't use electricity (no TV, no internet, spend a week by natural light, take this opportunity to defrost the fridge). Buy fresh fruit and vegetables without plastic wrapping. Buy freshly-baked bread without plastic-wrapping. Make sure it's organic so that you're not creating demand for fossil-fuel-based fertilisers and pesticides. Do it for a week. Don't go to work. Don't turn the oily wheels of capitalism.
I believe that protest *makes sense* as a response to a resource war. Really it does. But it doesn't have the convenience of the moveon.org plan which points out that "It's an easy way to keep the light of reason and hope burning". And it needs a *lot* of people to take part to be effective.
The effective method of protesting is not "easy". And the easy method, in this case, is just not effective. Indeed, as i said, 'Windowlight' will actually have the consequence of generating a slight rise in demand for the resource this war is being fought for.
(I accept, by the way cookie, that the occupation of the IPE which started off this thread is a different class of protest action, and one which i completely support. The more i think about it, the more i think it's a great action as it draws attention to just this point; though i feel that the specific connection between western consumerism and foreign wars needs to be made).
I'm not offering "solutions" right here. And i know i sound like i'm putting forward a counsel of despair. But in my defence, i am spending an awful lot of my time studying this subject and searching for solutions; and i am writing about it and trying to get the word out.
I believe global consumerism and market economics are the true problems facing humanity. I believe that the impending war in Iraq is simply an inevitable symptom of them. I believe that those who try to cure the disease by fighting symptoms are never going to be making the best use of their energy and creativity.
(and notice the preponderence of "I believe" statements there)
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