Monday, September 14, 2009
Glenn Beck's war rally for unity
Posted By Jesse Fruhwirth on September 14, 2009, 2:44 PM
Glenn Beck wants America to live united under fear and jingoism, hence the "9/12 Project." ---
Somewhere between 1,500 and 2,000 people showed up at the Utah State Capitol Saturday so we could feel united, like we allegedly did after 9/11/01, hence the name.
The irony here is that we are united like after 9/11. Despite the acrimony about health care reform, we're not seeing any anti-war rallies. After 9/11, we were no more united on domestic issues than we had been previously, but on foreign affairs so many Americans became invasion lovers.
I haven't heard any call to "support the troops" from war supporters recently, either. August was the deadliest month in Afghanistan since that war began and narry a complaint is heard from anyone on any side of the political spectrum. "With hardly any debate," a Senate panel accepted Obama's esclation plans for Afghanistan. The always-reliable (wink, wink) New York Times says Democrats are leery of Obama's plans. I've heard that one before, and Bush got his money anyway. My guess is Pelosi will give Obama whatever he wants, so long as she can.
Cindy Sheehan has gotten back to work, but even she took off several months of protesting.
Why?
I imagine she, like many, was basking in the Obama election after glow. He's black, you see, and "liberal", don't forget, and more than anything, he's not Bush. So many people that would be at anti-war rallies had Sen. McCain been elected to the presidency are sitting at home, worried that girls aren't getting to school in Afghanistan and hopeful that bombing the region will somehow change this sad fact.
A Salt Lake City guy normally committed to pacifism told me he is not objecting to Obama's war platform--yet--because it takes awhile "to right the ship." This SLC peacenik is giving Obama time to improve things.
"If things haven't change in a year, I'll feel differently," he said when I asked if he would ever protest Obama's war efforts.
Will it take that long? At least: Obama will regain popularity once health care is done, almost surely. We'll keep spending money we don't have in a region notoroius for never being conquerored or controlled by superpowers.
So, Glenn, you might want to thank Obama. We're still living in a 9/12 world precisely because Obama was elected. Had the election turned out differently, perhaps the stated mission of your rally would make sense. Had McCain won, and were we less "united," this country migth be able to advance to 9/13 when we start looking at things realistically, and start cutting our losses.
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