My
movement Is Bigger Than Yours
By Mickey Z.
18 April, 2007
Countercurrents.org
A couple of my recent articles
have directly challenged the concept of unconditional support for our
(sic) troops. It should come as no surprise that this sentiment is typically
greeted with unrestrained hostility. The most predictable knee-jerk
reaction involves the accusation that I might hurt the "movement"
by alienating soldiers and their families. Some go even further and
declare that returning soldiers are doing more for the "movement"
than anyone else (especially obscure writers like yours truly). These
critiques are flawed for many reasons, e.g.:
1. They are not only assuming the existence of a perplexed mass of fence
sitters just waiting for the right moment to pick a side, they also
believe these fence sitters actually care (or even read) what someone
like me writes
2. They ignore the "alienation"
being created when Americans voluntarily sign up for military
3. Just because someone says
returning soldiers are doing more for the "movement" than
anyone else doesn't mean it's true
Still, the most fundamental flaw in play here is the use of the word
"movement." This isn't semantics, mind you. Rather, it gets
to the heart of the issue. The state of global affairs has long passed
the proverbial tipping point (and is more likely flirting with the dreaded
point of no return). Allowing ourselves the luxury of believing there's
a genuine movement in place to challenge the dominant suicidal/homicidal
culture-when no such movement exists-is disastrously counterproductive.
Most folks, it seems, have confused the occasional weekend parade, I
mean, protest with a full-blown movement. Anti-Bush bumper stickers,
yearly checks to Greenpeace, and a commitment to recycled toilet paper
don't constitute a movement either. Candlelight vigils? Nope. Vegan
diets? I wish. Petitions, voting drives, letters to Congress? Surely
you jest. Posting lots of comments at Daily Kos ? Yeah, right. Yellow
ribbons, red ribbons, pink ribbons? Doubt it. Becoming the change you
wish to see in the world? Nice try. Reality check #1: There's a huge
difference between a minority of sincere Americans making well-intentioned
gestures and a tangible, functional, effective movement capable of inciting/inspiring/demanding
social change.
Arundhati Roy sez: "People from poorer places and poorer countries
have to call upon their compassion not to be angry with ordinary people
in America." Ward Churchill takes it further...warning us that
those same folks "from poorer places and poorer countries"
have "no obligation-moral, ethical, legal or otherwise-to sit on
their thumbs while the opposition (in America) dithers about doing anything
to change the system." Reality check #2: Americans wield more influence
and power than any people on the planet but, while the vast majority
of humans in this world live in abject poverty, we live our lives in
such a manner as to threaten every living being on the planet.
Reality check #3: There are no innocent bystanders.
Mickey Z. can be found on the Web at http://www.mickeyz.net.
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