Protestors Speak
The following are actual quotes from protestors as reported in the NYT. Italicized comments are mine.
"I didn't really know anything about it," she said. "Then I read up and found that we gave Iraq a lot of the things that we're complaining about." (high school student in MD)
Well, it's a good thing you read up on the situation. Did you also read that the French, Germans, Russians and Chinese helped to arm Iraq, too? Unlike those cowards we are addressing our past mistakes.
"Going to war like this completely takes away everything the U.N. stands for." (U of Michigan student)
And what is it that the UN stands for? Let's see.. Libya chairs the Human Rights Commission, it stood aside as hundreds of thousands were killed in Bosnia and millions killed in Rwanda. It stands for giving such noted pillars of humanism as Syria, North Korea and China a say over world affairs.
"War is immoral. When no one listens, you have to take action and make a statement." (54 year old English teacher)
Ahh.. a moral absolute. So what does one do when faced with immoral actions, like a dictator who uses chemical weapons against his own people? Where were you and your other protestors when Saddam was killing the Kurds? I guess that didn't show up on your moral radar, huh?
"This is what democracy looks like!" (many protestors' slogan)
Tell that to the Iraqi people because they have never seen democracy.