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Jewish World Review Oct. 8, 2001 / 21 Tishrei, 5762
James Lileks
But in the protestorıs world, the actual effect of oneıs actions is
immaterial. What counts is holding forth a standard that ensures your
civilization dies in a state of moral purity. Every response to aggression
should have the same effect as the Polish Cavalryıs assault on Nazi tanks -
gallant, doomed, and above all symbolic. Hence the march on DC September
29th.
The International Action Center coordinated the rally - and who are
they, you ask? According to their website, theyıre dedicated to ³resistance
to US Militarism, War, and Corporate Greed.² Former US Attorney General
Ramsey Clark is one of their luminaries, and the site reflects his
US-Out-of-North-America worldview. Judging from the position papers and
articles on the site, they live in that Bizarro world of American politics
where Fidel is champion of freedom, Saddam is a victim, and North Korea is
an innocent victim of American imperialism. These people would take Lex
Luthorıs side against Superman.
True to the belief that evil can best be combatted with ponderous
acronyms, theyıve assembled a new anti-war group, and called it the
International A.N.S.W.E.R. (Act Now to Stop War & End Racism). The list of
signatories condemning Bush had all the usual suspects - labor organizers
from AFSCME, a transgendered Mumia advocate, Greens, dovish Jews, and other
sorts whoıd be shot on day one should the terrorists win. The ANSWERites
were busy protesting a war that had not started, had assumed no form -
indeed, they were protesting during a period in which the United States did
exactly what the protestors demanded. The administration sought
international approval and used non-military means to combat bin Ladin, i.e.
diplomatic isolation, asset confiscation. Youıd think the administration
would get credit for that - but no. Protestors have a script, and you canıt
move them off it.
"I don't think the solution to violence is more violence," said one
protestor. Letıs remember that the next time the anti-globalists trash a
neighborhood to protest genetically modified tomatoes. Her opinion was
echoed in another protest in Berlin, where anti-American marchers hung a
sign that read ³War is no solution.²
One hates to bring up something as inconvenient as history, but war was
a jack-dandy solution to your nationıs Final Solution. By the protestorsı
logic, D-Day was just a big karmic disaster - if weıd just waited, the
Nazis would have collapsed of its own weight, just like the USSR. Granted,
it wouldnıt have happened until 1977, and by then Europe would have been
blonde and blue-eyed from Gibralter to the Urals. But at least we wouldnıt
have stooped to their level.
The protestors arenıt invoking some universal ideal. Theyıre very
specific about who they hate - Us - and who gets a pass, namely Them. Every
state thatıs implemented their ideals of egalitarian collectivism has
resulted in tyranny, death and repression - but apparently you have to break
a few hundred million eggs to perfect your omelette recipe. Every state
whose cause they champion was birthed in war and violence, but somehow
thatıs okay. If violence is bad, shouldnıt Uncle Ho just learned to love
life under the French? Shouldnıt Fidel have gotten a job as a croupier
casino instead of being violent? Shouldnıt the Sandinistas have sat down
with the Contras and met them halfway?
Apparently, thereıs violence, and thereıs ³struggle.² Itıs okay to fight
a war on behalf of the ³people.² As long as the people arenıt American.
Of course they have the right to protest. They have the right to demand
the US withdraw from the world. Theyıre entitled to believe that the PLO and
other such groups want coexistance with Israel. Theyıre welcome to believe
in the goodness of Arafat and Loch Ness Monster. Theyıre entitled to march,
and chant, and email, and light candles. They are, after all, Americans.
And Americans, as the protestors never tire of pointing out, are
frequently
11/04/01:America, loathe or it leave it
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