Minds in Conflict, Hands at Peace

So we’re at war.

<a href="http://knitting.activist.ca/"

Make Sense, Not War

Two nights ago after GWB’s address to the nation PBS had a special FRONTLINE and NOW that I found eye opening and compelling. What was especially compelling about them was that they were on the way to convincing me that ousting Saddam is a good thing.

What I can’t support is the method we’ve used to go about doing it. I keep returning to the imperfect analogy that it’s stupid to throw stones at a hornet’s nest. And makes less sense to blow up the tree where the nest is hanging. We cut it down, and the hornets just fly to the next tree and start a new hive. In the mean time we’ve lost a tree and all that was contained in the branches.

If Saddam and his close buds are the hornets, there must be better ways to get him out than to terrorize a nation and make ourselves the pariah of the world.

Have you noticed that SUV drivers can be very dangerous because – for the most part – they’re folks who haven’t been trained to drive what is, in essense, a small truck? (this is connected, I promise – stay with me)

I used to drive a 15 passenger van into NYC every week full of undergrad students, so I know that it’s a whole different animal. An SUV is in many ways more like driving a 15 passenger van than driving a Hyundai. So when an SUV driver tailgates with their blindingly bright headlights, drives too fast and is unable to stop quickly, tries to make a sharp turn that would be no problem for a normal sized car – well, they’re in trouble.

Without meaning to, SUV drivers can become bullies on the road – pushing other cars out of the way, tailgating, speeding – things that wouldn’t be so serious if a smaller car did them. And, sadly, those who are the most in danger are those outside of the SUV.

I see our country as a big, fat SUV of a nation right now. And the guy driving it doesn’t understand the danger of being percieved as bullies by the rest of the world. Doesn’t understand, or doesn’t care. I do believe in nation building (which, up until a week ago, GWB didn’t think was such a great idea) and this is NOT nation building.

And this guy wasn’t even elected.

Knit this.