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What's the Point, Really?

April 29, 2008 10:41 PM

was walking to the courthouse here in Madison yesterday when I found that I was surrounded by people with signs and shit. There were about seven people, each holding antiwar signs. Some of them had slogans on them like "Honk to end the war." And a few passing drivers would honk. But I just thought to myself "What the fuck do you hope to accomplish here?"

I mean, certainly you're not hoping to raise awareness. Everyone knows we're at war, right? I mean, most people do. And the people that don't probably can't even read your signs, so they have absolutely no idea what you're doing, other than standing in the rain.

And this is Madison, Wisconsin, so it's not even like you're trying to get a controversial idea out there. I mean, if you're demonstrating for something a lot of people are against, then at least there's a chance that you'll get the attention of someone who hadn't considered your position before. Demonstrating against the war in Madison is like going to a strip club on a Friday night and screaming "Yeah, titties!"

And let's not forget that there were seven of you. When the civil-rights movement went to Washington D.C., there were enough people there to fill up the national mall. And they had fucking Martin Luther King, probably one of the best orators of the 20th century. The demonstration I saw had seven people, and they were old and about as undynamic as it is possible to be without being dead.

So, seriously, what's the point? I'm not being condescending here--I really want to know what the point is. Why go out in the rain and advocate a position no one's going to disagree with you on in such feeble numbers?



7 Comments


Santi said:

Answer: To make themselves feel important.

Just like the anti-war, anti-nuclear weapons, anti-military, anti-whatever protestors in Berkeley.

April 29, 2008 10:59 PM



Anonymous said:

i agree. why even breath.

April 29, 2008 11:10 PM



Anonymous said:

i agree. why even breathe.

April 29, 2008 11:11 PM



tRJ said:

When I was an undergrad, this group of students organized a "box city" to raise awareness of homelessness. They all went out and got these big appliance boxes, filled them with sleeping bags, pillows, soda, candy, and CD players. And they spent the night having a big-ass slumber party on the lawn next to the Humanities Building.

Meanwhile, just a couple miles away, there were actual homeless people filing through the downtown homeless shelters, waiting for soup and a shower.

Now these kids could have gone and volunteered to make and serve soup, or to sort donations at the Salvation Army, or to do paperwork at the free clinic. But that would be hard, and no one would notice.

So they went with the much more entertaining option, one that allowed them to have a party with thousands of students looking on, admiring their humanitarian work.

It's the same thing in action here.

April 30, 2008 9:07 AM



Who? said:

These losers on the corner do this same protest on a set schedule and have for years. I'm not sure if it is every Monday or the first Tuesday of the month or what, but I've been ignoring them for years.

Reminds me of a loser I've seen in DC. If you go to the Whitehouse, there has been a lone protester camped out across the street for almost 30 years protesting nuclear weapons since the Reagan years. Yeah. Way to accomplish something with your life. At this point probably no one even knows why the person is there. Probably most assume they're a homeless person. Might as well be one now.

Most of this is just feel good BS anyway.

April 30, 2008 9:27 AM



dicta said:

that reminds me of a week or 2 ago when there were 3 people in jorts outside the local kfc picketing with poor homemade signs. it actually made me really hungry for kfc, except that dominique and i already had dinner plans. mmmmmm crispy strips.

April 30, 2008 10:02 PM



Anonymous said:

briefcase full of chicken

May 1, 2008 4:00 AM



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