Why I Protest

I found Amy Horowitz’s article “Broader Picture Above the Streets” to be discomforting in its message. Based on what she wrote, I suppose all Americans should keep their opinions to themselves for the benefit of the “greater good.” I suppose that since “the Bush administration…made it abundantly clear that the war will continue as planned and they won’t respond to protests” we shouldn’t even bother voicing our dissent. I suppose these are qualities of “the very democracy and ideals [protesters] are seeking to uphold.” If this is all true then I suppose that for the past nineteen years I have been mistaken on what it means to be a member of a democratic country.

You ask the reader to “please humor me and take what our government is saying at face value,” and spend some time listing assumptions. You then try to build your argument based on those assumptions. Anyone with a sense of logic will know not to take all they are told at face value and that it is both our freedom and responsibility to question the actions and motives of our government, a government that is supposed to be “by the people, for the people.”

I recognize that there exists a strong anti-American sentiment across the globe. This, however, is not reason to blindly follow our government. We should instead try and examine exactly why the world feels as it does, not just automatically take an ‘us against them’ mentality. It is that sort of thinking that creates anti-Americanism to begin with. I went to Montreal recently, which is just a six-hour drive outside Boston, and had the opportunity to speak with people who live there. I was upset by what I heard; we found that Americans are viewed as war mongering jingoists who know nothing of what happens beyond our borders and desire nothing but supremacy on the world stage. Just as disturbing, most viewed Bush (a man in office despite his inability to win the popular vote in the elections) as the archetypal American.

I am patriotic, that is why I protest. I care about the world’s image of America and its citizens. We are seen as aggressive and uniformed; is this something we should be content with? I don’t believe so, that’s not what I want my country to represent.

I would never claim to know every nuance of this situation, nor do I believe that we should all become extreme pacifists. I just believe that war should be an absolute last resort and that we have not quite reached that point. I believe that the actions of our nation should be justified and that recent actions have not proven to be justifiable, particularly in their inability to gain a majority of the world’s support. I believe that in a healthy democratic system people should not only be allowed to voice their opinions but that they should not face scorn from their fellow citizens for doing so.

I have questions about this war. I wonder why it took September 11th to make us look beyond ourselves again. Saddam Hussein has been in power since the Gulf War, why have we suddenly decided to take violent action against him again? And whatever happened to Osama bin Laden, why do we never really hear about him anymore? At what point did the focus shift from him and his terrorist activities to Saddam and his dictatorship? What message are we sending by attacking Iraq? Are we are saying it is acceptable to use violent action for problem resolutions? Then why do we promote peace talks between Isreal and Palestine?

I have these questions and many others, and until they are satisfied with honest responses I will continue to voice my unrest through peaceful protesting.

Nicole Gonzalez nicoleg@bu.edu (617)352-6931 COM ’05