President Insults Millions of Protestors

If George bothered to examine the demonstrators, he would find typical Americans and Europeans and Asians, the bedrock of the world's strongest democracies.

By: Charles R. Steward

Protestors are nothing more than a focus group? Take a closer look Mr. President.

Millions upon millions of people marched in hundreds of cities in America and throughout the world in the most massive, global anti-war protest in history. Everywhere, everyday-people were in the streets. My God! There is hope for this planet!

In America, the television news media had to take a brief break from its thinly veiled call for war and take a closer look at the crowds. The news reporters at the protests were surprised not only by the numbers of people who came out into the street, but also by the kinds of people they saw. These people were not leftover, longhaired activists from the 60's. They were mothers and fathers; priests and nuns; Republicans and Democrats; Christians, Jews, Hindus and Moslems; children and the elderly; blue collar workers and blue-jeaned college students; bikers and yuppies; veterans and former draft dodgers; and all other labels we place on our fellow humans.

One common word used by most news media to describe the protestors was "diverse". What compelled all these different kinds of people to come together at the same time? Their motive is beyond question: stop a war!

The justification for massive violence on all Iraqis is nowhere to be found. The vast majority of protestors agree Saddam is evil and murderous, but there is surely a better way to remove him from his seat of power. There are more urgent issues to face than a fourth-rate dictator on his last legs. Where is Osama? What is North Korea up to now? Israel and Palestine are again on the brink of massive bloodshed. There is an AIDS' epidemic in Africa that will wipe out millions if other nations don't help. At home, in the richest country in the world, there is worry over an economy and concern our children might not be able to have the opportunities we had. In New York City alone, there are more than 40,000 homeless living on the streets, a record.

By massing armies and our own weapons of mass destruction to invade a country that has not attacked anyone for over a decade will put us in the history books with Adolph Hitler and Joseph Stalin. This war is un-American and inhuman. This war is not us.

Don't ever doubt the love of country and patriotism of those who are marching in the streets. These are people who care for all of us. These are Americans who are better than an unprovoked war. We are all better than that.

The response of President George W. Bush to the recent cry for humanity and common sense appears to be little more than a stifled yawn. "Size of protest, it's like deciding, well, I'm going to decide policy based on a focus group", Mr. Bush said in response to a reporter's question at the White House. "The role of a leader is to decide policy upon the security, in this case, the security of the people."

Are we feeling more secure?

Our President might want to take a cue from his friends in the media and take a closer look at those people in the street.