I Am A Peacenik  

I am sure some readers of this blog are interested in reading what I feel about GWB's speech to the nation tonight. Sorry to disappoint you all, but I didn't watch it. I was in meetings all night and didn't get home until 10:30pm, and...

I try to avoid watching and/or hearing GWB speak. For one, it is painful-in so many ways. Secondly, it angers me too much. Thirdly, it is incredibly frustrating for me. I haven't watched GWB's State of the Union address since 2003. Since that time we have started a war I have been against since 2002. If I can't watch his State of the Union, there is absolutely no way I can watch a speech about the war in Iraq.

I would venture to say that many political junkies have an issue they care about more than every other. My issue is war. I am a peacenik, and a proud one. Some of the greatest moments in my life have occurred while I marched with hundreds, sometimes thousands, of protestors in opposition to the war in Iraq. I wish everyone could experience the feelings I have when I march-I don't think there are words to express those feelings. I am very glad I have videos and pictures to look back and remember that though my opposition placed me in the minority, I was in good company. And I would also like to say that while I respect others who are opposed to this war, I truly respect those who take their opposition to the streets.

I am not like most Americans. My opposition to the war didn't occur in 2006, or 2005, or 2004, or 2003, it was 2002, before it started. I remember being called a "traitor," "Saddam lover," "terrorist sympathizer," because I protested against the war.

Call me naive, call me an idealist, call me stupid, and call me a peacenik, but I wear my peacenik title with pride and there isn't anything wrong with being an idealist, there are certainly things I am stupid about, and I am sure I am naive about many topics. But don't call me wrong, because I'm right. This war was wrong and stupid and naive. Somehow saying, "I told you so," just isn't enough.

I'm gonna end here because I get really passionate about this and I don't want to write things I might regret in the morning.