La lucha! Egalite! Protest! In recent weeks, the gales of civil unrest have been lashing out. Just when I thought governments worldwide had silenced all opposition, the voices of university students in France and of Hispanics in the United States succeeded in commanding international attention and roiling national sentiments.
In a time when a myriad of other issues should ignite the populace, I encounter only a historical and cultural amnesia of the national consciousness.
For example, we often see flagrant encroachments on civil liberties and betrayal of the public trust. Powerbrokers sell off our democracy piecemeal and with impunity. The media has increasingly been allowed to analyze the present situation to the Vietnam era – another period of political upheaval and public betrayal.
Yet, socially, the atmosphere seems very different. There are no great public figures or epic artists rallying the youth – most voices are drowned out by MTV. There is no Bob Dylan, John Lennon or Malcom X calling for social change.
There have been no mass demonstrations at San Diego State similar to those that rocked Kent State during the Vietnam War. Maybe it’s because people feel more secure about the war in Iraq. Perhaps we’re more docile because the number of dead American soldiers is much less than the total number of dead Iraqis.
Meanwhile, I’m shielded from upsetting war photos, browbeaten into submission and pacified by a 24-hour corporate media. Should I be content with an iPod and Ugg boots, too? Don’t worry America, consume, and we will prevail.
In light of the recent three-year anniversary of the war in Iraq, the media aired only a few reminiscing stories but nothing too critical. Remember when we were all sure that President Bush had the war under control? After three years of death and now a civil war – oops, I mean sectarian strife – new thoughts are creeping into the public consciousness.
It’s only taken us three years, more than $300 billion dollars and more than 30,000 thousand dead to realize that “liberating” Iraq wasn’t such a good idea.
In the Republican rhetoric, I now hear sentiments of, “Well, none of us could have seen this coming,” or, “We might have miscalculated, but now it’s up to the Iraqis to handle things.”
Apparently, America has lost patience. After all, we only have 10-second attention spans – cable TV took care of that. And instead of doing our own investigation, we wait for the administration’s foot soldiers – the media – to tell us what to think. After all, they have been dutifully alerting and informing the public with the highest journalistic ideals, haven’t they?
With the president’s approval rating lower than any in history – even Nixon’s after his resignation – I know I can’t be alone. After years of hitting my head against the brick wall of American mentality, I admit, political apathy seemed a likely fate. But public outcry, it seems, might still hold some weight.
The voices of recent protesters worldwide succeeded in forcing their respective leaders to reconsider their proposals. French Prime Minster Dominique de Villepin, not unlike our beloved Senator Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.), brushed off national discontent with well-practiced political blas
