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And the world opens up just a bit more...
Oct. 5th, 2006 01:12 pmThere was an anti-war rally going on the quad today; it ended about twenty minutes ago. The student socialist something-or-other had signs out and a couple of speakers, and some of the people were in orange jumpsuits with black bags on their heads a la Guantanamo. There were at least twenty, thirty, maybe even forty people out there. They did their talking and then marched towards downtown yelling stuff. It was pretty…I’m still searching for an adjective here.
On the other side of the quad (under the flagpole, no less), there was a smaller group of students with signs supporting troops and the war. I spoke to a couple of them, asking them why they were out there and why they asked the orange-jumpsuited people why they were dressed as terrorists. Two of them were not horribly sympathetical, even if they were polite and rational about their arguments (mostly; one of the signs said there was a Commie/Jihadi conspiracy against America that needed stopping, and seemed to be a mildly more logical version of those mocked on the Daily Show), but one of them who said he was a Democrat raised-Quaker who was mostly being devil’s advocate and supporting free speech. The latter was actually not completely depressing to interact with, but the first two made me want to scream. I thought it was neat that they had two sides of the debate on the quad and they weren’t yelling at each other or anything.
I wasn’t really sure where to stand. I listened to the speakers and did the clapping thing, but I didn’t go downtown with them. I mean, I don’t even know what I think (and I had class). We’re in deep and we’re fucked no matter what happens, and I’m getting opinions thrown at me from both ends. Since I came to college, I’ve been bombarded with issues and things that need supporting/protesting, and I don’t know how everyone else can stand it. My roomie’s not exactly the most empathetic or deep person in the world (“Give blood? Nah, I didn’t.” “Why not?” “I dunno.”), but it would be so much easier like that, to close out all the things going on in the world.
Still…there were people out rallying for a cause. It would be almost inspiring to watch if it wasn’t so damn confusing.
*sigh* More to come later, most likely, after I get my head together.
On the other side of the quad (under the flagpole, no less), there was a smaller group of students with signs supporting troops and the war. I spoke to a couple of them, asking them why they were out there and why they asked the orange-jumpsuited people why they were dressed as terrorists. Two of them were not horribly sympathetical, even if they were polite and rational about their arguments (mostly; one of the signs said there was a Commie/Jihadi conspiracy against America that needed stopping, and seemed to be a mildly more logical version of those mocked on the Daily Show), but one of them who said he was a Democrat raised-Quaker who was mostly being devil’s advocate and supporting free speech. The latter was actually not completely depressing to interact with, but the first two made me want to scream. I thought it was neat that they had two sides of the debate on the quad and they weren’t yelling at each other or anything.
I wasn’t really sure where to stand. I listened to the speakers and did the clapping thing, but I didn’t go downtown with them. I mean, I don’t even know what I think (and I had class). We’re in deep and we’re fucked no matter what happens, and I’m getting opinions thrown at me from both ends. Since I came to college, I’ve been bombarded with issues and things that need supporting/protesting, and I don’t know how everyone else can stand it. My roomie’s not exactly the most empathetic or deep person in the world (“Give blood? Nah, I didn’t.” “Why not?” “I dunno.”), but it would be so much easier like that, to close out all the things going on in the world.
Still…there were people out rallying for a cause. It would be almost inspiring to watch if it wasn’t so damn confusing.
*sigh* More to come later, most likely, after I get my head together.
