Melvin's blog

Nshima & Curry

Melvin's  Blog

Nshima & Curry

SPELLING OUT THEIR OPPOSITION TO WAR

Say what you will about the war protestors, they're
creative. They know how to get a message across. Just look
at the slogans they've displayed on signs, buttons and
T-shirts: "Drop Bush, Not Bombs," "Support Our Troops: Bring
Them Home Now," "Resistance is Fertile," and "Bush, Cheney,
Rumsfeld: Our Asses of Evil."

If there's an ulterior motive for the war, it's all over
their signs: "How Many Lives Per Gallon?" "Read Between the
Pipelines," "Let Exxon Send Their Own Troops," and "Let's
Bomb Texas: They've Got Oil."

These activists may not all be Democrats, but they've taken
immense pleasure in belittling Bush: "There's Nothing to
Fear, But Bush Himself," "Smart Weapons, Dumb President,"
"Don't Arm a Son of a Bush," and "Stop Mad Cowboy Disease."

Not surprisingly, some have turned to religion to support
their cause: "The last time we listened to a Bush, we
wandered in the desert for 40 years."

Fifty-year-old man: "Who would Jesus bomb? Who would Jesus
bomb?"

Fifteen-year-old son: "You tell 'em, Dad! Jesus is da bomb!"

While millions around the world have protested the
old-fashioned way -- marching in the streets -- hundreds of
Americans and Australians have shown their dissent in a way
that would make Bill Clinton proud: They've taken off their
clothes.

In Occidental, California, more than 100 women used their
nude bodies to spell out the words "truth," "compassion,"
and "passion," giving us yet another reason to love freedom
of speech. "While I do not agree with their anti-war stance,
I respect their right to express themselves," said one man.
"And I hope they keep on doing it."

In Byron Bay, Australia, some 700 women sported birthday
suits to form a heart around the words "No War," earning 50
bonus points in Scrabble. Two weeks later, about 250 men
undressed to spell out "Peace Man" on a rugby field,
revealing to the world exactly what lengths they go to down
under.

Meanwhile, at Manhattanville College in New York, basketball
player Toni Smith showed her objection to war by refusing to
face the flag during the national anthem. Angry spectators
waved flags and jeered her. Some even chanted for her to
"leave our country," apparently wishing they lived in a land
like Iraq, where there are two surefire ways of committing
suicide: protesting the president's actions and spelling out
words in the nude.

The White House reaction to all the protests was
predictable.

Laura: "George, your mother called. She says the anti-war
activists are going overboard."

George: "Overboard? Don't tell me they're jumping out of
ships."

Laura: "No, honey, even worse: They're jumping out of
clothes. It's happening in California and Australia -- and
you can be darn sure it's going to happen in Britain. They
never miss a good opportunity."

George: "Oh dear, it must be bad if you're using a word like
'darn.' I knew our opponents would hit us hard, but I didn't
think they'd go this far. I didn't think they'd use weapons
of mass nudity."

The president is eager to see Saddam Hussein toppled and so
am I. He needs to pay for his atrocities. But I'm glad I
live in a country where people can question their leader's
actions, where they can wonder if war will snatch away too
many innocent lives. I'm glad I live in a country where,
despite the wishes of a misguided few, people still enjoy
the freedom to disagree, still enjoy the freedom to display
a bumper sticker that says: "Don't Blame Me, I Voted With
the Majority."

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