Jul 2, 2004
I've been looking back at a lot of my old posts from the past few years. Besides the naive and simple perspective caused by being 14, I had a lot of good ideas back then. Well, maybe they weren't all good, but I had a lot of ideas back then and I think that may be what's more important. I should really start reading again. I did read a few good books this year that definetly taught me something or at least gave me a new perspective on things. The Autobiography of Malcolm X was a book that I was surprised I liked. When you read about someone's childhood and experiences, you tend to understand and be more compassionate about things they do that previously upset you. I saw Farenheit 9/11 a few days ago with Chris. It was exaggerated in some areas and definitely slanted to cater to Micheal Moore's personal opinions. But it was still a good movie. I definetly left the theater even more pissed off then I was before. It's frustrating. There is no information that anyone can give me that I can put stock on. The media, the politicians, the counter-culture, the protesters... everyone puts their own spin on things. Not being able to separate fact from fantasy is the most frustrating thing in the world. How can there be truth with so many different stories circulating? But of course something really is happening. There is a war going on, and something triggered it. But that's all I, or anyone else, can tell you. I don't know whether Saddam Hussein had weapons or not, or what his plans were. I don't know if the people of Iraq were being brutalized under his control, or if they are being brutalized under ours. I couldn't tell you what Bush's intentions were with this war, to free the Iraqi people or fill his pockets. I want there to be clarity. I want people to stop effing over others and to fight for what's right. But how can I know what is right when I don't even know what's going on? It is so frustrating! This is why we are all so apathetic. This is why I would rather play video games and watch Conan then give a damn. I want things to be better but it just gets so complicated. I do not trust George Bush though. There is no way I can believe that the war in Iraq was a humanitarian effort from a man trying to make a constitutional ammendment to ban gay marriages. A humanitarian can't be someone who denies people rights and privledges because of who they are. I don't even know. If I can't find any clarity to what's going on, I really can't care about it.
posted by sarah 12:53 AM
