People protesting on campus...

[Waus]

I was driving to work today and I saw a bunch of people protesting on the corner of campus. "No war in Lebanon" kind of signs. Exactly who are they petitioning?

I don't really always keep up with political goings-on and the news, but honestly - I don't see who it is they expect to pay attention and do something here in Lafayette Indiana. Are you trying to get someone to change US foreign policy with Israel? Do you think the Hezbollah will see your protest from there? Is Syria going to get a stern talking to from GWB because of your chickenscratch picket line?

[SobaViolence]

it's better than doing nothing.

[Bob]

how, exactly? like if i protested god to stop him from causing hurricanes, that's not really any better than doing nothing, in that particular case. i mean in this particular situation in lebanon, there's only so much the US can do, we can't withdraw israel's troops.

[SobaViolence]

this isn't an undefined, supreme being
this is the American Gov't
if there is any governing body that can influence Israeli politics, it's yours.
and protesting can at least draw attention to the connection

it's not close to perfect
but neither is the shit going these days

[Echewta]

^ Yup.

[Schmeltz]

We wouldn't have democracy, political accountability, liberty, and free societies if it wasn't for chickenscratch picket lines. It's way, way stupider to go into your living room and turn on "When Buildings Collapse" than it is to protest injustice in the world, no matter how small scale the level of your participation.

[acamus]

Sometimes protesting is just for you, for your own peace of mind.

[Waus]

I'm not saying that it does absolutely nothing, it just seems to me like you're protesting a war the wrong place to the wrong people.

[drizl]

i disagree...i think college campuses are a great place to start. the young are often more energetic, less attatched to society, more willing to protest, and more active. and campuses are full of yougn rowdy loud obnoxious folks who should be caring and should be protesting!

[Waus]

i disagree...i think college campuses are a great place to start. the young are often more energetic, less attatched to society, more willing to protest, and more active. and campuses are full of yougn rowdy loud obnoxious folks who should be caring and should be protesting!


I mean more that they should be writing to a senator or something. I don't know. It just seems to me that it's an Israel thing, and not an American thing. If we were the ones waging the war on Hezbollah directly I'd totally understand and support it.

[DroppinScience]

Sometimes protesting is just for you, for your own peace of mind.

That's a good point, as well. We all can feel helpless when it comes to the world situation and sometimes just getting out there with other like-minded people is the only thing you can do.

I get where you're coming from (how does a small protest in the middle of nowhere change something that is going on half a world away?), but you gotta understand, protest rallies are meant as a beginnging, not an ending. If you take part in marches, you often can get information on how you can further get involved in the cause.

So yeah, you gotta start somewhere.

[STANKY808]

So yeah, you gotta start somewhere.

What better place than here, what better time than now?

[Schmeltz]

It just seems to me that it's an Israel thing, and not an American thing.


With Bush in the White House, what exactly is the difference between the two?

[abcdefz]

Lafayette Indiana






...you're at Purdue?

I was at Hanover, then I.U. Bloomington.

Anyway --

I kind of don't understand that sort of protesting, either, but I guess you do what you gotta do. I wonder if Purdue has any investments in the mideast which make this more relevant? Seems I remember I.U. had holdings in South Africa back in the day.

[Qdrop]

Sometimes protesting is just for you, for your own peace of mind.
exactly...but i look at that negatively.

every young generation has a group of radicals...and "wanna-be radicals" that just want "A cause, ANY cause" to fight for...just so they can feel like they have a purpose, like they stand for something.

i think many of them don't really give a shit what cause it is....but if the right pamphlet or late-night dorm talk while baked falls their way...look out!

plus you see alot of dorks fall into activists groups just so they have a group to belong to.

i spent 6 years at a liberal college....i saw it year in, year out.

[DroppinScience]

Yeah, there can be "dorks" in those activist groups, but at the very very least, isn't it good that they care? Or are starting to care.

Awareness is awareness. Gotta start somewhere and at least it's well-intentioned.

[Qdrop]

Yeah, there can be "dorks" in those activist groups, but at the very very least, isn't it good that they care? Or are starting to care.


yeah, but just do it for the right reasons.....or else you make the whole movement look shallow.

[QueenAdrock]

"No war in Lebanon"

I saw people protesting with "No War in Iraq" posters and I wanted to go up to them and be like, "I'm sorry, you're sorely mistaken. There's a very big war in Iraq, actually."

But I dunno. Sometimes being at rallies makes you feel better. When I had a moment of silence for the people dying in Darfur, it didn't do anything, but it does make you feel a little bit better inside. Paying your respects, and hoping and praying for an answer to the genocide. Oh, donating money helps too. (y) (www.savedarfur.org)

[Pres Zount]

I mean more that they should be writing to a senator or something.

Shit, that's bound to get something done.

[Waus]

Shit, that's bound to get something done.

I still think it's smarter than waving around a cardboard sign on a streetcorner.

[QueenAdrock]

It depends. If hot girls with big jugs held up those signs, I bet other people would join on the bandwagon. And you know, strength in numbers. (y)

[GreenEarthAl]

It depends. If hot girls with big jugs held up those signs, I bet other people would join on the bandwagon. And you know, strength in numbers. (y)

Well, since you volunteered.