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March 20, 2005
Where have all the moonbats gone?
Activists dwindle in South Florida anti-war groups
During the past two years, South Florida's various activist groups -- the Broward Anti-War Coalition, the Palm Beach County Peace and Justice Coalition, both counties' Green Parties, Pax Christi and Peace South Florida among them -- have continued with demonstrations and educational programs. They have bused to a rally in Washington, D.C., picketed a recruitment center and held monthly, and now weekly, demonstrations in downtown Fort Lauderdale.
But their numbers have thinned and, for some, so has their enthusiasm.
Delgado, 31, said it's "frustrating" to be an activist in a nation that's taken a distinct shift to the right. "I think I'm living in the Twilight Zone," she said. "It's surreal."
Meaning: It’s tough to be on the wrong side.
"Truthfully, we're very, very disheartened at the [Bush] re-election," said Jim Worl, 82, a Fort Lauderdale World War II Army vet. "There was a great letdown, a great letdown."
Meaning: President Bush keeps proving us wrong faster than we can change directions.
The movement has also spread out to encompass other matters. "We've tried to address other issues related to foreign policy, civil liberties," Lefrak said. People tackling those issues are taking less visible courses, such as writing or e-mailing politicians, creating Web sites and blogs, or petition drives.
Meaning: We keep slinging sh*t hoping something will stick.
Cara Campbell of Fort Lauderdale, co-chair of the Broward County Green Party, advocates boycotts rather than protests. "This is all about consumption," she said.
Meaning: Park your car and walk, well everyone except me.
Whatever the approach, Delgado said activists need to keep their spirits up. "If we take an attitude of being fatalistic and hopeless, then we're setting ourselves up for more failure," she said. "We have nothing else left at this point than to hope."
Meaning: We have no point at all.
South Florida Protest Warrior is making a difference! (Extra commentary there contributed by MeasureMan at MightyRighty.com). Thanks MM for the clarifications!
The fact is that the anti-war crowd is intimidated by our presence, they do not like being confronted with the truth, they cannot defend their views or their actions, and many of them avoid these demonstrations because of our presence. The anti-war crowd is very distressed about this, to the point where they attempted (unsuccessfully) to get the ACLU involved to block us from exercising our rights to free speech.
Protest Warrior Rocks!
Posted by LindaSoG at March 20, 2005 09:46 PM