As we drive downtown, we regularly see the weirdos from the local university carry-on near the boardwalk and old biddies that dress in black in silent protest against the war. They are present whenever a military shipment is loading weapons of mass destruction or unloading military rations at the local port. They stand silently or chant boistrously whenever the papers run articles on our troops, many who are stationed at the nearby massive Army base between Olympia and Tacoma. Their demonstrations have recently made the local paper as some have been arrested for trying to cross the fence line and attack the soldiers who plan to go defend our country abroad.
Are the dissenters planning to beat the army with their 1" x 1" sign poles? Does this mean that they will force the army to no longer use force with, well, force? Will they have much success against the tanks and humvees? Do they think that because about 37 sign carriers with long, unwashed hair have a contrary opinion, some suit in D. C. will take note? Remember those beliefs don't take into account that the enemy of the US is also the enemy of Iraqis. These are the same Iraqi people who formerly could have been tortured for the very behavior shown by the demonstrators.
I compare the conduct of the local malcontents to a group of radicals in Northern Wisconsin about a decade ago. There was a sort of spring ritual surrounding the local tribes' right to spear spawning walleye right after the ice melted on the many lakes in Oneida and Vilas counties. One one side were the inhabitants of the Reservation and on the other were the fishing guides and the local fishermen claiming that the Indians were ruining the local fishing by overharvesting.
It was true that often many fish were found discarded in the underbrush after spearing sessions. These fish should have found their way into someone's freezer. But the fishing guides, with their electronic sonar, radar, and knowledge of the lakes' understructure were just as hard on the aquatic populations. The recreational fisherman shouldn't have sided with either, but protested vigorously and often found himself crossing police lines and landing in jail.
The state and national press loved it. All over the area, satellite trucks could be seen driving this way and that. The tribe's showboat mayor tossed them quote after quote, instigating the locals into a maddened frenzy. Taverns and restaurants overflowed with patrons who could only discuss the horrid practice of destroying the beloved walleyed pike. The spokesman for the locals, the proprietor of a local eatery, also got on teh tube regularly. It appeared that this was becoming more of an emotional media event for the fame of two leaders every April than anything else.
The county officials finally came upon a plan:
No vehicles over a certain weight would be allowed on the county roads. These load limits mystreiously took into account the weight of those news trucks that hereafter would only be seen in downtown Minocqua at the lakeside hotel and the main drag of the Lac du Flambeau reservation. The news folks arrived in droves, but with no mindnumbing pictures of protestors willingly climbing into paddywagons after trespassing across the sheriff's caution taped boundaries, the numbers of the news vehicles dwindled. The other interesting part was that the owners of the reservation's new casino weren't inclined to allow their employees leaves of absences in order to practice the treaty rights they had had since a Supreme Court ruling in 1937. see The Lakeland Times August 19, 2003 story.
The protests were never the same. I realized that my suspicions were correct. The only real winners were the two local TV personalities, the names of either I can not remember clearly , nor can I even find using a web search.
Getting back to the local dissenters. They are getting what they want - attention. The war will go on, whether they like it or not. It will continue whether they contribute to the Repulican, Democrat, Green, Libertarian, or Federalist parties. It will continue until the terrorists are eliminated or take over the Pacific Northwest or California or Idaho or Wyoming or the Yukon Territories.
Protestors will continue to get the attention they crave. And our lives will be enriched because of it. I think I'll go and demonstrate against protests. Maybe I can make a sign that will pursuade the college students to get a job, or at least spend more time studying.
* note: Olympia's Downtown Heritage Park contains a water fountain with bursts of H2O in timed sequence which locals have named after the old-style coffee maker.
