The Importance of Curiosity During a Time of War

Thursday Oct. 19, 2006: Attended the opening lecture of the Feminism and War conference at Syracuse University. Featured Speakers: Cindy Sheehan and Cynthia Enloe. I'm assuming that most readers would be familiar with Sheehan who lost her son Casey in 2004 to the war in Iraq--she's been ridiculed, demonized, arrested, praised, loved, admired, etc since she began camping outside Bush's ranch to protest the illegal occupation of Iraq. Thanks to the growing support she has garnered over the past several years, she now owns 5 acres in Crawford, TX (Camp Casey) and promises to be a burr in Bush's ass until he's impeached or indicted and imprisoned on war crimes at the Hague. Most are probably less familiar with Enloe who, as a feminist theorist specializing in international relations, has had a prolific career being "curious" about masculinity, femininity, motherhood, wives, militarization, trade agreeements, pimps, prostitutes, etc. I'd suggest reading: Bananas, Beaches, and Bases, Maneuvers, and The Curious Feminist for an idea of what Enloe examines in her work. Anyway, on a rainy and blustery night in the northeast, these 2 speakers held at least a 100 people in rapt attention on the Syracuse University campus -- reminding us (hopefully) that we must be vigilant in protesting the unjust, violent, and illgeal actions of the Bush administration. My emotions ranged from frustrated to inspired to hopeless to determined by the end of the night. As an individual I cannot end this war, but I can do my part to encourage others to think critically, to question the news we are being sold by Murdoch and others, and to be curious as Enloe's work reminds us to be. Without curiosity, we are in the end, complicit. We need to ask the hard questions about this occupation each and every single day--we need accountability from an unaccountable administration. We need to fire Rumsfeld, Rice,Cheney, and Hughes. We need to demand Bush be impeached and tried for war crimes in the same way the international community demanded it of Milosovic (even though he died before seeing a verdict). And, as Sheehan encouraged the audience to do, we need to demand more of the Democratic Party--because they are equally complict in this war and occupation. Unlike my more moderate and liberal friends, I don't feel casting a vote for a Democrat means the world will change or become more compassionate. As long as the rules of the game in the US continue to favor the ruling elite in the country, voting becomes an empty and symbolic gesture. Actually, all this anti-war talk emanating from the Democrats needed to come years ago . . .it's a bit opportunistic now. The more radical contingent in the anti-war movement already knew what a fucking disaster this war would be . . .and those predictions have not turned out to be wrong.
Civil War? Yes. Massive deaths? Yes. Destroyed infrastructure of occupied country? Yes. Secured private contracts for "rebuilding" for well connected Bush associates? Yes. Does destruction pay? Absolutely.

Monday Oct. 23, 2006: Attended a lecture by Les Roberts, a co-author of the Lancet Study which declared 650,000 deaths in Iraq since US invasion. Another good use of curiosity . . .just how much has the death rate spiked since Bush declared "victory" in the war? Don't beleive those bloggers that tell you this is an untrue or unsound study plagued by faulty methods. Instead, ask why bloggers and other pundits working for right wing think tanks want you to believe that this figure is inaccurate. What's at stake here? Why go out of our way to deny the massive death rate in Iraq? Why ignore it?

And, you certainly don't have to take my word either. Be curious. Think for yourself. Do some work. But quit being complicit.

Tuesday Oct. 24, 2006: End of rant.