Unnatural Acts
by Tina Louise
We call…but they don’t listen, we shout and they don’t hear - this is how those in power ‘handle’ the problem of those of us who disagree with the war in Iraq; we are ignored down into insignificance and pointlessness

Marches go endlessly nowhere, under-counted by a compliant media… petitions get signed for no reason, no recognition of their significance and the futility, it eats away at the souls of those who would make a stand.

The internet helps us to feel connected, helps to ever so slightly ease the futility with the warming sensation of connecting with like minds that share hope. But sadly, although the internet has enhanced how we communicate and share our distress at the actions of our governments… it is also an invisible action. Perhaps a harm? In that it satiates our need to act, creates a sense of 'doing' – yet maybe all it is doing is keeping us busy?

The anti-war/peace movement seems to involve a lot of signing-up to sites, buying merchandise and buying into a whole array of ideas, perhaps beyond that which we are focused on individually.

 

As an individual who is against the war in Iraq, I don’t believe this is a political stance - it is a moral and sane one. A stance based on the fact that we went to war with lies as intelligence and we know this - so why are we still there? What can justify this continued act that is clearly illegal?

We are splintered by issues unrelated to the reason for our need for activism. Whatever our political allegiance, our religious belief, our colour or our status – surely we are humans, outraged by inhumane actions first?

Becoming ‘active’ is something we as individuals HAVE to consider when faced with acts by our governments - in our names - that we are against. Acts that we fund with our taxes and ALLOW with our in-activism.

In our individual human hearts we have to know that the invasion of Iraq was wrong and continues to be wrong. We have been lied to and robbed, both of our public money and our reputations as rational human beings.

But ‘activism’ is not natural to many of us, it often appears undignified, dangerous even and it gets bad press. It seems to involve dressing bad and shouting a lot - spending money buying merchandise and taking time off to travel to marches and events.

But it shouldn’t and doesn’t have to be hard to be active, it shouldn’t and doesn’t have to cost or take time - I am hoping that after reading this that you will consider individual, daily activism that is free, instant and non-political at Arms Against War (www.armsagainstwar.info).

It offers the opportunity for individuals to empower themselves with a simple act of activism that costs nothing, not even time - just a simple, home-made, white fabric armband is all it takes.

This visible symbol is representative of the wearer’s agreement with the statement “I want an end to the war in Iraq” - nothing more, nothing less. Please consider this show of independent voice & unity for all the reasons that sanity tells you.

Let’s get VISIBLE and at least, as individuals, each take one step in the direction in which we want others to follow.

 

Two thousand years ago, a Roman Senator suggested that all slaves wear white armbands to better identify them.

Tina Louise is a writer, poet and activist living in York, UK. She is the founder of Arms Against War at: http://www.armsagainstwar.info

 

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