alexpgp | Too bad I can't spend money today...

A big, fruity raspberry to the organizers of "Not One Damn Dime Day," whose avowed purpose is for you to "do what you can to shut the retail economy down" for a day in the U.S. to protest the war in Iraq, ostensibly because "our leaders don't have the moral courage to speak out against the war." (Gee, if you feel that way, get new leaders.)

In what seems par for the course for this species of what I suspect is a well-fed, middle-class activist, such action is viewed as principled and heroic, evoking images of striking a blow against The System™ and those big, bloated, money-heavy, nasty corporations. Presumably, small business owners -- any one of whom is worth a score of such activists when it comes to providing goods, servces, and employment in their communities, and who would be hardest hit should this cockeyed idea succeed -- need to have yet another slash inflicted in what seems to be an ongoing "death of a thousand cuts" to keep their businesses alive.

How come nobody thinks of doing something like donating a pint of blood, which might help someone and actually save a life, as a form of protest? (Such an offbeat idea would stand a better chance of garnering positive news coverage, too, you'd think.) Why must such protests always be something ill-considered and poorly thought through that really only hurts the little guy? Or maybe that's the point? to inflict damage from the cozy comfort of one's living room?

I regret I'm not home and in a position to offset the "idealism" of at least one such sanctimonious, true-believing moron.

Cheers...