Just a question to the anti-Bush anti-War people here...

[Julius Seeker]

<div style='font: 12pt ; text-align: left; '>I don't think this should be moved to Ruminations for at least another 24 hours (if at all), the discussions going on there right now are more important than this poll.

Since I am Canadian, I don't really know what's going on in the US, likely others are in the same position I am in. So I am going to do a bit of research here since I know most of you fall into the category listed in the topic.

Do you feel that your voice is being heard and represented by the government? Or do you feel that you are just being bombarded by pro-war propaganda and being largely ignored? (explanations of either might be helpful)

If you answered the latter, (by your own standards and opinions; rather than the national consensus, though a comparisson by anyone here would be nice to give a wider idea of the situation) do you feel that your democratic rights are being compromised in this particular situation?</div>

[Kupek]

<div style='font: 10pt verdana; text-align: left; padding: 0% 10% 0% 10%; '><i>Do you feel that your voice is being heard and represented by the government? Or do you feel that you are just being bombarded by pro-war propaganda and being largely ignored? (explanations of either might be helpful)</i>

That's a false dichotomy, first of all. Not choosing one does not mean the other is automaticaly true.

Anyway, to the first question, I think voices like mine are being <i>heard</i> - it's hard to ignore the massive amount of people who protested last weekend - but I don't think they are representing me. (As an aside, I think last Saturday had the largest number of people protesting the same thing at the same time.) I don't find this surprising, since my voice is in the minority (as far as I can tell).

I don't feel that I am being "bombarded by pro-war propoganda." I think most of it is subtle. I am also in a position where I am exposed to a lot of anti-war sentiment. I do feel that the whole "debate" is a formality the administration is going through in order to have the appearance of legitamicy. I think they've already decided our military is going to invade. They're just trying to figure out the most diplomatic way for this to happen.

<i>If you answered the latter, (by your own standards and opinions; rather than the national consensus, though a comparisson by anyone here would be nice to give a wider idea of the situation) do you feel that your democratic rights are being compromised in this particular situation?</i>

I'm not sure what you mean. What do you mean by "democratic rights"?</div>

[Ganath]

<div style='font: 9pt ; text-align: left; '>No, I don't feel my voice is being heard and represented. Which wouldn't be so bad, since I'm only eighteen and didn't get the chance to vote the one time I've been able to for my entire life, so I'd be fairly surprised if my voice were being heard. However, I don't think ANYBODY's voice is being heard.

Gore won the popular vote. Bush won. Ashcroft lost an election to a corpse, literally. Bush appointed Ashcroft to his cabinet. Bush wants war with Iraq (not the people, not congress, Bush). We go to war because congress decided to give him so much special power after 9/11 (that Bush largely abuses). People want freedom. Ashcroft looks for ways to make the FBI more like the Ministry of Truth. See a pattern?

Before Bush, especially before 9/11, I thought the US was free. I knew we had faults, but I thought we honestly did have democracy, and that when something went wrong, it was a fluke or just a hold up in the system. I thought the system was good and that ultimately the people win.

But since Bush and 9/11, I just feel like I used to be incredibly naive.</div>

[SineSwiper]

<div style='font: 11pt "EngraversGothic BT", "Copperplate Gothic Light"; text-align: left; '>

I don't think this should be moved to Ruminations for at least another 24 hours (if at all), the discussions going on there right now are more important than this poll.

Alright, I'll give it that, as long as it doesn't become super-popular in DS.

Do you feel that your voice is being heard and represented by the government? Or do you feel that you are just being bombarded by pro-war propaganda and being largely ignored? (explanations of either might be helpful)

Largely ignored. The people that listen are just the choir, so there's no point in preaching.

If you answered the latter, (by your own standards and opinions; rather than the national consensus, though a comparison by anyone here would be nice to give a wider idea of the situation) do you feel that your democratic rights are being compromised in this particular situation?

What democratic rights? I voted for Nader. He lost. Even the candidate who won didn't get to go to office. When the senate races came in, I voted Democrat, and that fucking bitch Northup got elected again. The people who are against this war are being completely ignored. Bush doesn't even care about the reasons any more. Hell, the US doesn't even listen to the UN now.

It's the US against the world, and since the rest of the world has been fucking slackers to depend on the US for their World Army, the US can do whatever the hell it wants. Piss off the Middle East by giving weapons to Israel to defend against the Seven Day War? No problem! Get away with Iran-Contra with a slap on the wrist? Okay! Try to change the government in Somalia? Sure! Go invade Iraq and take all of its oil? Yeah, go right ahead!</div>

[Riot Hopper]

<div style='font: 9pt ; text-align: left; '>I think the government hears the voices of the citizens but chooses to ignore them. I've never believed in the system. At first it was just adolescent hatred of authority, and what was the ultimate authority but the governement of AmeriKKKa? Now after I've done more research and lived longer, and seen screwed up things, I can swear on my fucking life that the system is corrupt from the inside out. The problem is that somehow over the course of the last few hundred years the people gave the government too much power. And with the use of fear and capitalism those in power turned everyone into slaves and pawns for their political games.

Already everyone in the world thinks the US is out of line, and I agree with them. They say sympathy for the US because of 9/11 is fading fast. Bush is a sad, psychotic, son of a fuck brain. I don't hear much agreement to go to war, largely do to the fact I dont leave my house much. It sucks I have to rely on the media for a lot of info, but I like to listen to public radio. If I do see interviews with people who scream ATTACK ATTACK! Blow them all to hell!! I just shake my head in disgust. I want to be a global citizen.</div>

[ak404]

<div style='font: 11pt "Comic Sans MS"; text-align: left; '>...I don't know how well it went through the corporate media channels, but on February 15, 603 cities around the world simultaneously protested agaisnt the war. The largest demonstrations were in the US, UK, Australia, Spain, and Italy.

Bush considers the protest of a few million people against his policies insignificant.</div>