From One Spectacle to Another

Now that the Olympics have come to an end, it is time for the Republican National Convention to assemble in New York City. Yesterday, there were hundreds of thousands of protesters marching in front of Madison Square Garden with all their banners, chants, and mostly moronic ideas - all in the name of free speech.

It is a wonderful right to be able to peacefully assemble and say what you want to say. However, when those ideas are so outlandishly ridiculous, will you truly garner any support? Let's take a closer look at some of the marchers' beliefs:

1. Signs saying that the current president is the number one recruiter for Al Qaeda.

What kind of silliness is this? Al Qaeda, just like any other anti-American group will recruit as many and as hard as it can until it either achieves its goal or is eradicated from the planet. Reason and dialog will never change the fact that American values and customs are not acceptable to them and never will be.

2. Reclaim Democracy.

Democracy was never lost - it is what got Bush in office. People seem to forget that Clinton and his administration were widely loathed for the assorted improprieties and scandals that they were involved in. Gore, while highly experienced as a politician as a senator and as a vice president, is still one of the dullest people on the face of the planet. He has the charisma and charm of a corpse. Not to mention he invented the Internet. Thanks, Al.

3. No Blood For Oil

It is a terrible tragedy when a soldier dies for his country. It is made even sadder when that soldier dies in a far off land for a people that don't want him there to begin with. As the old poem goes, his is not to reason why, his is but to do and die. While this is not The Charge of the Light Brigade, it is an all too real experience that is fueling much protest and anger in the American people. Sons are coming home in body bags and in pieces and for what?

The answer, many claim, is oil. Iraq and Afghanistan have large oil deposits and the US wants a cut of the action. People act like this in and of itself is a bad thing, however, it is not. Firstly, America is heavily dependent on oil. More people own cars in this country and drive more than anywhere else in the world. Gas prices are incredibly high right now and people are complaining. Secondly, the cost of this war is also quite high and to help repay the war debt there are only so many options - tax us or hustle the Iraqis and Afghanis.

When you have an administration with so many members who were previously involved in the oil industry, it only makes sense that they would hustle the Middle Easterners. It's a win-win situation for the Americans as an oil partnership would lower the prices of gas in the US and the savings can be used to pay the war debt. I really find it hard to believe that these protesters' Gulf War morals will cause them to want to pay more at the pump.

4. National _______ for Peace, Peace Peace Peace, Peace_________ with a side of Peace

Man, with the exception of the Swiss, is a warlike animal. From the very beginning of time, it has always been about getting either what you need or want by any means necessary. There is indeed a time to talk and a time to fight. These people don't see things that way at all and this is sad. History has shown that people who only choose peace as the solution ultimately lose until they change their minds. For a reference, look up Neville Chamberlain.

The RNC is about to begin and there is no telling what will happen. People who actually attend rallies and protests tend to get unhinged and teargassed. With the Democrats already saying that they will not sit idly by, a good show is guaranteed for all.