Watched the news all last night. There was an elderly grey-haired man, wearing a robe, holding a poster of Saddam, and smacking against Saddam’s face with a sandal. The man was yelling something, but he also had a smile on his face. They kept showing this image. It moved me very much.
And for me — personally — I am glad that my views are such that I was able to watch the footage and rejoice with the Iraqi people. I am glad that I have been following this “story” not just since September 11, but way before that. I am glad that I hold the views that I do. I am glad that I was not one of the many people who watched that footage last night and had a tepid or cynical response.
I am glad that I watched the footage of Marines rolling into town, with Iraqis running alongside the tanks, cheeriing and laughing … and felt happy. I was not baffled by it, or confused as to why the Iraqis were happy to see us. I was not bummed out that the mythical Arab street didn’t rise up to repel us. The Arab street DID rise up, only they rose up in joy and welcome… rather than anger.
I know there are many people right now who are bummed out that the Iraqis looked so psyched, kissed pictures of President Bush, for God’s sake! There are many people, US citizens included, who will find these images to be a nightmare. They want nothing more than to see Bush humiliated, brought down … even if it meant the continuing misery of the Iraqi people.
Well. Too bad for you. Yesterday was a beautiful day. Brief, but beautiful.
