the rix mix

The feeling that I ought to be at the big peace rally in Washington D.C. today passed quickly. Wild horses couldn't have dragged me down there facing a pair of gigantic loudspeakers. Had I gotten that far I only would have wanted to add on another 70 miles & seen a friend in Virginia. . I feel the same way about all-day summer music concerts in the New York area - I'm offered free tix to some of them - where there's maybe 3 or 4 bands out of 20 I'd like to see & it's tempting, but the thought of being at the event, footsore, thirsty, coping with portosans, enveloped by mostly undesired noise, is a turn off. Not for me, joining a huge crowd for the purpose of making the crowd one unnoticable person larger. Bless everyone who made the trip.

This rally wasn't really directed at Bush anyway - he's a hopeless case, nor was it organized as a mega-march with a superstar podium. It was a gathering of activist anti-war liberals - the very people who booted Lieberman off the regular ticket, & was intended to send an unmistakable message to a Democratic congress (& to the absent presidential candidates). & to make sure the message gets through, the core activists are staying in town to deliver it to the senators & representatives. Don't be fooled by Hillary's happy Iowa rally today; if she doesn't do right by those folks gathered in D.C., they'll descend on Iowa & New Hampshire like angry hornets & she'll blow her campaign budget & remaining credibility fighting them off.