I read a book recently that touched lightly on one woman’s experience during the many protests of the Vietnam war. It made me think a little bit…where are our protests?

The war in Iraq has certainly been an issue near and dear to many people’s hearts, and also the cause for much controversy, both politically and globally.

But, although there have been many anti-war rallies, most have been peaceful. Which isn’t to say peaceful protest is a bad thing…but where is the indignation? Where are the people who are saying, “what is wrong with this picture?” and questioning the decisions that are being made that affect our country and the world? Why are college campuses not full of unified students, bright with energy and impossible ideals who want to change and help the world? How come protests against war and for peace come so few and far between, often nothing more than a small blip on the radar - even in our nation’s capital?

I feel that as a whole, our country too easily turns the other way, and is more concerned with rising gas prices than the cause for it, more worried about MySpace predators than violence in schools, more worried about getting richer than looking around to see those in poverty. I can’t say that I’m blameless in being self-absorbed. But sometimes when you take a look at the bigger picture, it’s all in vain. The world will continue on no matter how many members of Congress are exposed as pedophiles, no matter how many innocent children are murdered, and no matter how many families are grieving lost loved ones. The news is a fickle mistress, and with all of the constantly changing headlines, I wish that more people would start to open their eyes, and feel outraged and appalled at all that is going on in the world…and maybe, just maybe, try to do something about it.

Tonight I heard Keith Olbermann give his special comment in a biting and brutal message to our fearless leader, concering the President’s statement that Democrats and all others opposing his administration are weak on terror and in essence helping terrorists. He said that Bush’s words were basically a whole lot of negative, cowardly bullshit.**

I think what made Mr. Olbermann’s statement so clear to me, was his closing with the infamous Edward R. Murrow sign off, “Good night, and good luck.” It brings back the seriousness, the corruption, and the scandal of the McCarthy trials; and reminds me that there are still some journalists out there that remain a strong voice of dissent against the government, demand truth, and stand up for what is right.

Amen, Mr. Olbermann.

**an excert of the comments**

“You have dishonored your party, sir; you have dishonored your supporters; you have dishonored yourself.

But tonight the stark question we must face is — why?

Why has the ferocity of your venom against the Democrats now exceeded the ferocity of your venom against the terrorists?

Why have you chosen to go down in history as the president who made things up?

In less than one month you have gone from a flawed call to unity to this clarion call to hatred of Americans, by Americans.

If this is not simply the most shameless example of the rhetoric of political hackery, then it would have to be the cry of a leader crumbling under the weight of his own lies.

We have, of course, survived all manner of political hackery, of every shape, size and party. We will have to suffer it, for as long as the Republic stands.

But the premise of a president who comes across as a compulsive liar is nothing less than terrifying.

A president who since 9/11 will not listen, is not listening — and thanks to Bob Woodward’s most recent account — evidently has never listened.

A president who since 9/11 so hates or fears other Americans that he accuses them of advocating deliberate inaction in the face of the enemy.

A president who since 9/11 has savaged the very freedoms he claims to be protecting from attack — attack by terrorists, or by Democrats, or by both — it is now impossible to find a consistent thread of logic as to who Mr. Bush believes the enemy is.

But if we know one thing for certain about Mr. Bush, it is this: This president — in his bullying of the Senate last month and in his slandering of the Democrats this month — has shown us that he believes whoever the enemies are, they are hiding themselves inside a dangerous cloak called the Constitution of the United States of America.”