Sometimes I actually follow instructions when I receive them in my inbox. Occasionally, I end up feeling that was a good decision. Today I'm a bit torn because I went out to take a picture and talk to some protesters who were gathering at a nearby city.
Take Back the Economy is a movement(?) supported by organizations like SEIU and MoveOn.org. The protesters I saw today were from SEIU, and they were passing out flyers at the door of an office building that had a Merrill Lynch office inside.
I ventured out at the request of the Huffington Post citizens journalism program - the continuation of their "Off the Bus" coverage during the campaign. The people I met were very dedicated to their cause, and were kind enough to take some time to speak with me. But there was something bothering me about the encounter, like a little itch I couldn't scratch.
Finally, when sitting down for a late lunch on the way home in the local Steak n' Shake, it dawned me. I was sitting there surrounded by mostly senior citizens, and that probably helped me reach my realization. Those nice people standing outside that building believed in something, but didn't seem to think that their actions would have a real impact. They didn't have an ounce of idealism - the sort that caused people to march en masse on Washington to protest Vietnam.
For that matter, I haven't seen that sort of idealism in anyone these days. Even Obama and his supporters have this shade drawn over them that keeps that light from being seen. We have plenty of people (particularly here) who write millions of words proclaiming the desire to cause change, but with the short attention span in society today, I suspect that fire dims shortly after hitting Enter.
I know I'm pushing it a bit here since I'm not quoting news stories, and analyzing them. But I'm getting the feeling that all the righteous indignation of organizations like SEIU - those protesters today - isn't news. The fact that the people of this country have become so jaded that they can't hang onto a single belief for long enough to make it count is the real story. We've forgotten our roots at the worst time possible (at least in my lifetime), and I'm just wondering if I'm the only one thinking that right now. I hope not.