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From: carnes@gargoyle.UChicago.UUCP (Richard Carnes)
Newsgroups: net.followup,net.flame
Subject: Re: Protesting the Beirut Hostage Crisis
Message-ID: <498@gargoyle.UChicago.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 21-Jun-85 17:00:27 EDT
Article-I.D.: gargoyle.498
Posted: Fri Jun 21 17:00:27 1985
Date-Received: Sun, 23-Jun-85 04:10:32 EDT
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Organization: U. Chicago - Computer Science
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>	A campaign to protest the people being held hostage
>	in Beirut was started either in California or
>	Texas. If you oppose the actions of the terrorists 
>	please do your daytime driving with you headlights on.

<puke> 
(And what about the millions of Americans who *support* the actions
of the terrorists?)  I have a better idea.  Let's all chant in unison,
"USA! USA! USA!..."  Maybe that will get the hostages released.  

>	This may not have any direct influence for the hostages
>	release, 

Really.

>       but it will show Solidarity in America!

Does anyone seriously think the Shiite radicals give two craps
whether Americans are united in solidarity behind the hostages?  They
will do what they can to achieve their political objectives.  If the
US govt. is serious about getting the hostages released, it can
pressure the Israelis to release the hundreds of Lebanese civilians
(including women and children) that Israel has imprisoned in clear
violation of international law, and that Israel was planning to
release anyway.  But no, that would cause people to question Reagan's
manhood, which seems to be the bottom line for the Administration.
Reagan's tough talk about retribution only serves to show up the US
as a paper tiger, since everyone knows he isn't going to do anything.

This idea of turning on your headlights to show American "solidarity"
is just another example of the stupid Us versus Them mentality that
may be appropriate at the Olympics but gets us into trouble around
the world.  This isn't a soccer match, goddammit, it's a POLITICAL
problem that requires a POLITICAL solution.  But if you think that
God is on Our Side (as usual), why not pray instead of wasting good
gasoline in such a dramatization of our powerlessness?

Richard Carnes