"Please don't be diverted by the ground noise and the static".
Apparently, that's what Republican Pesidential nominee John McCain calls the voices that have been crying out(and I am just one of them) for YEARS for the occupation--and this war--in Iraq to end. At the Republican National Convention tonight, when one protester held up a sign stating, You Can't Win An Occupation, and another protester held a sign with McCain Votes Against Vets on it(McCain's recent record includes voting AGAINST increased medical benefits for returning Iraq & Afghanistan troops, even as the suicide rate due to PTSD is the highest of ANY U.S. war)and that veteran holding the sign is wearing a t-shirt which reads: Iraq Vets Against McCain, McCain manges to ignore them, even when some of the audience notices, and begins to shout in a hypnotic, no-think chant, "USA", "USA", "USA". But when several women manage to state simply, "No More War", and hold their fingers up--not in a sign of hatred-- but in a simple,two-finger PEACE sign, he refers to the movement as--let's see, what was that again?--ground noise and static? How DARE he!
Does he understand that over 78% of the USA says going into Iraq was a mistake, that the war should be over by now, that the Iraqi people should be assisted only in establishing order, schools, humanitarian aid. Even Iraq wants us to set a timetable for withdrawal, which the Bush Administration is finally(reluctantly) agreeing to do. Though they don't call it that, of course. They're calling it a "horizon" for the timing. Democratic nominee Barack Obama said over 2 years ago a timetable should be set, and even as this Administration finally "gets" that, John McCain still. does. not. get. it.
He has the audacity to call legitimate, peaceful protest about a war that has murdered not only our sons and daughters, but thousands--tens of thousands of others' sons and daughters--and made many Iraqis homeless, and created more hatred of us--indeed, has assassinated our once-esteemed reputation around the world and fueled more distrust of the US than ever before in this nation's history, ground noise and static.
To John McCain, I'll say this:
That ground noise and static? On November 4th, it will deafen you.