Images of protesters around the world with banners saying something like "Down with Bush!", or "Die, Bush", or even - my favourite, by the way - "The only bush I trust is my own" are flashing through my mind. I ask myself: Why? What makes people hate Bush so much? Hate him so passionately to follow him around the world, show up everywhere he makes an appearance, and wave pictures of him and signs with slogans that are disturbing at best and even setting him on fire; figuratively, of course.
To come back to the point: Why?
To make matters clear from the start: I am not examining the current political situation in the world concerning the naughtiness of The United State of America; you can form you own opinion on that. What interests me more is the concentration of hate towards America, it's meaning, it's power and the exertion thereof in form of one person: the abominable Mr. Bush. Just imagine asking a few protesters - be they Iraqis, Americans, Germans, Cubans, or even small babies (I have indeed seen a picture of a baby sporting a t-shirt with an anti-bush slogan; this is NOT cute, and we'll talk about child abuse some other time) - why they are doing what they are - namely protesting; the most universal answer you'll get is: "to stop Bush". Inquire further - perhaps about the reasons behind this hatred, or about the actions that are to be condemned. Those of them who possess reasoning facilities will most likely be able to name what disturbs them about the state of the world - but those reasons will be many and very, very complex. To put it simple: The answer to the question: "What is wrong with the world?" just cannot simply be "Bush."
But the imperative for action is never quiet contemplation of life's little mysteries. What makes you move and provoke changes are gut feelings and impulses that have little to do with reason. Just to ilustrate: imagine going for a hot chick you see at a party. You don't know her, don't know anything about her; chances are you'll get rejected. And still - babies ARE born. And now imagine a moderately reasonable protester who gets hurt during one of the protest rallies. He could have predicted there is a slight chance he could get hurt; had he really thought about it, the protest would be over before he even chooses to sleep that one out. On the other hand - one aforementioned impulse is enough and man is ready to risk limb and life for sex (oh, yes, and protesting, too). These impulses are love, passion, hate. Hate. Oddly enough the answer to the question "Whom do you hate?" can simply be "Bush".
Yes, I guess man's instincts and impulses take only symbols as an input. Bush, like many other persons and things in the past are just symbols for what United States of America stands for. He is the voted head of state, so he represents America as a people, as a concept, as a policy. And, as many see it, for it's evil and wrongdoings.
Symbols are representative simplifications of a concept. Concepts are easier to communicate through symbols (just imagine a white dove, or a swastika). It's easier to move the masses with a certain, definite object - like a symbol, then a complex concept; in order to communicate these, long and tedious explanations are required. So in a sense this is necessary, but this is the foundation on which every misunderstanding is built - oversimplification. And the most alarming thing is that misunderstanding bears almost every kind of abuse, and ultimately, -ism, known to man.
Ever heard of propaganda (which in itself bears a negative conotation)? The trick is not to explain, but appeal to people's passions, love, anger, fears,... with simple symbols; that way they are pliable as plywood; and in no time one turns a critically thinking man to an opinionated, or even hateful creature. Communism? An interesting concept. But gone horribly wrong. One of the reasons is also the complete misunderstanding of its nature because of the oversimplification of those who propagated it (their benevolence is, again, not the issue here). Antisemitism? The carricature of the evil jew with the crooked nose just jumps at me. There are countless other examples.
What am I getting at? Bush is just a symbol; a symbol of an establishment whose nature is as ambivalent as any Beck recording (or even more; but this is debatable). I just cannot agree with the advertising of Bush as the enemy of everything we hold dear. This will inevitably lead (or has already lead) to misunderstandings or/and grave mistakes. These can be avoided by carefully thinking and debating about various aspects of "The Man", thus trying to get as complete a picture as possible. If at that point people stil feel an urge to protest, and wave flags, and burn pictures, let them do it. I guess this is not my way of expressing my feelings, but hey, they have my blessings. As long as they understand what and who they should really fight, not just because they hate a person (whose connection to world hunger, poverty and bad weather is dubious at best), or - god/Alah/Buddha forbid - protest for protesting's sake.
So next time when you want to ask me what I think about Bush, better don't. I don't care if he brushes his teeth, or if he makes his homework. Better join me for a cup of coffee, or tea, and we can share opinions on the corporate establishment in America, or the UNs inability to act in various crisis spots throughout the world. Kolatkar.
