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02/16/2003 Archived Entry: "Millions at antiwar protests"

On the Political Front:

The antiwar outpouring around the globe was too massive for the mainstream media to ignore. The protest in London was estimated at two million by the organizers, at 750,000 by police.

An estimated two million people protested in Spain, especially in Madrid and Barcelona. An estimated 400,000 protestors in New York City overflow the area allowed for the antiwar demonstration. Estimates place the global demonstrators at between eight to 11.5 million people.

Will the global outpouring for peace stop US plans to invade Iraq? I doubt it. Bush has risked his Presidency on one roll of one die -- regime change in Iraq. The build up of troops in Kuwait and environs, the establishment of Homeland Security, his statements in the State of the Union address...he cannot back down from any of these measures without losing so much face and having incurred so much wasted resources that *his* regime will not survive. His fate is now linked with that of Saddam's. Besides which -- and God help us! -- I think Bush really believes that the Lord is on his side.

On the Personal Front:

It is bitterly cold outside...the type of killing cold that makes me vigilant about listening for scratches at the door by any of our animals who have wanted out. I need to work through the night and that's all to the best. We keep an airtight stove blazing as our primary source of heat, with electric floorboards as back-up, if required. The airtight is amazingly efficient...and cheap. The fact that I work best at night allows us to keep the stove stoked 24-hrs a day (Brad covers the day) so that the entire house seems bathed in a glow of warmth: if you touch the walls, they give off warmth. There is a different quality to the heat produced by burning wood...it seems to penetrate your bones like a flow of hot water over your back does.

Best to all,
mac