The world is watching us

"The whole world is watching! The whole world is watching!" chanted the crowd as Cindy Sheehan, famous mother of a soldier killed in Iraq, was taken into custody on Monday.

As one of the final acts of the massive demonstrations in Washington, D.C. last weekend, several hundred protesters staged an act of civil disobedience in front of the White House.

Indeed, the whole world was watching as well over 100,000 marched on Washington last Saturday. The world again watched as over 400 were arrested in front of the White House and Pentagon Monday for demonstrating without a permit and disorderly conduct.

The world has focused on the United States the past few weeks as the nation grapples with hurricane disasters and the War on Terror. Many would agree that what the world has seen is nothing to be proud about. The issue of who is to blame concerning the hurricanes will likely be discussed for the weeks to come in Congress.

Unfortunately, having someone or something to blame only helps the politicians who are assigning the blame. The real issue is whether, after watching thousands suffer in the Gulf Coast and thousands more demonstrate in Washington, Americans actually realize the consequences of our government's policies.

The demonstrations in Washington had many notable participants. Jesse Jackson, Rev. Al Sharpton, Joan Baez, and Cindy Sheehan are just a few of the recognizable protesters. Agree or disagree with the politics of protesters, this was by no means the voice of the fringes of society. Saturday's protest was a family event drawing people from all walks of life.

The most notable figure in the demonstration was the one that was not there. President Bush conveniently left Washington before the protest for U.S. Northern Command in Colorado to oversee the government's response to Hurricane Rita. The sight of President Bush surrounded by military and Homeland Security officials in a state-of-the-art situation room was impressive to watch. It was also strikingly similar to Bush's flight from Washington to the USS Iwo Jima after Hurricane Katrina to be briefed via satellite by officials back in Washington.

President Bush's absence from the White House was symbolic for many at the protest. It underscored the unmentioned sentiment of many that even 100,000+ could not turn the United States back from war. The people may fill the streets, and the world may watch, but those with the power to make a change likely will not listen. White House Spokesman Scott McClellan laughably compared the couple hundred pro-war demonstrators on Saturday to the thousands that marched against the war.

Those who attended the demonstration may chuckle or be outraged at the administration's plan to reduce and ignore them. Ignoring thousands of people knocking at one's front door sounds absurd, but it is a common practice for both the administration and Americans as a whole.

Washington D.C. opened its doors after the New Orleans flood to roughly 300 evacuees. Like the rest of the nation, the city has gone to great lengths to aid those affected by Hurricane Katrina. At the same time, the city largely ignores the 17,000-plus homeless people that live in the city. The number of shelters in Washington is shrinking. Other shelters are so dangerous that some homeless people refuse to use them.

Those thousands sleep outside our houses of government every night. Sadly, their plight is no different than thousands of homeless in other cities throughout the United States. We are not the only country in the world with poor, but we are the richest country and most able to help our poor. Moreover, our policies have more effect on the poor of the world than any other nation. When we address the war in Iraq and its billions in expenditures, we must remember what the loss of that money to bombs and destruction means to those who could use that money most.

The whole world is watching as we allow our leaders to fly around in circles and leave the poor in the streets. The whole world is watching as thousands of us protest in the streets. The whole world is watching to see when we actually make a change for the better.