What's Up With That?

A few years ago I went to see the movie ‘Erin Brockovich’. To be truthful, it was more because of the actress playing her than the actual subject but, I came away with an appreciation for what she did, Erin Brockovich, not the actress (I already appreciated her), how she fought and brought about change. It also made me realize that keeping quiet isn’t always the best way to go through life.

I started listening to protesters and what they had to say. I agreed with a lot of their concerns and, even so I never participated (not an activity a couch-potato is eager to do), I supported their efforts. Staying on the sidelines and giving them the room to do what they were eager to do made me also feel I was doing my part. Until one day!

There was a protest against emissions, oil companies and the environment. I had to drive down and around a couple of side streets to bypass them. That’s when I saw it: three huge SUV’s, the ones that seat eight people, and the occupants unloading signs “Death to the oil companies”, Stop killing us for profits” and a few others along those lines. I looked at it and something just didn’t add up.

You are participating in an environmental protest, pointing out what your ‘enemies’ are doing and you have no problem using the spoils of their businesses by driving gas-guzzling, emissions spewing SUVs to that environmental protest?

Maybe they were bored, maybe they had to kill some time before an important meeting or, maybe they did get paid for screaming, yelling and being in everyone’s way. That’s the most likely one!

Sorry Erin Brockovich, from what I gathered, you truly believed, without getting paid, in what you wanted to change. Too bad that unethical, unscrupulous and self-serving people took your effort and ran with to get their ego gratification and a paycheck.

As for me, protests are a farce! I don’t want to see and hear about them on the news (I change the channel) and I don’t want to discuss the subjects with a bunch of ‘enlightened’ fakers!