OPINION by
Lee Hicks, |
Freedom and civil disobedience The week of celebrating democracy and independence spawned a number of events illustrating the privileges and limits of freedom. In northern Idaho, a pathetic group of Aryan Nations demonstrators marched peacefully with their tired message of racism and hate. Elsewhere in the Northwest, a Seattle protester allegedly whacked Mayor Paul Schell with a megaphone, breaking his cheekbone. The protester’s defenders, or maybe "rationalizers," claimed the action was born of frustration over the city’s attitude toward the black community. Down in the Klamath Falls, Oregon area, irrigators cut through a weld on a Bureau of Reclamation headgate to express anger at losing crops, livelihoods and a lifestyle to endangered species related water restrictions. Although the irrigators’ actions were illegal and could lead to prosecution, various protests related to the issues in past months have been well-organized and peaceful. Organizers said they have rejected some stronger actions of civil disobedience suggested by more militant factions. And the county commissioners, who support the irrigators, have refused to call for confronting the federal agencies. The result of the Klamath protests have gained national attention for issues that affect the Methow as well. The manner in which the irrigators have framed their message is a contrast to the seemingly mindless violence that marked world trade protests in Seattle and elsewhere in world. Many of the WTO protesters seemed barely informed of what they were against, and their actions detracted from the debate of what could have been legitimate grievances. Thus far the Klamath area protesters mostly deserve praise for their peaceful restraint. They’ve made their point--much better than did the WTO outlaws. It is the Tribune's policy that all opinion columns are published with a byline of the writer and the views expressed are the opinion of the writer and not necessarily those of anyone else associated with the Tribune. |
