Friday, July 20, 2007
Telling Numbers
The poll was immediately noticeable at the top of the Forum’s left column. Anyone who reached the Forum could but was not required to vote. Only one vote was allowed to each user. The current results could only be seen after voting. There was no way to know the choices of particular individuals. The question asked was “If you had to fight for one, which would it be?” Possible responses were “Al-Qaeda” and “United States”. Here are the results.
It looks pretty even with a small majority supporting the United States. The numbers might be prejudicially suspect appearing on a politically leftist forum. They may be more representative however than that assumption would lead. We have had contacts from 140 nations. A large share of those originate from search engine queries devoid of significant political content and hitting on words and phrases of our posts.
The US backing of 55% is especially notable because that number also pops up in another context. Coupling the two appearances seem to reveal something otherwise hidden. The Forum’s Privacy Policy explains that the data we gather includes analysis of contacts by originating nations. It turns out that 55% of them are from the United States. Perhaps the two “55”s are not coincidental.
It is probably so that most voting Americans would support the US. How about the others? Focus on the remaining 45% from rest of globe who backed Al-Qaeda. Those outside the US seem in close unanimity to share Al-Qaeda’s evident belief the US is a justifiable military target.
I wouldn't say it would be that clear cut, there may be people in the US who may sympathise with al-qaeda, likewise those who may sympathise with the us from outside. I personally didn't vote, although if i had to go one way it would be the US but only if by some miracle al-qaeda still existed and the us had become a workers state. Otherwise i'd remain a fighter against both the reactionaries of US capitalism and al-qaeda.
I look at struggle less as defining for whom to be cheered and more in focusing on who is the enemy to battle. Once the heart etches that line, it then becomes a matter of determining and applying the means necessary and available. I have little trouble in this case in knowing on which side of it I stand. It is not hard to count bodies and note who is on whose land. Communication in our chat room with those from around the world but beyond the borders of the US tell me I stand in solidarity with those on the far more populous and determined side.
Al Qa'eda created by the US to face Soviet Union, as simple as it is, go watch Rambo III....
In any case, Qa'eda rule of Afghanistan has been horrific, just when we thought there can be no worse than a Stalin's reign of oppression, we had a US offshoot product called Taliban.
I cant imagine how one can support Qa'eda
