Written by: Jim Hansen
Thursday, August 23, 2007

The sign on the left says that our government has spent over $450,000,000,000 on the war and now the occupation of Iraq. Idaho's share is $1,200,000,000. Then it asks how would you invest the next $1,200,000,000? If people are interested in participating in our informal survey, we give them 12 colored noodles and ask them to put them in the jars representing a variety of possible investments (including the Children's Health Insurance Program and Head Start). One jar represents continued spending to occupy Iraq and one is "other" with a sheet for people to write down their preferences. There are 11 jars total. They can put all their noodles in one jar or spread them out.

Since Friday morning, August 17, several hundred people have taken the survey. Most take several minutes to think about their choices and in the process share their personal connection to some of them - such as health care needs in their family, or scholarships they've needed, or hunting on the public lands in Idaho, or the state of Idaho's roads and bridges. Many have a personal connection to someone who has served or is serving in Iraq. Everyone agrees with us that we should support our service women and men and many believe that support is best shown by bringing them home and investing in their health and education needs.

Some folks say we have no choice but to keep troops in Iraq and keep spending there. To them, our patriotic duty has been defined and we must stick with it, not question it. One person told me our troops must stay in Iraq because they blew up buildings in the US. I told him we'll have to agree to disagree on this because I sincerely believe our freedom and security is made worse with each day that our troops occupy Iraq. I did not point out that Iraq had no connection to the attack on September 11, 2001. I have found that this is such a critical link some folks need to hang on to that they would not believe me anyway. I don't blame them. My anger is directed at the deliberate misinformation my own government has pushed to make that link and to silence anyone who questions it.

It is interesting to watch people approach the booth, read the sign to get an idea of what we are talking about and then either keep going or apologize and say they don't want to talk about it. I've met lots of people who have silenced themselves on this issue. The lead up to the invasion was so intense and the criticism of people who questioned it was so vitriolic that the public was given the clear message (through almost all media channels) that questioning the invasion was unpatriotic. Once the war started, questions were even more out of line. Now, four and a half painful years later, even though the majority of Americans want to bring our troops home, many still feel there is no space to voice their concerns. They don't voice them at home, or at work or in the social groups they belong to. I don't blame them for not wanting to voice their concerns to some strangers at the fair (albeit strangers with friendly faces!)

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