Regrets

So, despite what my friend Sean might think, the best under-appreciated show of all time was not Ed but Arrested Development (watch it here).  My wife and I love it so much we bought all three seasons on DVD and watch episodes regularly, laughing uncontrollably as if we've never seen them before.  The show was absolutely perfect, won tons of emmys, and was watched by so few people that it was eventually cancelled (although Fox knew how good the show was so they allowed them to end the series).  The problem was, we never even discovered this amazing show until the middle of the last season.  I regret missing this show.  Not that my one TV set (that is nowhere on the Nielsen Ratings List) could have possibly saved it, but I still wish I could have done my part.

It reminds me of those who don't stand up for what they believe in (I am very often included in this group).  The thinking is that their one vote/action/presence/etc. will not have enough of an effect to really make a difference.  I have a professor who missed our midterm exam this past spring.  When announcing this to the class, he told us where he was going.  He emphatically stated that he would be in Washington D.C. getting arrested.  Needless to say we were a little shocked and curious.  He informed us that he goes every year to protest the unjust war in Iraq and that his group plans on participating in civil disobedience to get arrested so that they can have a voice when the media covers their arrest.  This past year, it was pouring down rain so only the really committed participated.

Did their actions end the war?  Not yet.  But does that mean we shouldn't do whatever is in our power to do what is right?  No.  We will be held accountable for the things we did AND those we didn't do.  Next year I plan to be in D.C. and getting arrested (my first time).  Will it accomplish anything?  Who knows.  Maybe it won't even be necessary.  Maybe President Obama will have withdrawn all of our troops and ended America's attempted colonization of Iraq by then.  If not, I hope he will see the commitment of some in this country to ending this war that doesn't even come close to meeting Augustine or Aquinas' just war requirements.  I don't want to have any regrets.

Oh by the way, since I started this blog, the U.S. has spent over 1 billion dollars on the war in Iraq.