During a conference call of the we

were asked to say what we are doing to keep our spirits up during this

time of looming war. Most of my friends and colleagues reported practically

useful or spiritually worthy activities that they have embarked on recently

to bolster their spirits—ranging from playing music to rediscovering

grammar school friends to co-teaching a course with Noam Chomsky (literally). All

I could think of was our family decision this morning to follow the instructions

in the newspaper and buy plastic sheeting for an emergency shelter room.

(Unfortunately, all the sheeting is gone from local stores).

Although I probably should focus on the damage

that we may be about to do in the Middle East, my actual thoughts range

from fear for my family, to irritation at the way the Bush Administration

handles diplomacy, to equally profound irritation with the European

anti-War movement. Everyone’s instinct in a time of crisis is to use

it for pre-existing political ends, whether they want to bash American

culture or impose US power on the Middle East. Each group interprets everyone

else’s motives as narrowly selfish or self-indulgent. And all the parties

act so as to confirm the worst interpretations of their enemies.