It's your money...make it your party

Now that the federal government is dumping the cost of the inauguration on DC residents, we should feel that much more motivated to make January 20 our day rather than theirs. It's bad enough that Bush is going to rule the planet for another four years through his phalanx of able, justice-minded ambassadors such as Charles Graner. (For those keeping score, Graner's lawyer is arguing that American cheerleaders make pyramids all the time and that isn't torture.) Forcing DC to foot the bill is just rancid icing on the cake. If you're on the fence about whether to participate in the counter-festivities, please remember that parties aside, ideology aside, next Thursday's ceremonies are nothing more than a celebration of torture. And of war, and fear, and hate, if torture alone isn't enough to propel you from your sofa. Those of us who benefit from that catalog of atrocities are obliged ultimately to try to end them, but in the meantime to at least make things as uncomfortable for their perpetrators as possible. So, get out in the streets (of this town or your own), make a scene, and if you can prove you disobeyed a lawful order, there might be a humanist merit badge for you somewhere. I'll at least make you a dry pasta necklace or something.