Peace Now / World We're Sorry

On my way to a café this morning a kid stopped me to donate to the Save the children foundation. I was so not interested that I tried to avoid him like the plague. I told him I already sponsored a kid in Brasil. But we started talking and he told me how it wasn't just other countries where we have problems with poverty, but he showed me this diagram illustrating counties in America that had child poverty rates of over 60%! Rural areas mostly. I had no idea. I ended up agreeing to sponsor one child with them, but in America this time. the truth is that we have the ability to sponsor a child for as little as $20 per month if we want to. so almost anyone can do it. its cheaper than Starbucks. The kid told me that earlier that day a guy signed up to sponsor ten children monthly. That's awesome. Here is the link: http://www.savethechildren.org/index2.asp

Tonight I did it. I unveiled The General. An alter-ego who dresses in a full army general uniform, including the boots, hat, jackets, medals, and even the aviator sunglasses. But he walks around carrying a PEACE NOW/WORLD WE’RE SORRY sign.
I marched up and down the busy and chaotic streets of South beach with all the millions of people in town for the MTV VMAs. Scared shitless when I first started out the door. Perspiring from head to foot. But response was good. getting the message out there. The General is a badass character. And people like his message. They think he is real. Tomorrow the VMAs. I noticed that as I walked around town whole crowds of people would part to let me by. Because of the way I was dressed. He has this presence. People think he is real. And that makes his message even stronger. They relate to it. some Germans asked me, ‘what do you mean by that sign?” I responded, “its kind of obvious isn't it? we’re not all in this together. some of us are terribly sorry for the last three years. and its important that the rest of the world knows it. we’re sorry for the invasion and occupation of Iraq. We’re sorry for the obvious deceit involved in the whole affair. And how insidious it must look to the rest of the civilized world. We’re sorry for the defiance of the UN and NATO. We’re sorry for our refusal to cooperate with the world war crimes commission. We’re sorry for our refusal to oblige our commitment to the Koyoto agreement. And so many more things... in general, we’re just fucking sorry for the last three years. World we’re sorry. We’re sorry for letting this happen to us.

For some reason I am more inclined to stay by myself working than go out and enjoy the numerous festivities going on all over town. I keep getting these calls, but not committing to anything. Weird. Obsessed with work lately, rather than social things.

Click here to watch a short video about the history of political conventions in America. Its cool. http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2004/special/president/convention/rnc/viewer.guide/

Last screening: ripleys game. SEE IT. ITS GOOD. VERY GOOD. John is awesome.