RICHARD'S DISNEY PAGE

November 2001
It's 2 months after September 11th when my Greyhound bus takes me into Anaheim, home of Disneyland California. When Cathal Coughlan penned 'only losers take the bus' (live mp3!!) he wasn't joking (the point of the song being temporarily lost on me). But I'll spare you my Greyhound nightmares- there is bigger misery in the world.

The chap next to me, who's been on buses for 2 days to start a new job, wants to be out there sorting out the Afghans. He can't because he has an incurable illness and not many years to live. My heart goes out to someone I feel is decent but misguided. My feelings make me feel like a patronising git.

The people responsible for September 11th, the ones who treat women (and men) like shit and who bomb innocent people in the name of religion need to be 'dealt' with. Grieving people need justice and revenge and I have no right to talk about respecting other cultures and leaving countries to sort out their own business, but I do. The cycle of hate, fear and mistrust goes on. Of course September 11th is as much America's fault as that of the crazed terrorists. My leftie friends tell me that Saddam, the Taliban and the like are there because of American interference and funding and I have no reason to disbelieve them.

So here I am visiting, to millions of people, the land of the enemy. America, where I am offered a lift to the shopping mall simply because I asked for directions. Where the people are friendly (friendlier than London) and appear just as capable of liberal thought and political understanding as anywhere else in the world. America who offers freedom and opportunity that most people dream of but built on the back of those very same people (just like London). Where politicians can win elections with money and influence coming from those with a vested interest in continuing that exploitation (just like England). In the birthplace of Multinationals, Globilisation, Exploitation and Greed, I go to Disney...

Disney is sweet. Tastefully designed it's like fairyland. Cobbled streets, quaint old fashioned shops selling extortionately priced goods, a pretty castle, horse drawn carts. The rides are tame but beautifully themed and the experience is almost, but not quite, akin to visiting some ancient town not yet overrun by chain stores (oh, the irony). Even the most hardened anti-capitalist cannot fail to appreciate the joy on the children's faces as the end of day parade goes past. Sweetness turns to sickyness as the stunning fireworks display is ruined by Christmas wishes and peace to all men when we're not even mid November. I get my photo taken with Minnie and buy the least overpriced presents I can find. It's not the best $43 I've ever spent, but it's certainly not the worst. They've made a lot of children very happy and it's a good day out.