What Is Up With The Anti-War Movement?

What a good question from an attentive class.

Recently there was an anti-war protest along with pro-war, only they call themselves something else, like troop support movement, of some ridiculously stupid title, you know kinda like the pro-life people? During this protest there was an anemic turn out to support the stopping of the war. Why? Another good question.

During Vietnam there were two things that lead to the anti-war support. 1--the war was not censored, it was brought to the people as it happened, not like now where you only get what they want you to have. Nightly news was pack with images as they happened not as they were edited. And 2--there was a draft, for awhile, that meant, unless you were from a wealthy family, your butt would be in Vietnam, no choice. So the combination of the two made most working class people realize that they had no choice other than to force the government to stop the madness.

With Iraq, none of these occurrences are available. The news is filtered so that the viewers get only what is authorized. And second the military is solely volunteer. Only person that a soldier can blame is themselves for signing on the dotted line.

However, I do see a bright spot for the ant-war movement--that being the troops themselves. after numerous deployments to a ware zone they will become concerned for their fellow citizens. The more disabled vets that get out there and bug the Congress, the more the movement will gain. Another bright spot is the groups that are finding the truth of Iraq and putting out there so all can see and reflect.

Will the movement ever be successful? In ending the war? probably not, but they can help influence the thinking of the public and that could lead to a ground swell of support for the anti-war movement.


CHUQ