Can The Anti-War Movement Be Saved?

A good question! Answer is not at the rate it is running now. Why? No pizzazz! Basically, what you have now are just people who want to end the war, gathering, marching and chanting. YAWN!

Step back into the 60’s and 70’s. The anti-war movement was a production there were people in Nixon masks, dressed like POWs, dressed like monks who set themselves on fire; in other words there was a theater of the absurd, a guerilla theater, within the anti-war movement. Small plays were presented during the protests that had a theme. Such subjects as number of dead soldiers, number of dead Vietnamese, capitalistic M-IC, anything that pertained to the war and its make up.

I see very little of this in today’s anti-war demonstrations. I see marchers, carrying of signs, a bit of chanting, and more boring stuff. Nothing grabs the spectators or for that matter the media. Without the media the protests will only reach a very, very small audience. If that is the case, all the protesting in the world will be as useless as a fart in the wind. To be successful in the anti-war movement, you need to attract attention. Lots of attention! Today, they are attracting a 10 second sound byte on the evening news, if that much.

Apparently few of the masters are left. If they still are around, then they are in a comfortable place and do not feel that opposition to the war is a worthy pursuance. Especially from a generation that wrote the book on civil disobedience.

Confrontation, there is the key! Going limp when arrested is not what I am talking about. I am talking about forcing the forces to over-react. That tactic is not as popular as it was back in the day. Few are willing to take one for the movement. It is just not that important anymore.

ALL protests should have those people that are trained in the arts, especially the performing arts; these people can help the message get noticed by the spectators and especially the media.

So can the anti-war movement be saved? Yes it can, but the people have got to want it to be saved. Now, war is not on the front pages as much and the attention of the people is elsewhere. The movement will lose its newsworthiness and could kill it completely.

Realization--The Anti-War

Back in my day a REALIZATION was used when someone gained knowledge or enlightenment--yes it sounds New Age, but you had to be there to appreciate the times. If you were not there--sorry!

Do you know about the "Winter Soldier"? Thomas Paine wrote: "These are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from service to their country....". A winter soldier is that person that in time of need steps up and fights for the people and their concerns. Are you a winter soldier?

This is just to point out that a real patriot looks and acts for the benefit of the country and not for personal gain. When will someone, anyone step forward and take command of the army of people that are being misrepresented?

Look at the situation now. Bush is showing a disregard for the reps of the people, Congress. Under this Pres. our Congress is going the way of the roman Senate, impotent at best. The relative impotence of the Legislative branch and the growing power of the Executive branch is a sad indictment of the future of the US. The Congress is allowed to exist as a PR gesture to the people, to let them think they are participating in a democratic process. In actuality they have little to NO power to effect change.

It is now time for the "Winter Soldier" to step forward; these politicos will not give the country back, they will have to take it back. The start would be to help the American people unlearn their submissiveness. An excellent place to begin is the anti-war movement. Make the Reps bring the troops home! And bring them home NOW!

If you are looking for change in the next election....you will be SADLY disappointed. The frontrunners, all of them, both parties, are business as usual, there will be NO CHANGE if any of these fools win the election.

WAKE UP! we are slowing losing our rights and most importantly, our democracy. YOU can change that! But will you!

CHUQ

National Blackout Day

Activists and leaders on the Left have asked for a national day where no one spends money, if not necessary. This is not just anti-war, people are asked to do this in the name of whatever is important to them. The environment, war, civil rights, etc; whatever is important to the individual.

The National Blackout is schedule for the day of 02 Nov 07.

The organizers realize this will not be a total thing, but any help would be appreciated. The old saying , "if you do not stand for something, you will fall for anything" rings true.

Please help, this country is in trouble, deep trouble and financial pain is the only thing most understand. You have the power--USE IT!

To Fund A War

I have been an outspoken opponent of the war and the way it is being handled in Congress. These people have tried and failed to stop the madness and then caved to the Prez and given him just about everything he asked for. Still do not see where these people are doing what the American people are asking them to do.

But my faith has been sort of restored. Why? Good question! Rep Obey, D-WI, has introduced an idea to fund the war. He is proposing an increase on the surtax from 2% to 15%, which would raise about $150 billion, which is very close to the money that the Prez was asking for in his begging for funds. This is a positive step, IMO, to finding ways to end this war.

A recent poll shows that about 74% of the American people did not want the Admin to get its extra funds, but that was of no consequence to the Reps in Washington. But if they can push this proposal through and it becomes the law of the land, anti-war protests will begin and begin with a bang. Sad that it will take this type of thing to make people start protesting and finally win an end to the war. But this war has gone on for too long, simply because the American people have not had to sacrifice anything short of their children. A kick to the wallet will wake them up to the obscenity and then they will demand an end.

I will be watching this piece of legislation and will comment from time to time on it.


CHUQ

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

Joan Baez Banned

Good morning class! Ok, let's enter into the "way back" time machine and journey to the 60's and 70's. This period was full of protesters against the war in Vietnam and among them was one, Joan Baez. She did concerts, wrote songs and spoke out against the war. She was even married to a guy named David, who was in prison for being a "draft dodger". Needless to say, she was not very popular with the government in power at the time. She was, however, very popular with the protesters and resisters.

ON personal note, I was not one of her fans. I was not for the war, as a matter of fact, I was one of those damn "commies" that protested the war. Baez, in my opinion, used her then husband to further her career. It made really popular because that he made a stand and went to jail, instead of going to war. Please understand this is a personal opinion.

ZAAAAP! Now we are in the present day. Mellencamp was having a concert for Walter Reed guys and he wanted to inclide Baea, who is a friend of his, but she was not allowed to join in the concert.. WHY? According to the Army, she was added too late to the roster, for them to make arrangements. The military said that it was not because of her opposition to the war. They even said that Mellencamp was against the war, so that is a none issue.

If you believe that, then your check is in the mail! Baez is a very verbal opponent of the war where Mellencamp wants to sell records. He may be against the war, but he is a wimp. He wants to avoid confrontation, where Baez seems to relish it. If the war became popular tomorrow, then Mellencamp will come to his senses and be all for it. It is about money and record sales.

My opinion? Baez should have been allowed to play, but then again I am one of those damn "commies".


CHUQ