My opinion on the 'peace' protesters

[becka]

Please remember that this is MY opinion alone (although you are free to agree with it ) and it is based on my personal experiences and run-ins with the local protesters. Your opinions and experiences may be very different.

I live in a large college town so that probably sways the type of peace protesters we have here but I am convinced that probably 90%+ of the protesters here in Columbia are not protesting so much out of their belief that the war is truly wrong but are protesting more just for the sake of protesting.

It seems that every week a pretty sizeable group of college students here are protesting something. This has gone on for years and you never quite know what the cause will be this week (war in Iraq, fur, NATO, the lunch menu etc). Obviously any big issues like the war in Iraq become much more major and they will protest that particular issue for weeks.

The thing is that you see the same protesters out there EVERYTIME. Could all of these students possibly feel this strongly about every issue? Is it more of a case that they enjoy the idea of protesting and they don't care what it is they are protesting against? I am certainly not saying that all protesters fall into this category but I think a large number think it is a 'cool' thing to do and that they are going to bring back the 60's.

 

[PamOKW]

You are right. There are, of course, some people who feel strongly about this particular issue and they may be protesting for the first time and/or with an honest feeling that they are doing the right thing. There are also high school and college students who can get caught up with the idea of joining the protest as a way of being cool and/or getting out of class without giving all that much thought to the real issues. And, there are professional protesters who are sometimes actually anarchists who would love nothing more to bring down the government not only of the U.S. but governments around the world. These are the protesters who appear at all summit meetings and economic conferences (like in Seattle).

 

[rajak73]

Just finished reading the local paper, shows war protesters in San Francisco. Under the pic it reads "A protester yells in pain and firefighers use a gasoline-powered saw to cut apart anti-war protesters who linked themselves together with metal pipes in order to block Market Street in San Francisco" Now it's one thing to protest the war, but, what kind of moron puts their hands in pipe you can't get out? If it was me, I would just drag them out of the way and let them worry about getting free from the pipe by themselves! JMO Actually, it just shows the IQ of some of the protesters.

 

[Robinrs]

becka:

I was in high school when I protested the Vietnam war. I was chased by cops and dogs but I felt the need to protest a war I really had no love for.

Among the throngs were college students who used the protest to skip school, not caring at all for the cause.

I didn't understand that because my Mom, who was a protester herself and marched on Washington in the 60s, told me to stand up for what you believe in.

I guess what I mean to say that within any group of humans you will find all kinds of intentions and methods of madness. They may not stand for what you care for but as Americans we have the right, thank goodness, to feel and react on what our government does.

If not for protests and marches, I would not have been allowed to go the schools I went to, vote or live freely here in the South.

So the few who truly feel for what they protest are surrounded by people with another agenda. It's sickening but it's the way it is in every "group".

 

[Luckymommyx2]

I don't recall living through any protests such as this so maybe someone can answer a question, honestly and without starting a debate. How long will these protests go on? Will they continue until the war has ended? (I mean, they do know that Bush is not going to just stop the war and make everyone come home now because of the protesters.) I understand it's everyone's right to protest, and I'm not against that right I'm just trying to get a feel as to how long we're going to be witnessing all of the protesters. I think they've made their point, at least to me!

 

[Olaf]

I have the utmost respect for people/student who protest in an orderly, respectful, and lawful manner. However, I think some of these students need to be reminded that it is not the student protestor who guarantees our freedom or the right to protest. Rather it is the soldiers, who are now putting their lives on the line in Iraq.

 

[kdibattista]

I am convinced that probably 90%+ of the protesters here in Columbia are not protesting so much out of their belief that the war is truly wrong but are protesting more just for the sake of protesting.

I could not agree more!!!!!

 

[MarkRG]

And I got to see it firsthand last night. What happened on the outer drive here in Chicago was as far from a lawful protest as you could get, and from what the tv showed there was a high percentage of college kids in it. And you could tell just from the look on their faces who were there to actually protest something, and who were there to just 'be cool'.

I have no problem with people wanting to be vocal about their beliefs and form a protest, but don't plan something that is going to purposely break the law in such a major way. If anything else it just puts the whole effort into the extremist category, and won't be taken as seriously.

 

[RUDisney]

What frosts me, aside from thumbing your nose at the men and women who are defending our freedom and liberties in Iraq, is that these people take away the civil liberties of others during their protests. Was it really necessary to close down Lake Shore Drive in Chicago yesterday to have a protest? The people who got caught in traffic wanted to get home or to their next appointment. That is their right and liberty to get where they wanted to go, it should not have been up to the protestors to stop them from getting to their destination. Chicago traffic is bad enough.

As for the San Francisco protests, again, people are trying to get somewhere when driving on Market Street. Why would you stop them? Would your cause not have been heard had they stood on the sidewalks and let people read their signs and hear their shouts?

Granted, both of these stories got national coverage. But, if the same number of people congregated around Buckingham Fountain in Chicago, the story still would have been notable.

I also heard about a vomit in (sorry that this is gross, I didn't start it) in SF yesterday. People were vomitting on the sidewalk to show how sick the thought of war made them. Blech!

IMO, now, we should be supporting our president and our troops. Rallies for change should be made after what IS so that perhaps diplomacy will work in the future, not while people are risking their lives, right, wrong, or indifferent for us. Will the protestors be at the airports and shipyards when the troops come home to boo them like they did after Vietnam? That is just deplorable.

 

[Jeafl]

My sister lives on Lake Shore Drive and literally could not get home last night. It took her 4 hours to get home to her condo, when normally it takes 20 minutes. She was telling me that it was so out of control that innocent people who were not even protesting were caught up in the throngs and arrested.

What makes me madder than everything though, is the HUGE amount of police that have to be taken away from their real responsibilities of protecting our city. Instead, they have to waste their time dealing with this stuff. With the heightened alert for terrorism they should not have to be wasting all that manpower dealing with people who feel the need to take their protest too far.

 

[minniecarousel]

This is an issue that I feel passionate about. The City of San Francisco is in a real budget crisis (as is the entire State of California) and here the City has to spend almost 1/2 million dollars per day for police and public works (for clean up). Plus the police are not responding to 911 calls as quickly, ambulances can't get through the area, investigators are not able to work on homicides, etc. I know many people who attended the peaceful, planned rallys - and then to see the hooligans trash the intentions of truly concerned citizens nauseates me!

 

[LvsTnk]

I was so glad I didn't take my son into the city yesterday (I homeschool). I have no problem with protestors but closing down Lakeshore Drive was terrible.

For many reasons posted about why they should not have done that, I can't think of one possitive reason to do it.

One radio station had a call in from a protestor that said all the people that were stuck were in support of them, and were honking their horns to show that support

 

[Jeafl]

Are you sure they weren't honking their horns to tell them to GET OUT OF THE WAY???

 

[s&k'smom]

I'll be the first person to defend your right to be heard. But and this is just my opinion but even if you don't agree with the war shouldn't you support our troops? We have the right to protest, to be heard because of the men and women who protect us. In Iraq you are executed for speaking your mind. Oh and I hope I don't make anyone mad but I've just got to say it. All of these Hollywood types who are against the war living in there million dollar mansions, living their million dollar lives, who have the right and ability to make these millions in this country. How many of them are thinking of the actors and actresses in Iraq who risk their lives every single minute they express their artistic opinion. Sorry guys but my brother is over there and I'm really sensitive right now.

 

[Jeff in BigD]

I tend to believe that any protests, civil or otherwise right now is counter-productive. This action will likely last less than a few weeks. The resources of police, etc could be a lot better utilized by doing the day to day things to investigating possible terrorist attacks.

I understand the protest of Vietnam since there was no clear objective & it went on for years. However, the people that threw rocks at or spit on our soldiers should live the rest of their lives in complete shame. Absolutely reprehensible!

 

[auntie]

We had protesters in Times Square last night durring the evening rush hour! NYC has been high alert since 9-11. We have relatives, and neighbors that are NYPD..they are trying to do their jobs, and apply the additional terrorist training they have had, and now they have to deal with protesters. I have no problem if people want to express their views by protesting. However, I have a big problem when they do it at the risk of others. They do not consider for a moment that they are placing those around them and those that are there to watch for possible terrorist situations activities at risk with their behavior. You have Bloomberg telling people to come on in to the city, that it's safe, but then you are pulling cops off away from what they are doing to get people out of the streets blocking traffic durring rush hour.
Aside from the major incovenience to others, the fact that they feel their cause is of greater concern than that of the safety of those there to protect them or of others who just happen to work there. Plan a protest so as not to endanger the lives of other people.
Also, my daughter is in high school, and on the day when colleges and high schools were protesting last week...about 40 kids walked out. If I tell you these kids would have done anything to leave school, not exactly the honor roll if you know what I mean.
Not to say, that these protesters don't have a right or that they are not informed..but in my opinion most don't have a clue, and just march around saying war is bad..no kidding.

 

[shortbun]

The protesters are protesting the WAR and the
ADMINISTRATION'S policies. THEY ARE NOT PROTESTING
AGAINST THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO HAVE LITTLE
CHOICE BUT TO FOLLOW THE ORDERS THAT HAVE BEEN
GIVEN THEM. AM I SCREAMING? YES!!! BECAUSE MOST
OF THESE PROTESTORS HAVE HAD THOUGHT PROCESS
BEYOND THE LEMMING MENTALITY SHOWN HERE AND
ELSEWHERE BECAUSE NO ONE WANTS TO TAKE THE
TIME TO LOOK AT THE BIG PICTURE IN THE world
AND IMAGINE THAT!!!! geesh
I'm should join the vomit protest-I'm sick to death
of people who don't get it! Most (that's the majority)
of our military folks are in the military because there are
not jobs or training for them elsewhere. They have no
choice at what they do NOR have they had the education
or experience that would show them how to resist such
action. They are poor, minority, young and mostly
trapped. IMHO- THE BEST WAY TO SUPPORT THE MILITARY
IS TO BRING THEM HOME ALIVE AND DO IT NOW. THESE
FOLKS DON'T DESERVE TO FIGHT THE WAR OF THE GEORGES,
NOW OR EVER. SUPPORT THE MILITARY I N D E E D!!!!!!
SUPPORT THEM BY TELLING THEM THEY DO NOT NEED TO
SERVE THE PURPOSE OF OUR SELFISH, ARROGANT PRESIDENT.
Let's talk about this again in 20 years and see who was
right. Get real folks-another travesty is being committed
against our population-again for money, oil and power.
BTW - the protests I attended during Vietnam were very
passionate and I remember NO ONE who was there to
spend a day recreating. We stopped that war and we can
stop this one too. Someone asked how long the protests
would go on... "how many deaths will it take til they know
that too many people have died? The answer my friend, is
blowin' in the wind. The answer is blowin' in the wind."
PEACE NOW

 

[Jeafl]

shortbun, there may very well be protestors out there to truly protest the war, but there are also a good many out there who just want to jump on the bandwagon. Our local radio stations are full of people calling in saying they just wanted to skip school, and that entire classes at the colleges decided to "protest" so that the teachers would have no choice but to cancel the classes. To some people out there on the street, it is nothing more than a social engagement.

As far as the military not wanting to be there and just doing what they are told to do, I have to disagree. I've had CNN on all day, and they have interviewed countless service members who DO feel they are there for the right reasons. I've yet to hear one person say that they are only "doing what they are told".

 

[JimB.]

The protesters are protesting the WAR and the ADMINISTRATION"S policies

You mean the policies of confrontation with the Iraqi's that President Clinton proporsed 5 years ago, but did not have the nerve to follow through with?? Pray tell, did you protest that??



" MOST OF THESE PROTESTORS HAVE HAD THOUGHT PROCESS
BEYOND THE LEMMING MENTALITY SHOWN HERE "

Really? Do they protest the human rights abuses of the dictator in question?? In fact, do they (you) ever protest the human rights abuses of ANY dictator??

Or the warlords in Somalia? How about ethnic cleansing in the Balkans?? The Khmer Rouge??

Did you protest the actions of Al Quida post 9 / 11??


NO ONE WANTS TO TAKE THE TIME TO LOOK AT THE BIG PICTURE IN THE world AND IMAGINE THAT!!!!


Your right. Include yourself in that group. You refuse to see that the world has some mighty nasty people in it, & they are not us. And oh, BTW, THEY want YOU DEAD. End of story.


"Most (that's the majority)of our military folks are in the military because there are not jobs or training for them elsewhere"

And your factual basis for this is...................... what? Gimme an objective source. That wasn't the reason I joined. Being the bloodthirsty guy I am, I just wanted to see the world & kill the bad guys.


And oh, BTW, some of the highest quality job training you can GET is in the military. And get paid at the same time. One heck of a good deal if you ask me (and then there is the "bad guy" thing again )



"Get real folks-another travesty is being committed
against our population-again for money, oil and power"

You are right. But surpisingly, it is the peace loving french, germans & russians that have a pissload of oil money tied up in iraq today. The travesty is that they are willing to leave an evil terrorist in power for the sake of it.


"PEACE NOW."



But not freedom or justice.



Good one. Ask Neville Chamberlain.

 

[minniecarousel]

I don't see intelligence in the people who break store windows and stop ambulances from taking a heart attack victim to the hospital. Explain to me, Shortbun (without shouting) to those of us who oppose this war but don't understand how stopping people from going to work helps stop the war. In San Francisco, perhaps the majority of the people don't support the war, yet disagree with the nastiness of the protestors. I just don't see how what they're doing is supposed to stop the war - talk about lemmings - how niave!
For me, I am going to a prayer service for our locals "over there". That is how I get involved.