My opinion on the 'peace' protesters

[I <3 Eeyore]

Originally posted by shortbun
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.

Well, that's just not the case for my DD or the other members of her unit. My daughter left a job as a local newspaper reporter last summer when her unit was called up. She's a college grad with a degree in communications and has worked for 3 tv stations and several newspapers in the past 8 years. She went into the National Guard to subsidize her education, as do many members of the military. Do you have anything substantial to support your claim or is this just your opinion?

 

[RUDisney]

Originally posted by ByTheSea
I stated sometime shortly before this war started... and I still believe, that war is wrong. But I believe I can, and I know I do support our troops. I do NOT support the Bush Administration and I do not believe this war is the right thing to do. I don't know if I could ever believe any war is the right thing to do. I am opposed to all forms of violence.

Do you have another idea for how we should be handling this? I'm not trying to back you into a corner, but I find it interesting when people want to pull out of the war but offer no insight into how we should resolve things peacefully. Just as we can teach our kids that they don't have to listen to us because we won't follow through on any of our threats, we (and the UN) have taught Saddam that for the past 10 or so years, we just offer idle threats. When he said that he was ousting inspectors, our administration did nothing. When we found out that he was attempting to build nuclear weapons, we did nothing. Sure, we protested and beat our chests because he was "wrong." We taught him that the US was more about talk than action. Finally, we have an administration that is willing to put our military where our mouths are, but now that 80% of Americans are supporting military efforts, there will still be dissenters.

I don't have a problem with those who disagree with my president, or his administration. What I have a problem with is people who say we should have peace. Of course, we should have peace.. that is our goal. Without other VIABLE alternatives, and without the information that central intelligence has, I can see no other option but to take the action that the president and his advisors have chosen.

I watch the destruction of Iraq and can't help feel saddened. I can't help but imagine how "we" the US would be reacting if the city we were watching be bombarded and destroyed was within our own borders. It brings the morning of 9/11 back to me vividly, watching the destruction and feeling utterly horrified and devastated....

One difference is that the Iraqi's have been expecting this. We were completely blindsided on 9/11/01. Another difference is that we aren't targeting civilians, but the leadership and troops of the Iraqi regime. Horrifying? Yes. But not moreso than launching a surprise attack. I still believe that the Iraqi people will be much better off when we're successful in turning over the current dictatorship and that history will show that we acted in as humanitarian a way as was possible.

 

[becka]

WOW! This thread really took off over the weekend and really went into a direction I never intended but that is the nature of the DIS at times.

My opinions were not meant to imply that the peace protesters do not have a right to protest but was more of my opinion that so many of them appear to not really care about what they are protesting so much as the fact that they are protesting something. The war just gives them an opportunity. I feel this is especially true with those protesters who are violent and disruptive. I believe the majority of the protesters who are educated about the issue and really hold deep seated beliefs that this particular war is wrong protest peacefully and in a respectful manner. I do not agree with them but I certainly respect their right to protest and the manner in which they protest. I do not respect the protesters who are just out there because it is the cool thing to do or those that are disruptive and violent.

I did want to respond to a few of the statements made in this thread.

posted by shortbun
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.

This is one of the most offensive remarks I have yet seen on the DIS. It is quite obvious that you do not have any personal experience with the military. I think before you make such a comment you should come by a military base and talk with these same soldiers, sailors and airmen that you think are uneducated and trapped. Your ignorance about the military and the men and women who serve our country is truly astounding. I really would love to comment further but my comments would not be within DIS guidelines.

posted by shortbun
Get real folks-another travesty is being committed
against our population-again for money, oil and power.

I am always amazed that people think this is about oil. If this was really about oil then when we liberated Kuwait (an oil-rich nation) 12 years ago why didn't we just take it over for ourselves? Why give Kuwait back to the Kuwaiti people? Why did we not march right into Baghdad and take over the Iraqi oil as well?

 

[goofygirl]

I do not respect the protesters who are just out there because it is the cool thing to do or those that are disruptive and violent

I totally agree. I usually dont agree with becka on much, but I think she's on the mark here.


I dont see the point in disrupting traffic and annoying the general public during a protest. It will accomplish nothing. If they really want their voices heard, they should go where it matters: their local Congressmen's and Senators' offices.