He told us to make him do it. We need to make him NOT do it. Where the hell's the anti-war movement?

[Scuba]

Has the anti-war movement died? Are we only against wars when Republicans start them?

We desperately need to show our elected "representative" that we are opposed to further misguided military adventurism, I've seen no word about marches in the streets of our cities. Am I missing something.


Here's Alan Grayson's petition. Alan is determined to "whip" the House no votes together.

Here's the White House petition.


If you haven't signed and distributed these, please consider doing so. Thanks.

[KoKo]

1. Rahm Emmanuel and others...Cautioned against it just after Inauguration. n/t

[Phlem]

14. Rahm Emmanuel

Now there's a stand up guy.

-p

[HardTimes99]

2. I'll be going to my first-ever protest against a Democratic president on Thursday at the

Federal Building in Westwood, CA. Protest organized by LA chapter of ANSWER.

[Earth_First]

10. Ugh. ANSWER.

Get ready to be barraged by a dozen more 'pet projects' that ANSWER engages in.

I get that they have the ability to draw in large attendance to these protests, but they water down it's impact and alienate potential attendance by doing such.

[HardTimes99]

11. I share your "Ugh" about them. I refuse to attend any of their weekend marches and rallies

in downtown Los Angeles any longer, b/c they require a huge expenditure of energy and time and for very minimal exposure, other than Latino and Asian shopkeepers and their stores' patrons. Depending on how matters proceed, I shall probably resume my regular weekly neighborhood peace vigilling which I came to view as a civic obligation during the Bush Junta.

On matters of substance, I find that I agree with most of their affinity causes and groups. I did look askance at their refusal to allow Michael Lerner (at the time the editor of Tikkun) to speak at one of their events because of his pro-Israeli (not pro-Likud!) stance. But I think they have a very poor strategic understanding of how to reach the masses when the media are controlled by a few fat cats.

At some of the early ANSWER marches in response to Afghanistan and Iraq, I swear there were more police videographers and photographers there than members of the media. Just a gut feeling, but borne out by the near-total lack of coverage on local LA news.

[arewenotdemo]

21. Props to you, HardTimes99.

[pacalo]

3. Done.

[Hekate]

4. Lots of discussion in another thread, with charts

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=3581362

[pinboy3niner]

5. CREDO Action petition link:

http://act.credoaction.com/sign/dont_bomb_syria/?akid=8813.2980794.6nPZlk&nosig=1&rd=1&t=7

[leftstreet]

6. The Democrats used the antiwar movement

They don't need it now

[polichick]

7. Yep - just like Republicans used Evangelicals...

and are kinda sick of them now.

[HardTimes99]

12. Sad, disgustingly so, but true - nt

[SylviaD]

24. Bingo. And it's deplorable. n/t

[hughee99]

33. I think that's more accurate than many would like to admit. n/t

[polichick]

8. I think people are finally getting that we have one corporate/mic party...

with two faces, and that marching isn't going to change either one.

Still, the people will figure out what to do to stop this train wreck eventually.

[DirkGently]

9. No one's for this war. But no one's asking our opinions anyway.

That's where we've gotten ourselves. We have encouraged and expanded the idea of the Executive Branch having the discretion to commit the United States to armed conflict, wherever, whenever, and ... surprise, it turns out that means endless spending on endless adventures for the endless benefit of a handful of people and organizations who want them.

[MotherPetrie]

13. Thanks -- signed.

[Cryptoad]

15. "Where the hell's the anti-war movement?"

Most are trying to figure out how to stop Assad if he lives long enough for Iran to send him some nuclear weapons to test!

[Comrade Grumpy]

31. I don't think that's it. n/t

[bhikkhu]

16. The quickest way to end the war is to let Assad use all the chemical weapons he wants

He has the stockpiles and the expertise, and he's been winning the war. If he just needs to clear another city or two, and some neighborhoods here and there, there's nothing that does that as well a sarin. Once he's done, then he has established the model for other leaders such as himself to deal with their own restless populaces and end wars with speed and efficiencyl.

Is that the anti-war message we want to send?

[Scuba]

18. We have many other options beside cruise missiles and nothing.

[bhikkhu]

23. I certainly hope so

I think this administration is the one I would trust to find the best option. And I really wish, going forward, that the UN were better set up to do the job it is supposed to be doing, so things didn't come down to this now.

[Scuba]

27. The UN can have Syria's civil war. I don't believe there is anything the US can do that will help.

Except for stay out, of course.

[pkdu]

20. If I could Rec a Reply it would be this one.

Says everything I think on his thread.
Thanks

[silvershadow]

17. Oh, they've finally wore me down. I give up. Grayson for President, though. nt

[alcibiades_mystery]

19. I'm opposed to intervention, but I will not march or align myself with anyone who

1) Claims that these chemical weapons attacks were a "false flag" or some manner of scheme by some "MIC" or
2) Argues that Barack Obama is a "warmonger" or "tool of" some "MIC"

My days of marching in common with cretins are long over.

[Scuba]

22. What do you think is driving our policy if not MIC profits? Serious question.

[SylviaD]

25. "Are we only against wars when Republicans start them?" for some people here, the answer is YES. n/t

[NaturalHigh]

29. Unfortunately.

Bombs are just as deadly when they are sent by Democratic presidents.

[gopiscrap]

26. My thoughts exactly

[gopiscrap]

28. Thanks for the links

[CakeGrrl]

30. If you're in the "Obama" = "Bush" = reactionary warmonger camp, I'm OUT.

There seems to be no room here to consider that President Obama is NOT the same warmongering type of fool as his predecessor.

And I'm not down with that train of thought. I think anyone who holds that narrow view isn't thinking broadly enough or with any nuance.

THIS President has said "No boots on the ground".

He said repeatedly that he hadn't made up his mind.

But some here HAVE - about HIM.

Despite the fact that there will be increasing confirmation that Assad IS doing what has been claimed.

There IS something for Congress to debate and decide.

And THIS President did not just say "screw everyone" and start bombing.

He's getting shit for engaging Congress after Congress whined about it. He didn't act unilaterally, so the spin becomes "he took the easy way out of a corner".

But there is now a possibility that the mounting evidence will support a need to take sort of action.

If there is agreement to do that, I'm confident that THIS President, unlike his predecessor, will have a thought-out plan.

The world is not black and white and does not obey good neighbor rules just because they ought. Mankind just isn't set up like that.

[Scuba]

34. Wow, you sure tried to put a lot of words in my mouth. But let me focus on just this ....

"But there is now a possibility that the mounting evidence will support a need to take sort of action."

What evidence shows a threat against the US? What evidence supports the idea that the US must take action? Why is this a US problem? That's the part that's missing for me.

We have children starving here at home, we have sick people without healthcare, we have workers with no jobs. What evidence supports the idea that we must spend our tax dollars on the misfortunes of citizens in another country when our own are suffering without help?

[Dems to Win]

32. We marched, in huge numbers, prior to Iraq. Barely even made the news.

Certainly didn't change the votes in Congress.

I've written my reps, sent a letter to the editor re Syria, signed the petitions. I'll call my reps tomorrow. I hope others join me in lighting up the phone lines. But I'm jaded on the effectiveness of marches.

[Paladin]

35. Any meaningful anti-war movement went away when the draft was abolished.

As long as we've got a mercenary form of military service, detached from society at large, I don't see an anti-war effort taking off. I'd love to be proven wrong on this, but I don't think I will be.

[Scuba]

36. Sadly, I suspect you are correct, and ending the anti-war movement was Nixon's intent all along.

[Paladin]

37. I remember being dispirited at how fast it happened.

There was a vibrant, loud, effective anti-war movement in the country. But with the termination of the draft, it immediately disappeared. If the public at large doesn't have some skin in the game---as long as little Trey's plans to go to law school don't get fucked up with a mandatory detour to Afghanistan---our politicians can wage wars as they see fit. Depressing.