Anti-war protests

I'm pro anti-war protests. Whenever I see people out in the street protesting against anything the government does, it proves to me that we live in the country that I think we do.


When hundreds or thousands of people feel free enough to go out into the street and proclaim opposition to the government it's a powerful statement that we live in a free and open society. These people don't have to fear a knock on the door in the middle of the night, no one is going to come for them because they carried a sign.


It also makes me feel like we in the military are doing our job. Not only from the "freedom" aspect, but also from a safety perspective. A large gathering of people is a target, especially if they advertise ahead of time. Obviously we are safe here at home if people still feel like they can gather together in large groups in the street.

I also think it's good for the leaders of the parties to see that they shouldn't enter into a war without great deliberation and debate. This is why I still think it's wrong to blame Bush alone for the Iraq war. He made his case to the Senate, they had the means to question him and his administration. If they didn't ask the right questions, that's on them. You can say Bush lied and manipulated the evidence, but I have yet to see credible proof. Obviously the congress doesn't think there is credible proof either, or they would have impeached by now. But that's beside the point.

The anti-war protests emphasize to our "leaders" that they need to be very sure the next time they vote to go to war, they are willing to stick to it for longer than the first bad news from the front. (They probably won't, but that's a whole other story.)

The problem I have with the recent protests is the targeting of recruiters. No one protesting against recruiters can still claim to support the troops. Recruiters are troops, plain and simple. Most of them are what we call "detailed recruiters." Which means they are ordered to recruiting duty, they didn't volunteer for it. If you believe recruiters are evil and are preying on young people to support this administration's illegal war, then you have a shortsighted, immature worldview.

So protest. Protest against this war, or all war in general if you wish. But leave the recruiters alone. They are just Soldiers doing a job.