From an LA Times Op-Ed by Michael Kinsley
Has there ever before been a war that so many people disapproved of but so few wanted to stop? Have the reasons for starting a war ever been so thoroughly discredited without turning into reasons for ending it?
What a bizarre thing to say, that there are no reasons for ending the war. A majority, now oppose or feel uneasy about the war. These numbers will grow as the cost, both human and financial, of the war continues to escalate. But we need to be there in the streets, to be organizing, to be ready for this growing dissent, and not, as Kinsley is doing, wail that all is lost and hopeless.
What seems to be today’s antiwar position — it was a terrible mistake and it’s a terrible mess, but we can’t just walk away from it — was actually the pro-war position during Vietnam. In fact, it was close to official government policy for more than half the length of that war.
Rubbish. True, some antiwar groups, like Antiwar.com and United for Peace and Justice wavered and vacillated quite a lot at first, supporting the sanctions for example, but even they are now saying “Bring the troops home now.”
The ANSWER Coalition, who has been the lead organizer for most of the antiwar protests in the country, never wavered. “Bring the troops home now” has always been their slogan – as should be clear to anyone who has actually been to an antiwar demo or participated in the antiwar movement. Kinsley apparently has done neither.
Today’s antiwar cause doesn’t even have a movement, to speak of, let alone an agenda.
Again, rubbish. ANSWER has always had a clear agenda. Get in the streets. Organize. Don’t rely on the Democrats. Major change always is spearheaded by mass dissent.
Limousine liberals (this is a scathing term from the 60’s, a limousine liberal is someone who mouths platitudes but is never there at crunch time) like Kinsley do a disservice with their out of touch meanderings about how hopeless things are. Quite the contrary, the antiwar movement is united like never before, and growing fast.