1-24-2003

There have been several supposed anti-war rallies in the United States since September 11, 2001 and we watch as the fervor and bulk of these rallies escalates the closer we get to a possible confrontation with Iraq. I said 'supposed anti-war rallies' because I see another agenda being pushed ahead of the anti-war rhetoric.

There have probably been anti-war protests for as long as dictatorship and freedom have co-existed on this planet. People who are against war call the rest of us 'hawks' in an attempt to make us seem as though we live for no other reason but to go to war with someone. President Reagan was constantly ridiculed by the Left during his administration as being a 'war monger', yet he ended the Cold War without using military intervention.

The problem with war protestors isn't that they don't want to see our military personnel go to war, none of us want that; despite the wrongful accusations of those on the Left who say otherwise, it's their reasoning that's flawed. It's that reasoning that has made what were 'supposed' to be anti-war rallies into something else as of late.

These people claim to espouse patriotism and are showing their love for this country with their rallies and by protesting assert they are protecting the democracy in which we live. These people should know better, but anti-war rallies have never 'protected' anybody, they just 'demonstrate' the freedom democracy provides. Some have even shown their idiocy by saying there has never been any benefit of war. The very freedom being used to demonstrate is only possible because of war. We weren't given freedom...we fought for it!

On September 11, 2001 we were attacked by terrorists whose governing group was organized, trained, and resided in rogue nations in the Middle East, including Iraq. When we started military action against this group in Afghanistan, many of the current protestors held rallies in opposition of that 'war'. Stabilization of that country has now begun and it's mum's the word from the Left and the anti-war crowd about that positive aspect of the war on terror. The protestors just simply switched the focus of their cause to the possible conflict in Iraq instead. Another good excuse for them to bash America.

As I've watched and listened to these people, one glaring fact continues to be repeated. It's the same issue that was prevalent during and after the Vietnam War. Their attacks (demonstrations) are against our own country and the military that protects us. In the case of Iraq, there are no protest signs that tell Saddam to disarm or adhere to the mandates of the UN resolution or to step down or even 'No More War Saddam'. All of which would prevent military action, if that's really the issue with these people. Saddam is the actual threat to peace around the world not the President of the United States, yet every protest sign rails against our current Republican president.

All this despite the fact that there were no protests when the Clinton administration sent our troops into battle several times unilaterally. These are demonstrations organized by the same political ideologues who have always been against the military, called our troops 'baby killers', disrespected them when they returned from Vietnam and now hide behind the guise of 'peace activists'. Their current agenda isn't 'anti-war' rallies, but anti-Bush rallies!

Lee P. Butler