Opinion

Sunday discussion: War Will Pryor-Bennett: Support our civilians Support our civilians, not 'prolonged' wars

This is the winning essay on the anti-war movement, based on Justin Raimando's talk in November at Western Connecticut State University in Danbury.

More Information Essay contest judges Thomas McMorran, Joel Barlow High School principal Charles Dumais, Newtown High School principal Bryan Luizzi, Brookfield High School principal Greg Shugrue, New Milford High School principal Ebong Udoma, state capitol reporter for WSHU Kevin Gutzman, Western Connecticut State University history professor R. Averell Manes, Western Connecticut State University political science professor David R. Chipman, Danbury attorney and founding member (retired) of Chipman, Mazzucco, Land & Pennarola Gene Epstein, economics editor for Barron's magazine Jim Azzola, of Thermal Science Jacqueline Smith, managing editor of The News-Times.

Justin Raimando stated effectively that American military endeavors are draining the economy and that few are willing to make this connection.

In his book, The Limits of Power, Andrew Bacevich agrees that not only are our security attempts costly, they are not even working, citing "the failure to anticipate and avert 9/11," (p. 72) and also the two prolonged, unclear wars we are engaged in.

Raimando felt that the anti-war movement had gotten stale, even boring, as everyone was complaining about the same things.

In truth, those complaints should be enough, but they all seem to be deflected by the simple phrase, "Support Our Troops."

It is a blinding, pacifying statement that fails at "distinguishing between the war and the warriors," as John Kerry said in the 2004 presidential debate.

I agree with Raimando that the key to a more effective anti-war movement is to bring various political groups together, even if different groups require different reasoning.

Perhaps more military men should be made aware of the difficulties veterans have had getting their GI bills.

The Tea Party movement, Raimando reasoned, is an increasingly powerful political party preaching fiscal responsibility.

Therefore, ending a war costing over a trillion dollars would be of interest.

The Tea Party could also teach a thing or two to the lazy yet indignant citizens who watched so many Tea Party members get voted into Congress.

Blue-collar mobilization and voting in numbers is effective. Various statistics showing a low approval rating of the wars reveal that the anti-war movement has those numbers.

If we want to take our power back, we must assert that we have it.

Will Pryor-Bennett, a student, is a resident of New Milford.