I live in one of the most close minded, totally ignorant town, which has one of the smallest populations of any town in southern California. As I drive around my town to go to work or see friends and fellow veterans with whom I served, I see not apathy but, hate for the service member or veteran that is against an automatic death sentence to our brothers and sister is in arms(what they call the "war"). For a while I thought of giving up on the struggle to end the war in Iraq because I just thought,what good will it do to try to reach people that are so brainwashed by bush's propaganda program on national news, that it will take decades for them to even have respect for anti war veterans.
I see more politicians, corporate executives, and bush speaking on behalf of troops. The sad thing is the troops can't even try to properly defend themselves against these assholes on television and in congress because they are under orders to just say what top brass tells them too. When I was in the military I pondered on one fact everyday."If we are the ones that have sacrificed everything we have for this country, and if we are the ones who swore to uphold the rights and freedom the U.S. constitution exclaims, then how come we can't have those same rights and freedoms" The time to take back our country is now. When I was given orders to deploy to Iraq in early 2007 I simply said I'm not going, and if you try to make me go I won't fight, I won't kill, I won't do anything I'll simple kill myself rather than be used as some toy for bush to play with. The question I ask is why does no one see it our way? Why is a war we all know to be a lie still being waged, especially in the hearts and minds of those unfortunate souls who had to fight it? Why can't troops and their voices really be heard, instead of being dubbed over by some war criminal standing top a podium on national fox 6 news? It's time we do something more profound. It's time we encourage more and more active duty service members to voice their opinions, and to also show them they have a home here in IVAW. Will no one call them cowards or traitors when the ones who say those very same things are cowards themselves who have never served in the army or any other branch for that matter, and never will.