Blast From the Past - Protest Edition

Last September I posted about the anti-war protests going on nationally and locally, "Freedom of Expression."

Relatives of a person cited in the article, Karen Zierath, showed up to take issue with my comments - Amanda Zierath commented a few months ago and her father Richard commented today.

Together they're lengthy, particularly the latter. So's my response, which I felt belonged in its own post so I'm putting it here.

--------------------------------------------

Richard, I hope you get to finish your post - it looks like haloscan cut you off. I'm also one of many generations of military servants, most notably from my grandfather's service in WWI to my father-in-law's service in WWII to my father's service in Korea, my husband's service in the Navy pre-Gulf I, and my close friend's current service in Afghanistan.

Time sure changes our view of things - I believe you're right about the level of current public support for the GWOT.

Unfortunately, polls and a massive anti-war push spearheaded by Dems (clearly visible in the hard tone of Hillary Clinton in recent committee hearings and in the Ned Lamont "victory") would have us believe that this is strictly a left-right polemic.

Personally and ideologically I agree with the senior Mrs. Zierath's issues over the two gulf wars, having been apprised of them by Amanda. It cost us dearly to have left the first war unfinished; it's a mistake we dare not repeat.

But it doesn't change my view of the exchanges that occurred during the protests of that period and the desire of many to use them for political gain. The chickenhawk argument particularly is extremely flawed logic and required a response.

For more of my views, you can easily access my blog, which is in the blogroll to the right - the BBA is a conservative association, but my views are my own.

Keep in mind that blogging is in nature satirical, farcical and comedic because of the limited abilities of rhetoric inherent in brief comments and soundbites. I rely on it a great deal while making bigger points in order to keep things on a lighter note, rather than descend to cheap or harsh rhetoric that so many blog debates resort to.

Neither is it the nature of blogging to do reporting per se that isn't occurring at the media level, unless the original writers are found greatly lacking and it is crucial to the discourse to delve further. Amanda might well have gripes, but they're really with the Gazette reporter.

My post is a commentary, not a report. A good J school should help illuminate the role, benefits and nature of blogs (UW Madison has a professor from my alma mater who specializes in this field).

Finally, my war-blogging is driven largely by your question: "The deep down serious question that I cannot answer is how to [sic] we change the enemies [sic] powerful ideological thinking?"

The answer is by sharing as much of ourselves as is possible - our willingness to fight for freedom not only for ourselves but also for others; our ability to critically discuss our culture and beliefs, particularly the freedom to dissent and live peacefully but not silently; and above all these things, our willingness to share their conditions and lives.

I believe that the armed forces can do a lot of this, but mission work must be done as well to obtain the kind of proximity it requires effectively. How can they know us by reading about us in the papers or hearing about us from their leaders?

I anticipate spending time doing these things in the future, as a teacher and hopefully as a healthcare worker in Afghanistan and Iraq. I hope to encourage others to begin considering similar activities and support.