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You may already have seen them — the students, the housewives, the workers, the elderly and the mothers. The everyday people protesting the war in Iraq.
The protests started before President George W. Bush gave Saddam Hussein an ultimatum and before American soldiers attacked Iraq.
Many people argue that protesters are wasting their time petitioning against a war that has already started. But, it was protesting that helped sway public opinion to bring troops home during the Vietnam war.
“Although they were unable to end the war, they did begin to influence the decisions that were made regarding the soldiers in Vietnam,” Charles DeBendetti writes in his 1980 book “The Peace Reform in American History.”
Something like this can happen again. People should realize protesters can make a difference.
Those who are against the war in Iraq have the right to do this and are taking the initiative to stand firm in their beliefs. All they want is to bring change to a situation they disagree with.
Many protests have broken out all over the country as well as the world, in major cities such as New York, Chicago, Washington, D.C., Paris, Berlin and Los Angeles. There has been some kind of protest in almost every state.
The United States is a melting pot. There are people who agree with war as well as those who don’t and there are also those who are not sure. We have to respect all these views.
In a recent Chicago demonstration, there were protesters against war and some who supported the war. The anti-war protesters yelled “Killers, killers, killers,” and the pro-war protesters yelled back, “Idiots, idiots, idiots.” While this is childish behavior, as long as it just stays at this level both of these groups have the right to protest against each other’s beliefs because the Constitution has granted them the right to peacefully assemble.
Article One of the Bill of Rights reads, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people to peaceably assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.”
During March 19 protest in Westwood, Wilshire Boulevard was closed down because protesters laid down in the street. In fact, some of these people were arrested for their actions. A helicopter was flying overhead to keep an eye on the people in case of riots. Of those who protested here, many were students who took time out of school to speak out against the war. In this case, it was so important to them they decided to miss one class or even the whole school day. Some held German, French and Russian flags. There was also mix of posters ranging from homemade to professional.
This protest like others across the country, has been in accordance with the Constitution and therefore no one should be arrested for against the free expression of their rights.
In Washington D.C., a female protester on Capitol Hill said she was protesting Congress members who have not stood up to say they are opposed to the war.
Although the protesters made no violent acts, some were arrested for crossing a line on the ground. The protesters are there to try to petition the government to change their minds about the war. They are simply readdressing grievances without harming anyone, a right protected by the Constitution.
Another example of when protesting has been highly beneficial took place shortly after Sept. 11, 2001. This time demonstrations involved many Iranian American residents who were against the arrest of Iranian Visa over-stayers as they were following all the rules the Immigrant Nationalization Services has for registering. The protest worked because the police dropped any charges they had for the arrest of the people involved in this case.
In the 1960s, protesting proved that the public had an opinion to voice and that it would be heard. If protesting can bring about change, people should act, regardless of how much the opposing view complains. Ultimately, protesting proved that citizens of the country could win a war, a war against war. Once again, that is something that could take place today, so why not protest?
Submitted March 27, 2003
MALIBU, CA
