Disturbing Analysis: "Another grim milestone fails to stir U.S. public"

[leftchick]

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/ArticleNews/TPStory/LAC/20051025/SOLDIERS25/TPInternational/Africa

<snip>

"Even 2,000 dead is fewer than died in the attack on Pearl Harbor" or in the suicide hijackings of airliners that destroyed the World Trade Center and damaged the Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001, says David Kennedy, a historian at Stanford University. "Casualties have not risen to a level that provokes widespread public response."

Most Americans remain untouched, or at least unmoved, by the war. Magnets depicting yellow ribbons bearing the slogan "Support our troops" adorn what seems like every other car, but the Iraq war remains far away. The daily lives of few Americans are rarely touched by it or the steady disgorging of flag-bedecked coffins from large, grey, military transport aircraft at Dover Air Force base in Delaware.

"Its really easy to drive around with stupid yellow ribbons and bumper stickers," says retired sergeant Perry Jefferies, a 44-year-old outreach co-ordinator for Operation Truth, which bills itself as the first and largest Iraq and Afghanistan veterans' organization seeking to drum up support for the needs of serving soldiers but not necessarily the war. "Not until it involves people on your street does anyone care."

When it does, the shock can be powerful, albeit brief.


...I saw about a half a million people disturbed and upset in DC on Sept. 24. :(

[xchrom]

1. self involvement -- the perpetual american disease.

[Missy M]

2. According to David Kennedy the Iraq War has to meet a goal of...

more dead soldiers than Pearl Harbor or 9/11 before anyone cares. I didn't realize there had to be a body count goal, like some video game, before Americans are shocked into demanding a stop to the war.

[cynatnite]

3. bush denies this country the right to mourn its dead...

Not allowing photographing of the flag-covered coffins keeps the reality of it from the public. Also, I blame corporate media. They show battles from a distance and not the up close and personal aspects of war.

I believe that number would have been doubled if we had a more responsible media.

They had no problems in going to court to fight for the right to report and photograph in New Orleans. Why aren't they doing that here?

Corporate media has failed the public so bad it's criminal.

[bluestateguy]

4. I'll need to rethink my opposition to the draft

There is too much benign opposition to the war right now. People know it was wrong to go to war, but they aren't doing anything about it. You bring back the draft, and that's your shock therapy. Suddenly there is an induction notice in the mail. That gets people's attention and forces people to make a choice: go fight or turn your opposition to the war into action.

But I remain undecided. I'm just thinking out loud.

[xchrom]

6. i'm not anti draft as long as loop holes

can be closed that allow those with a certain amount of financial resources to escape.

i.e. it's appalling that non-citizens serve in our armed forces as a way of gaining citizenship -- that's too close to out and out mercenary exploitation.

[symbolman]

7. I'd love for them to reinstate the draft

nothing involves the American people more than knowing that THEIR son or daughter middle class and above can have their asses blown off..

But I have one caveat to add to the draft bill.. that the SONS AND DAUGHTERS of draft age who have parents or any relatives in the CONGRESS are the FIRST TO GO TO THE FRONT LINES.

Simple.

[Kolesar]

5. I'm with you, Leftchick, Korning is understating the opposition to the war

Maybe we are all numbed by the wrongs that have commenced since 9/11/01 and not very vocal about it, though.

[BlueEyedSon]

8. I bet we don't know the real numbers or the total non-death casualties....

[meganmonkey]

9. Hmmm...Is this article recycled from the 1,000 mark or something?

I'm with many of you - I think this writer doesn't realize what is going on.

No one seems to be replacing their yellow ribbons when they wear out, lately I see all these splotches on cars where they used to be

Almost NO ONE has 'W' or Bush/Cheney stickers anymore

DC was HUGE, as leftchick pointed out...

I think the country is waking up to the bullshit that is this war. Polls indicate it, rallies are getting bigger,

But most importantly -

How can judgment be passed on the effect of this 'milestone' before 7:30am the morning it happened?

:shrug:

(on edit: the powers-that-be don't seem to give a crap that most americans want this war to end - that is the biggest problem we face, IMHO...)

[leftchick]

10. Well said megan

We need a LOUD voice in the Democratic party to say the War was WRONG we were LIED to and Bring them Home NOW!

Instead of that schumer bullshit I listened to on MTP Sunday...

:puke:

[KoKo]

11. Agree....this article seems very dated. I live in a Military Red State

and the amount of magnetized ribbons and Bush Stickers has decreased dramatically. I see very few and this is in a state that for months folks had American Flags flying from both sides of their SUV's after 9/11. One almost felt unpatriotic without a flag holder on one's car.

Sounds like the Bush/Blair Propaganda machine writing that...except its a Canadian Newspaper. :eyes: