Why the Current Antiwar Movement is So Impotent

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

Good questions addressed here. With the war so unpopular, why has the antiwar movement seemed to lose momentum since the massive pre-war rallies? And what can be done?
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Published on Saturday, May 19, 2007 by CommonDreams.org
Why the Current Antiwar Movement is So Impotent
by Ralph Nader
The current issue of the UTNE Reader (May - June ‘07) carried a short but sensibly provocative article protesting the stagnation and the cul-de-sac nature of street protests that involve nonviolent civil disobedience.Joseph Hart, the author, asks why the current antiwar movement is so impotent, despite “a staggering 67 percent disapproval of President Bush’s handling of the war - a level that matches public sentiment at the tail end of the Vietnam War, when street protests, rallies, and student strikes were daily occurrences.”

He believes it is because, quoting Jack DuVall, president of the International Center on Nonviolent Conflict, that “a street demonstration is only one form of protest and protest is only one tactic that can be used in a campaign. If it’s not a part of a dedicated strategy to change policy, or to change power, protest is only a form of political exhibitionism.”

Both gentlemen are being incomplete. Even without a military draft in place to arouse a larger public, the protestors against the Iraq war have affected the 2006 elections, performed sit-ins in Congressional offices, filed lawsuits against Bush’s violations of people’s civil liberties, brought Iraqi spokespeople to meet with influential Americans, worked with Iraq veterans against the war as well as with numerous former high ranking military, diplomatic and intelligence officials now retired from service in both Republican and Democratic Administrations who openly opposed the invasion at the outset.

Clearly all this has not been enough to move the Democrats to decisive action.

more:
http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2007/05/19/1313/

[bluestateguy]

1. Nader: no credibility, no standing.

If Nader had kept his trap shut and sat down and shut up in 2000, there would not need to be an anti-war movement today.

Is the multimillionaire Nader enjoying his Bush tax cut?

[Buzz Clik]

2. I have defended Nader endlessly here at DU... but, let me be the first:

Fuck off, Nader. This is your fault

[elocs]

6. Let me second that fuck off of Nader.

The only thing greater than Bush's stupidity and incompetence is the ego and self importance of Ralph Nader. May his name live in infamy.

[tabasco]

3. Seeing this article from Ralph Nader is almost surreal.

This guy has some fucking nerve.

The egotistical prick can STFU as far as I'm concerned.

[Monkeyman]

4. Nader Anti-War --- You have Room to Talk

[moondust]

5. Anybody who truly cared

about the issues that Ralph claims he cares about would never have risked it all by staying in the 2000 race like he did. I doubt Ralph's sincerity about anything. He's all ego gratification and hot air.

[JohnLocke]

7. F off, Nader.

[uppityperson]

8. The anit-war movement is impotent, yet more and more disapprove of the war?

ohhhhkay.