I’d like to inform James Simpson (letter, April 6) that anti-war protests have been occurring for years. Demonstrations and marches have taken place in all major cities. Thousands have been arrested; large numbers have gone to trial; and many have been jailed for civil disobedience. At several events, veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan have symbolically thrown away their medals.
Simpson isn’t aware because the media downplay or ignore the movement. I’ve been arrested three times in Washington, D.C., at anti-war demonstrations — once at the White House with Daniel Ellsberg and 135 others, mostly veterans. The Washington Post had no story, just a photo. The caption simply said Ellsberg and “several” others were arrested.
Veterans For Peace, which has been at the forefront of this movement, is organizing a chapter in Greensboro. We encourage interested parties to learn more at veteransforpeace.org.
Finally, I’m curious about the characterization of Vietnam War protesters as “treasonous.” Would not the same (muddled) thought process conclude that those who call the war in Afghanistan “useless and unwinnable” are also treasonous? Is Simpson a bit inconsistent?
Kim Carlyle
Greensboro
The writer is a member of Veterans For Peace and editor of War Crimes Times (WarCrimesTimes.org).
In response to:
Why no protests now?
Posted: Sunday, April 6, 2014 12:00 am
http://www.news-record.com/opinion/letters_to_editor/article_9f044a40-bb81-11e3-852c-001a4bcf6878.html
I remember in the 1960s when the liberal movement first reared its ugly head, committing treason by advocating civil disobedience to protest the Vietnam war. Eventually they sabotaged the war effort and made the loss of 50,000 U.S. troops a joke. America knew why we were in Vietnam — to stop the spread of communism. JFK and LBJ, both Democrats, sent the first troops to Vietnam and escalated U.S. involvement.
Now the U.S. is mired in a war that has no benefit whatsoever to the U.S. and is losing more U.S. troops daily. For what? Where are the liberal voices of the ’60s? Why aren’t you protesting a really useless and unwinnable war in Afghanistan? Why are you not marching in Washington, poisoning the minds of America with treason and subterfuge to get out of Afghanistan? You are hypocrites, sacrificing U.S. troops for women’s rights, to build schools in a country that, a month after the U.S. leaves, will be like we never were there. Where is the left’s treasonous voice against a really worthless loss of U.S. troops?
James Simpson
Thomasville