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Politics : Foreign Affairs Discussion Group -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: E.J. Neitz Jr who wrote (87352)	3/28/2003 3:29:02 PM
From: Sun Tzu	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 281500

The good thing about being a pacifist is that most people don't feel threatened by you. They may not like what you say, but if you don't believe in extremes you are considered "harmless". Or so I hope. The best thing about the freedom of speech is that everyone can learn from different views. The second best thing is that governments get to see who has violent tendencies and who doesn't.

To: E.J. Neitz Jr who wrote (87352)	3/28/2003 4:40:59 PM
From: Jacob Snyder	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 281500

<I learned this: it is impossible for peace activists to make much of a difference other than making themselves feel better> They stopped the war. They convinced Nixon to pull the troops out. Their goals were to remove U.S. soldiers from Indochina. They achieved those goals. Subsequent wars have been on a far smaller scale, except for Iraq1 and 2. You're right, the pacifist ideological core, was unable to stop these. That's because the costs (measured by U.S. dead) were so low. I didn't get arrested in anti-Vietnam protests (a bit too young), but I was arrested at anti-nuclear protests. And then went on to medical school and a career. I worked for years for the Indian Health Service, so the U.S. government was my ultimate employer. I've never made any secret of my past, and I've never felt any fear. And if I had ever felt any discrimination, my response would have been to get a lawyer and fight it. Did you ever actually participate in any anti-war protests? That is, is your view projection or personal?

To: E.J. Neitz Jr who wrote (87352)	3/28/2003 5:11:01 PM
From: Suma	Respond to of 281500

I ditto your post. I lived through that period of History that you have and it is very difficult to watch this fracas...otherwise known as a war. Concur with your thinking 100 %.

To: E.J. Neitz Jr who wrote (87352)	3/28/2003 7:35:29 PM
From: JohnM	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 281500

. . . it is impossible for peace activists to make much of a difference other than making themselves feel better in some occassions. Ed, I'm not certain what your claim here is. I gather you wish to argue that demonstrations against the Vietnam War had nothing to do with shortening it. A very, very odd claim. One might argue they did and that was bad which appears to be the position of many on this thread; or one can argue, as I do, that they did and that was good. But to argue they were ineffective seems to fly in the face of the evidence. Care to comment?