Anti-Flag and Patriotism

[crschmidt]

Afternoon, everyone.

I just got back from my first day of classes. I'm listening to Anti-flag at the recomendation of Fran, after he read my MLK excerpt yesterday.

The song is "911 for Peace". It makes a lot of sense. Basically, it's saying that the entire world is about "Hatred? Violence? Fighting? Killing? Dying?" Using an excerpt from "I Have a Dream" by Dr. Martin Luther King, it makes a point that the whole world has turned to competition as the only way to stay alive.

I love the US. I think that the ideas behind its founding are great. I think that competition in the economic arena is perfectly okay. However, it no longer limited to the economic arena. All of the US's policies that are supposedly "economic" in nature end up starting wars.

I don't want to go to War. I told that to people a year and a half ago, on 9/11. I don't think it's justified. I believe that what happened to the US was horrible. I believe it was a horrible attack, and I want it to never happen again.

I don't think that attacking a country is going to stop that.

I don't know. Maybe I'm just unpatriotic. Then again, maybe I am just American.

More on classes later.

Oh, and thanks for the song, fran. For those who care, lyrics are available at leo's lyrics.

Comments

[skinglist.livejournal.com]

I agree with you and it's odd to be in the minority being anti-war.

Have you seen my thoughts on it>

Re:

[crschmidt.livejournal.com]

I don't think so. Were they in a journal entry somewhere?

Then again, if they were, I'll probably read the first line and say "oh yeah! i remember this now!" ;) But if they are, feel free to post a link.

Re:

[skinglist.livejournal.com]

Wrote this one (http://skinglist.livejournal.com/day/2001/09/13) just after 9/11 and talked about the likelihood of war and then I touched on it again later but I forget where exactly.

I have a great shirt: War doesn't decide whose right it only decides whose left

[spongefran.livejournal.com]

oooooo, i like that shirt!

where'd u get it?

[skinglist.livejournal.com]

Not sure, have had it for ages, at least since Persian Gulf 1

Will look later :)

[spongefran.livejournal.com]

if you liked that song for its message, or if you want to accuse anti-flag or chris or myself or whomever of being unpatriotic or anti-america, read this (http://www.anti-flag.com/anti-flag/nytimes.html). It's a letter to the editor of the NY times, written by Anti-Flag. Basically somes up their (and my) views on all this stuff. Enjoy :)

Re:

[crschmidt.livejournal.com]

Heh. You obviously don't know my friends page too well ;)

Unless I'm mistaken, I'd say the majority of my Friends List (85%-90%) is very liberal. I have many people on my list who are very against the war, and I'm pretty sure there's even a few people who have participated actively in protests.

One place I'm allowed to be totally honest is here. I can share my views, because most of the people on here share them.

Granted, there are some exceptions *cough* jessicacmalfoy, but that's life ;)

[spongefran.livejournal.com]

yea, well i guess u kinda figured where i stand on all this stuff by now
on the liberal-conservative scale, i'm prolly a little to the left of paul wellstone ;p

[ralesk.livejournal.com]

   You say good things there :D

   And, for the record, I haven't been but will be protesting, All-European Anti-War Day, 15th February.  Hope authorities aren't in arse-licking mood and kick our rears for just walking around and waving signs. ¬.¬

[(Anonymous)]

hey chris, i found your journal at wefuckindareyou and i've been reading it on and off for the past couple of months...

i finally felt the need to comment, i guess :)

i'm a canadian studying media and journalism, so i've been following very closely what's been happening in the US and, well, all over the world. it seems to me that there are more americans against war than for it, just not very many who will speak out against it. which is too bad. obviously there is a lot of horrible stuff going on in the world, and what happened last september was terrible... but i agree, this is not making it any better. not for the US or for any other country.

i've been to a few protests, and i definitely plan on going to more. the problem is, i don't feel it's going to help. what's alrady in the works will happen, and that is such a scary thought.

anyway, just the thoughts of a stranger!

cheers,
Jayden

Re:

[crschmidt.livejournal.com]

Hey, I don't know if you will get this but...

Do you have a journal? You weren't logged in when you made the comment. If you don't, would you like one? I still have a dozen or so leftover from doing support for a couple months, and I'd be glad to give you one.

If you get this, let me know, crschmid@uiuc.edu

Now, onto the important things:
I agree that no amount of protests or other form of speaking out seems to help. I think that our leadership will do what it feels is best. Not being the Pres. of the USA, I can't really say for sure, but I don't think that going to war is waht's best.

I know many thousands of people were injured or killed in the attacks on New York and the Pentagon, and many millions more were affected. However, is going to War going to bring them back? I don't think so.

Thanks for your thoughts!