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[nigeltde]

As I am in the middle of writing a v important essay I feel it is imperative that I update my lj. Once again.

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I am amazed when people can come up with such effective, inventive, powerful ways of getting activist messages across (I am shit at that sort of thing). These members of Iraq Veterans Against War have networked with other activist groups to stage Operations within New York, giving people a taste of what it's like when your city's invaded. It's loud and almost shocking street theatre. Awesome stuff.

Nicked from Jason Mittell's blog.

Comments

[petrichor-fizz.livejournal.com]

There was something about these guys on tao_'s journal, too. I really admire them - what an innovative way to stage a protest. Have you seen this (http://www.ivaw.org/faq)? It seems very well-balanced to me. I like the fact that they take into account loss of civilian life - while it's great that more and more people are opposing the war, it troubles me when their main concern is "our boys out there".

Yeah, it troubles me too.

[stickylatex.livejournal.com]

And even those who take their concern for "our boys" and extend it to "their" civilians are not able to care about "their boys." Why is that? When it's "us" we're talking about, civilians and soldiers are equally human, but when it's "them," we are able to say, "just soldiers." Disgusting.

Re: Yeah, it troubles me too.

[petrichor-fizz.livejournal.com]

That's actually true, although it hadn't occurred to me. Maybe because, on some level, I do care more about civilians than soldiers (but not based on what side they're on - just generally). I'm not proud of it, but... I don't know. People choose that life for themselves. I know that it's not as simple as that, but I can't help it; part of me feels that way.

Re: Yeah, it troubles me too.

[nigeltde]

I think it's because, on the face of it, civilian vs soldier feels like an intuitive, useful distinction to make; and maybe it can be, sometimes, although not in a war like this. But, like a lot of claims in Just War theory, it ends up justifying dehumanising thought patters that we (ie I) would prefer to reject.

Re: Yeah, it troubles me too.

[petrichor-fizz.livejournal.com]

You're quite right, and I'm glad I've been challenged on this one. You know, sometimes you carry around these unexamined preconceptions, but when you actually think about them you release what nonsense they are.

Re: Yeah, it troubles me too.

[stickylatex.livejournal.com]

I hear ya. I think it's natural. But like you said, it's not that simple, that everyone who is a soldier really wants to be. On either side, I'm sure.

Re: Yeah, it troubles me too.

[nigeltde]

we are able to say, "just soldiers."
I think that's because they're not just soldiers--they're also, dun dun DUN, terrorists. Obviously I don't live in the US and don't have a handle on everyday talk about the war but it seems to me that any Iraqi who so much as thinks about resistance automatically becomes a terrorist who hates America and deserves whatever he gets.

Re: Yeah, it troubles me too.

[stickylatex.livejournal.com]

True. That's one of the reasons I'm antiwar (not just anti-this-war). Because war is not even possible without dehumanizing the enemy.

Wow

[stickylatex.livejournal.com]

I'm going to post this on my journal, too.

Re: Wow

[petrichor-fizz.livejournal.com]

Good idea. I think I will, too, if nobody minds.

Re: Wow

[nigeltde]

no mind over here! Literally.