[Peace] Re: misgivings on Iraq War: A Four Year Reflection

[wyatt2 at uiuc.edu]

I agree with Peter and Martin.  I remember right after 9/11 I would see cars with 4 american flags (1 in each window).  I never once thought of them as patriotic or concerned with life.  I saw them as neo-conservatives who think that America is in the right.  I agree with the suggestions of using dogtags or graves and Peter's suggestion of using Iraqi flags.

Here is a suggestion that might take the demonstration in a whole new direction.  Since 700,000 Iraqi flags will be too costly, maybe each flag could be seen as 1,000 people.  Therefore, we can have 700 Iraqi flags and 3 American flags.  This would change the meaning of the American flag in the demonstration as representing American lives (instead of support of America and support of the "sacrifice" soldiers have made) and Iraqi flags representing Iraqi lives.  Then, then demonstration would be more about the numbers of TOTAL lives lost.

I think this would put into persepctive the cost Iraqis have paid for this illegal occupation.  The anti-war movement should be about the IMMORALITY of the war and saving ALL people, not just mourning American loss or wanting to save American lives or wanting to end American suffering in Iraq.

I would also like to respond to Tom.  Martin was not trying to find reasons to not work with the Democrats and become seperatist.  He was only saying that flags would give the wrong message and that another symbol should be used (although, I do think that he shouldn't have spoken for IVAW without consulting you, as I believe you are in IVAW as well.)

Steven Wyatt