Attacking Freedom to Fight for Freedom

Editor & Publisher reports that "the American Legion, which has 2.7 million members, has declared war on antiwar protestors, and the media could be next." Speaking at its national convention in Honolulu, the group's national commander, Thomas Cadmus, called for an end to all "public protests" and "media events" against the war. He said war critics "demoralize our troops [and] endanger their lives by encouraging terrorists to continue their cowardly attacks against freedom-loving peoples."

Not surprisingly, the right seems to be reading right off the same talking points. First there was Ashcroft ("critics aid terrorists, erode our national unity and diminish our resolve"), then Rumsfeld (critics are "encouraging terrorists and complicating the ongoing U.S. war on terrorists"), then the White House (critics "don't share [our] view that we must win the war on terror"), and now Cadmus.

Apparently, Cadmus - who purports to represent the beliefs of all veterans - hasn't read this piece from the Pensacola News-Journal. If he had, he'd realize that many veterans pretty well understand that criticism of the war is not criticism of the troops.

And Cadmus also doesn't seem to realize the true ridiculousness of his comments. We are being told that we are fighting a war in Iraq to create democracy and protect freedom. Yet, Cadmus is actually attacking democracy and those freedoms right here at home. It is really insane - but it highlights once again how the American public has been sold a false bill of goods about the war since it started. All the shifting reasons for war - WMD, democracy, fighting terrorists, etc. - have left the neocon, pro-war right running around making hypocritical arguments, as if the public is just plain stupid. And that's ultimately one of the key reasons why polls show Americans oppose the war and feel deliberately misled.

COMMENTS: Go to Sirota's Working Assets site to comment on this entry