War and peace

After the 2006 mid-term elections, my friend called me to relay the good news about Democrats taking over the U.S. Congress. Ever the cynic, I dismissed her jubilation, claiming that the political stalemate over Iraq would remain the same. As I spoke those words, I hoped that I would be proven wrong.\nWhile Democrats were able to introduce incremental changes in laws concerning the minimum wage and student loans, they remained passive on the most pivotal issue facing our generation – Iraq. \nNeedless to say, I have been disappointed by the Democratic Party. In its misguided attempt to remain “serious” about national security, it has played with our troops’ lives. It has continued to fund this war, afraid of requiring benchmarks from President Bush. It has chosen to abandon its role as the opposition party, merely acquiescing to this administration’s demands. \nIn times like these, it is easy to feel defeated and powerless. With listless congressmen like Rep. Baron Hill representing us, ordinary citizens are being forced to become agents of change. Last week, about 10,000 people gathered in Washington, D.C., to protest the war in Iraq. Staging “die-ins,” the crowd represented people from all walks of life, including students, leaders like Ralph Nader and Iraq war veterans. As Army veteran Justin Cliburn put it, “We’re here to show that it isn’t just a bunch of old hippies from the ‘60s who are against this war.” \nOn a local level, too, people are organizing into cogent forces with the aim of countering elite opinion on Iraq. One such group is the Bloomington Peace Action Coalition, whose stated mission is to promote “peace and justice for all.” Members organized the inaugural public presentation of the Comprehensive Peace Plan for Iraq on Saturday, which Rep. Baron Hill declined to be a part of. The plan proposes ending funding for all U.S. military options in Iraq with the eventual goal of safe redeployment of U.S. forces.\nIt is interesting to note that amidst the flurry of activity, one group of individuals who have remained ostensibly silent, just like its national counterpart, is the IU College Democrats. Their only foray into public agitation was last year’s “rally” in support of the troops. This travesty, co-sponsored with the College Republicans, featured army recruiters and thus effectively equated supporting the troops with supporting the War in Iraq. \nWhile it is possible that a number of College Democrats don’t support the occupation of Iraq, it’s not enough to quietly voice your discontent. This doesn’t hold true just for Democrats. From personal conversations, it seems that a sizeable percentage of students are genuinely concerned with the state of our nation. \nAnd yet, this sense of outrage is not being translated into concrete actions. What moral responsibility do we have, as detractors, to end this war? I would challenge all those liberals, who waste no breath in criticizing Bush, to call their congressmen, attend a vigil, sign a petition, anything. Peace is not for the hippies anymore.