Your Thoughts on Iraq |
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The
Thought for the Day published a comment from Jonathan's
daughter, Minnie. Many readers responded. Below is
a 'snapshot' of some the emails received since then.
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Dear Jonathon,
I am 16 years of age and fall under the sign of Cancer.
Like you I was in a protest march as well, and I believe
that even if we didn't change anything, the fact that
we were there, voicing our opinion is all that matters.
I also believe that in marching we were showing the
rest of the world what we as a country belive in,
not what the leaders think. Bottom line: It was the
principle, so to maybe help a little with a response
to your daughter, your daughter is lucky to be in
a society where people can voice their opinions without
being opressed.
The protest is not a weapon that forces things to
happen. It isn't violent, so like all natural processes
it takes time to have it's effect. Like planting seeds,
faith in the process will eventually lead to a bountiful
harvest.
Angela Magara, Vermont, USA
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I have always told my boys that good and evil has a
lot to do with making good and bad choices in life.
Sometimes bad things happen just because people make
the wrong decisions at the wrong time. Minnie made the
right decision going with you to a peace rally, it just
happens that maybe there are not enough Minnies around.
Tell her that we are proud of her!
Regards,
Esther Tillet
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Dear Jonathan,
I support the war in Iraq probably as passionately as
you oppose it. I believe the Iraqi people want to be
liberated from Saddam just as Europe was liberated from
Hitler, and they need outside help. But I think it's
important that opponents of war do protest against it.
Protest is one of the checks and balances that distinguish
democracies from dictatorships like Iraq. The protests
told the armies and politicians conducting the war they
are under scrutiny and will be held accountable for
any excesses. Now that the war is underway it is time
for true humanitarians to to keep a (quiet) watching
brief while contemplating ways of winning the peace.
Eric
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Dear Jonathan,
It may help your daughter, and help you to answer her
question, to consider that the peace movement is now
fighting, not only against the war in Iraq, but for
world peace on a scale and in a manner as never before.
Four differences between the Vietnam protests and the
protests of today are significant and should encourage
her. 1. The protests are worldwide already, 2. They
began before the war was initiated and 3. They rely
on the internet to communicate instantaneously between
themselves and others, 4. Because of the internet's
capability to send photos and film, they don't need
the press to validate themselves. I think all governments
are unnerved by the "real-time" instantaneous birth
of the global antiwar movement and the quickly established
correspondence between the antiwar groups worldwide.
This network of protest against the war has enormous
potential, which I am sure Governments recognize, to
be directed toward issues of world concern (the WTO
for example) as well as other global government initiatives
and policies. The world is unaccustomed to its rank
and file populations taking initiative on a global scale,
it will be interesting to see how Government's respond.
In the US the government recently tried unsuccessfully
to get blocking devices placed on the internet, just
in case of terrorists they said. She should not be discouraged
that the war was not prevented, the effort against the
Iraqi War will continue unabated, real change is never
easy and will be hard won. All groups must demand that
the US/UK intervention is immediately ended and all
Iraqi renewal efforts are turned over to the UN to oversee.
Yet it may take awhile. Does your daughter know that
the protests against the Vietnam War ran continuously
for ten years before the War finally ended? Give my
best to your daughter and tell her I believe this fight
is much, much, greater than the Vietnam conflict, desperately
needs her, and is just beginning. For it is not just
for the safety of the Iraqi people, it is for the safety
of the entire world. This fight will last her lifetime.
Welcome young warrior, bring your pen. Peace.
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