What Became of the Peace Movement?

WHAT BECAME OF THE PEACE MOVEMENT?

            After the attacks on the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon Building near Washington, the United States retaliated.  A war in Afghanistan was followed by a war in Iraq.  But many on the Left opposed these wars.  Demonstrations against President Bush, Vice President Cheney, Halliburton Corporation, and the Republicans grew in size and frequency.  One mother of a soldier killed abroad led picketers near Bush’s ranch.  The peace demonstrations were conducted in many cities and participants often held signs equating Bush with fascism, Hitler, and other negatives.  The peace demonstrations were a part of the Left wing and Democratic Party arsenal.

            But with the election of Democratic President Obama, the peace demonstrations evaporated.  The Peace Movement was linked to the Democrats, and the leaders did not want to disrupt the Democratic Administration.  As Obama continued the wars with little change, all the arguments that the Movement had used for several years were just as valid, indeed more so, for the wars were continuing years longer with more casualties.  But there was no visible Peace Movement.  It should not embarrass the Democratic Party and the Obama Administration.

            Yet, how could the Democrats mobilize the base?  If the Peace Movement and peace demonstrations were now an embarrassment, what else could be done?  Worse, the struggle over ObamaCare had brought many anti-Democrats into demonstrations within the amorphous Tea Party rallies.  The elections of 2010 provided some Democratic wins, but overall, it was a massive defeat.

            Then, newly elected Republican Governors in Wisconsin, New Jersey, and a few other states began to reign in the inflated budgets left by outgoing Democratic regimes.  Suddenly, teachers, and government unions and students and the idle Left all began to mobilize in raucous demonstrations.  They occupied the Wisconsin capitol in early 2011, and Democratic municipalities refused to restore order.  Bullying and threats became part of the scene.  Popular democracy was obstructed by Democratic Parties using mob tactics, aided by friendly politically activist judges.  These mobs attempted to shout over, drum over, stamped over, the duly elected representatives of the people.  In the end, they failed.  Despite the obstruction, Republican policies were slowly enacted and implemented.  Unions, feeling threatened by loss of dues and power, became frantic.

            By Autumn 2011 the Democrats had resurrected the Peace Movement demonstrations, but not to demand peace.  Now, the same crew of demonstrators were on the street to demand the end of greed!  Close down Wall Street, attack the banks, raise taxes on the rich!  But this was the same set of people who peopled the peace movement.  The anarchists, the Communists, the Socialists, the Trotskyists, the Left – it was the same group of people, but with a change in cause that would not embarrass Obama.  They simply turned their anti-war signs round and wrote anti-greed screeds.  They met the same friends and heard similar speakers.  They were still anti-war, but that was now backburner, because they want to reelect President Obama.  Peace is less important that a Democratic victory.  If the Republicans should win, then they will start marching again for peace.  But for the moment, for the Movement, today they march against greed.  Against profits.  Oh, and can you donate a few dollars so I can remake my signs?

            Peace?  Greed?  Their only principle is electing Democrats.