I went to see Across The Universe last night with a fellow Beatles fan. I cannot find words to describe how truly beautiful and glorious it was – possibly the best movie I’ve ever seen in theatre.
[It was extremely hallucinogenic, emotional, and I cried through out it. I highly recommend it.]
However, a movie recommendation is not why I decided to write today. I write today because one of the elements of the movie began to itch at me as my friend and I discussed the movie on the way home:
Why aren’t kids more motivated to revolt and protest the Iraq War like kids did back in the Vietnam War era?It’s like complacency is really stylish or something, my friend said. And I think that statement is pretty true.
We’re complacent, so why should we worry about the troops being killed overseas? Why should we care what the Iraqi’s think or do?
None of it affects us in the short term, and that is definitely the problem. No one realizes that the holy war of 10,000 years that is being fought out in the Middle East is extremely important. We need to put it to rest and find a peaceful medium for both the Middle Eastern countries in conflict with us, and ourselves. Instead of just hoping it’ll go away, we need to do something. We don’t get drafted, so we aren’t affected.
We don’t watch the news, so we don’t see the footage.
We don’t care enough about the world to want to protest for peace.
We’re simply the average teenager, with nothing good to say.
Why does it have to be that way? Why doesn’t anyone get mad about the current war?
It’s the same story as Vietnam:
The Southern Vietnamese wanted the U.S. in Vietnam; Northern Vietnam fought the U.S. just like some Iraqis want the U.S. in Iraq because the U.S. got rid of Saddam Hussein, and so the U.S. is kind of a hero; the guerilla forces of smaller, militant groups of the minority want the U.S. OUT – they are sick of the supposed imperialism
Thousands of young people were killed for a war that dragged on and on for no reason in Vietnam… Why are people still dying in Iraq? This war HAS become pointless.
I’d like to know why no one is up in protesting arms [posters, flowers, pins, and foghorns], crusading for today’s war to end.
If anyone wants to start something, you let me know.
