The finer details of organization warrant the writing of another article so people can become fully aware of what could be done to make the peace movement work like clockwork. But, there are some big ideas for organization that are not hard to comprehend.
The peace movement needs to create support teams or a division of labor. For example, Ritter suggests a personnel support unit to mobilize people for demonstrations, an incident command team to respond to strategic opportunities for escalating the peace movement (like the incident in Berkeley), a communications support team that keeps people informed through Internet, phone, or fax on what is going on in the movement, transportation support units that can get people to actions or demonstrations, and a food support team to help sustains actions that last for extended hours (like the chaining of one’s self to a recruitment center). Also, I add that a media team for creating press releases, videos, and handling public relations through the media is necessary too. Ritter does not mention how important it is to be visible to the public.
TIP #9 – RECOGNIZE THE PEACE MOVEMENT IS IN THE MINORITY
Americans are not against the war because war is morally wrong and in this case, legally wrong. They are against the war because the leadership has been wasting taxpayer money and creating a quagmire that has led to the unnecessary loss of American lives. On top of that, they are against the war because the Bush administration has failed to get the Iraqis to “cooperate” with America and do as we say, which has led many to believe the war is a lost cause and the Iraqis are ungrateful.
That said, the peace movement must engage in a battle of ideologies. The battle must be waged pragmatically, practically, and sensitively so that the movement can stop marginalization and treatment as a joke.
This means that the peace movement should restructure the way it conducts its counter-recruitment campaigns. It should cease to be anti-military and begin to support legitimate military enlistment while opposing fraudulent military enlistment.
Before you shut down and skip to the conclusion, read the next two paragraphs.
The genius of Scott Ritter’s book Waging Peace is how he pleads with the peace movement to recognize that it is at war with pro-war America and must follow the “art of war.” This means the peace movement should take note that all war is based on deception, the supreme excellence is to subdue the armies of your enemy without fighting a battle, and he [the movement] will win if he [the movement] knows when to fight and when not to fight.
As Scott Ritter says (and I agree), “to launch a “frontal assault” on the sensibilities of the mainstream American public by announcing that your organization is opposed to military recruiters operating on the campuses of American high schools is simply a recipe for defeat. An indirect approach whereby you are taking a course of action that encourages the “enemy” (the military or pro-war Americans) to do what it wants to do should be pursued by throwing job fairs, holding workshops on the reality of military service hosted by veterans, and offering parent outreach programs that all involve the participation of military recruiters.
The goal of the peace movement should be to educate the public and condition the public to support a military that does not deviate from solely supporting the Constitution and slowly as the military becomes more constrained and the mainstream American public becomes more supportive of the values of peace, harder lines against war and militarism will be able to be drawn without diffusing the momentum of the peace movement.
Conclusion
I was ashamed of myself when I opened up Scott Ritter’s book because he made the point that you cannot be a functioning American and participate in the peace movement if you have not read the U.S. Constitution. I had not read the Constitution and like many Americans was ignorant of it.
Scott Ritter included a copy for people like me who were interested in correcting their ignorance as swiftly as possible.
After reading it, I am truly prepared to, as he calls upon members of the peace movement to do, pick up the banner of the Constitution and claim it as my own and make the rallying cry I deliver to the peace movement one that is derived from the very essence of that which defines this great nation.
The battle for support of mainstream America must be won if we are to prevail over pro-war America. We cannot and will not drive out Bush or Cheney (or stop the Bush/Cheney “war on terror”) without cutting into the significant support pro-war America has. This may mean for some that in order to stop fascism, which is a result of this war, we may have to sacrifice our ideology and instead use a more pragmatic and focused message that is honed for the preservation of America.
Howard Zinn’s recent article on the election calls for all of us to be taking direct action the “obstacles to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
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