Hidden Voices for Peace

Protest at the University of Michigan speaking against the Vietnam War

Whether Fox News encourages people to believe the Iran War is productive, CNN promotes the Ukraine War, or mainstream news outlets are war hungry, we almost never see them unify to say anti-war is the solution.

As a young college student and a registered voter, it is important for me to find the right information to consume. The mainstream news networks are always blaming one another and no works is done to push our country forward. 

As I explore some websites that do not get as much attention, I am reminded that sometimes I need to look beyond mainstream sources to hear viewpoints that are not part of the everyday conversation.

When I encountered AntiWar.com, I was met with what initially looked somewhat of an unprofessional website, but the information and perspective was fascinating. Their mission statement mentions that they are devoted to "the cause of non-interventionism," and have writers from all over the political spectrum. 

This already made their opinions more eye-catching to me, as I was reading point of view's from not just one side of politics, but from essentially every side. 

Before and after, Gaza rubble

One post is titled, "'This Is Where I Live Now, the Back of a Truck': A Day in the Life of a Grandmother in Gaza." It really stood out to me because while I do see left-wing media speak out against Israel's actions in Gaza, I haven't been able to read a personal story such as that. 

The American Conservative also publishes many articles that question military intervention and support what its writers call a foreign policy of "realism and restraint." Its contributors frequently argue against endless wars and foreign entanglements, believing that military action often creates more problems than it solves.

In a recent article titled, "Iran War Day 206: Bessent ‘Can’t Tell You’ How Long War Will Go," Treasury

United States secretary of the treasury,
Scott Bessent

Secretary Scott Bessent claimed that he frankly has no idea when the war could end, stating it could go "one week, one month, or six months," but of course we're pressuring them!

The article concludes on how diesel prices have hit an all time high. Keep pressuring them Bessent, you guys are doing great.

There is a clear reason as to why these organizations are way less mainstream than they should be. It is the government putting fear into them at the thought of being shut down with prior restraint. 

Mainstream news sources will also do whatever possible to keep their title of being "mainstream." Antiwar voices may bring too much controversy and that is not what most of the big media companies want to promote. They usually want to report on what they think the majority of the country wants to see and hear about.

A lot of people will ask: "What can we possibly do about this?" We must continue doing our own independent research. I have become way more of a critical thinker for myself since I started branching out and finding sources that were not coming from extreme bias on the right or left.

Our country is divided, but hopefully we as the up and coming generation can strive to make positive changes, so those following in our footsteps won't have to face the consequences of those before us.