The Two W's: War and Wages

(Bettmann Archive. Anti-Vietnam War protesters march on Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington D.C., Novermber 27, 1965. 4 Dec. 1965.)

Though Twitter might not be the best source of news, the app does allow for the voices of the masses to be heard. Social media sites allow society to speak on topics that the news stations simply refuse to focus on. For example, anti-war beliefs are rarely ever plastered within the news. It's not a shocker; war makes money. This concept is a bit odd, considering war also places our country into large amounts of debt. Yet, the companies that provide all the components that make up a war thrive during this time. Now, if the large news corporations started promoting anti-war ideals, other large industries would then cause an uproar. The last thing any affluent businessman wants is money leaving his company.

(Lennihan, Mark, and Associated Press. A business man walks his son to school as they pass the New York Stock Exchange, in New York. In the neighborhood surrounding the New York Stock Exchange, many finance industry employees say they are worried about keeping their jobs. 21 Feb. 2009.)

            Not only do large companies lack the desire to encourage anti-war beliefs, so do those in high political positions. It was shocking to read in Doug Bandow’s article, “Trump Challenges Pro-War Foreign Policy Elite,” that “The president’s desire to withdraw American forces from Afghanistan, Syria, and Iraq set off collective hysteria in Washington.” I grew up believing that our government has our best interest at hand, but at my age now, I have realized that the desire for the money and power will almost always defeat the desire for peace. Even when the president himself is against the war, both sides of the democracy fail to cover this news. Both liberals and conservatives are connected to companies and businesses that depend on war for income, and in turn are able to keep their own level of power and income stable.

            Although the ideas revolving anti-war are valid, bigger platforms are needed for the message to become prominent in today's day and age. Society is in need of leaders and companies that are for the people and not themselves. For now, at least, it is important that the obscure websites that do cover anti-war topics keep the belief alive. It takes time to make a difference, and it seems as if the creators of these websites are patient enough to do so.

Sources:

Bandow, Doug. "Trump Challenges Pro-War Foreign Policy Elite." The American Conservative, 17 Sept. 2020, www.theamericanconservative.com/articles/trump-challenges-pro-war-foreign-policy-elite/. Accessed 18 Sept. 2020.

Bettmann Archive. Anti-Vietnam War protesters march on Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington D.C., Novermber 27, 1965. 4 Dec. 1965.

Lennihan, Mark, and Associated Press. A business man walks his son to school as they pass the New York Stock Exchange, in New York. In the neighborhood surrounding the New York Stock Exchange, many finance industry employees say they are worried about keeping their jobs. 21 Feb. 2009.