Antiwar

I have never noticed how hard it is to find anti-war opinions in the news. Through my research for this blog post, I have realized that major news outlets like CNN or Fox News constantly report on military actions or political debates around war, but they rarely give attention to people who are against the idea of war altogether. 

Websites like Antiwar.com and Truthdig provide strong antiwar perspectives, but they aren’t exactly what most people would call mainstream. You wouldn’t stumble across them unless you were looking. It feels like these opinions get buried, even though they’re just as important as the more common pro-war narratives.

I have come to find that historically, dissent has always been silenced. During World War I, people were thrown in jail for speaking out against the war. Today, it’s not as extreme, but antiwar voices still aren’t as mainstream as they should be. Social media and news algorithms prioritize what’s popular, and antiwar opinions often don’t make the cut.

The lack of coverage is frustrating, especially when you think about the role of our First Amendment. Freedom of speech is supposed to protect dissent, but it doesn’t feel like those protections extend equally to everyone. For example, protests against war don’t get the same attention as protests on other issues. Antiwar.com is dedicated to peace and nonviolence, yet I’ve never seen anything like its articles on a major news platform.

So, why don’t we hear more anti-war opinions in mainstream media? It could be because stories about war are easier to sell. War is often presented as something necessary or heroic, which aligns with the familiar stories we’re used to hearing. Antiwar perspectives question that narrative, they push people to think more critically about government decisions, which isn’t always easy.

That’s why these voices are so important. Without them, we only see one side of the story. Antiwar perspectives help us question government action. This shows why it’s so important to look deeper. Just because mainstream media doesn’t highlight antiwar arguments doesn’t mean they aren’t valid.

Dissent is an important part of democracy. It is not always the most popular opinion, but it is what helps keep those in power accountable. To stay informed, we need to listen to all perspectives, even the ones that challenge our current beliefs.