Recently in the case of “Cpl Kokesh” against “certain Marines scared of free speech” it was said that IVAW is a subversive organization. Is that true? Subversion is defined as tending to subvert or advocating subversion, especially in an attempt to overthrow or cause the destruction of an established or legally constituted government. IVAW has shown no intent to overthrow any government, however I do believe our current US government did send our military to do such in Iraq. But who am I am to point fingers?

In our role as an organization we have called for various goals to be met starting with the withdrawal of all occupying troops in Iraq. In recent polls it has been shown that the majority of Americans agree that this war is not worth it and majorities also agree with bringing the troops home. (http://www.galluppoll.com/content/default.aspx?ci=1633). That doesn’t sound very subversive to me, it sounds like a majority. In February 2006, 72% of troops polled wanted the war to end in 2006 (http://www.zogby.com/news/ReadNews.dbm?ID=1075).
Once again, is IVAW subversive or just the vocal minority or the silent majority? Should we wonder how much different the attitude is in public versus an anonymous poll and what that say of how the people deemed to protect freedom are allowed to exercise it? Silencing the voice of the troops sounds more like a subversive action to me.

Our second goal is for proper care of the troops when they come home. This may actually be subversive. With our administration being led by the first MBA president it is no wonder that the action and effect of this war is to squeeze as much out of individual service members while giving the least back. It’s like a corporate restructuring with one of our most valuable assets, our military. So yes, we do want, demand and expect this government to take care of the troops they so easily sent to war. (It must be hard to see the importance of this care when none of your family members are affected but I think our House, Senate and Executive branch can pull through that.) If calling for proper care is subversive and is against our government policies then there is something very, very wrong with the policies.

Lastly we call for reparations for the Iraqi people. Seeing that we are apparently there for the Iraqi people (after we were there for all the other reasons) we agree with our president when he said in 2002 “America is a friend to the people of Iraq. Our demands are directed only at the regime that enslaves them and threatens us. When these demands are met, the first and greaterest benefit will come to Iraqi men, women and children.” We are only working as an organization to help fulfill this promise made by our president. How is the subversive?? We agree with our president that the Iraqi people must benefit (the greatest) and after the destruction of much of their country the need is greater than ever. We have served our nation and we are STILL working to help it and our president live up to the goals of America. We as a country would never invade and occupy a country for our own benefit. We would never set oil laws into place that allow foreign companies to reap tremendous benefits. We would never have corporate pillaging of American taxpayer money. Never! So we as organization are surely working with our government and with our president to make sure the Iraqi people have not endured a devastating war for nothing but to make sure they benefit, and benefit the greatest. How is that subversive?

In the case that we are called subversive I think we may be in good company. The likes of Sojourner Truth, Martin Luther King Jr, Susan B. Anthony, Ben Franklin, Harriet Tubman, Frederick Douglas, Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, Jesus, Alice Paul, Ghandi, The Civil Rights Act, Shirley Chisholm, The Constitution of the United States of America, the signers of the US Constitution, Medger Evers, the Virgin Mary, Freedom Summer Voter registration volunteers, the 13th, 14th, 15th and 19th amendments, Abraham Lincoln and John F. Kennedy have all been seen as subversive, at some point, by somebody, even though we now recognize their importance. Will we learn from history or continue to repeat its mistakes?

We, IVAW as an organization, are looking to shed the light of truth on what is really going on in Iraq and with our military. The truth is not subversive is it?