In this week’s reading of PHUS, Zinn outlines the history of opposition movements in the United States. Americans from a variety of backgrounds became involved in movements (such as the national movement against nuclear weapons) in hopes to create a change in something that they believed in. As a result of these movements, the Reagan administration acted poorly. His administration ignored the public opinion and acted against their wishes. Again and again in history we see our presidents ignore the opinion of the people. This creates a disconnection between the government and the United States people.
When Bush was president, he attempted to create a loophole in avoiding a national antiwar movement. In 1991, The United States bombed Iraq with overwhelming force so that the war would be over quickly. Unlike the Vietnam War, the movement against the Gulf War expanded with extraordinary speed and vigor. Unions, who once supported the Vietnam War, spoke against the Gulf War. Information networks sprang up during the Gulf War to tell what was not being told in the major media. Other sources of media developed as well such as alternative newspapers and radio stations. Despite the fact that the government attempted to withhold information from the American people, movements still occurred. Throughout history, we continuously see movements from people in hopes to see positive change.
I love your conclusion and agree, I think people continuously making movements in spite of government repression of information is what makes political activism so interesting (and possibly uplifting). People commonly utilize the ways that “information”, or lack thereof, is given to them and transform it into their own use.
I also find it interesting that we see these continuous patterns throughout of history with the government withholding information and the people eventually figuring it out. I think it’s crazy how many secrets the government keeps from the people to “better them” that ultimately ends up backfiring and creating even more resistance.
I also found it interesting how throughout history the American people have never been afraid to express their own opinion and oppositions. It is sad to see that the president’s administration to go right against so many people’s wishes.