Blog Post #7

 Antiwar

    While I had heard the term antiwar, I previously did not comprehend what other ideas came along with this. Antiwar is not just being opposed to war, it is about taking efforts away from foreign policy. Antiwar activists do not believe that we should not be completely uninvolved in global affairs or to prevent conflict, they simply believe more effort should be placed in fighting domestic issues. Many antiwar individuals are advocating for a stronger voice in the government and to limit the centralization of the current US government. They are advocating for problems to be solved and promote "freedom" once again. 

    Not only are they advocating for individual freedom, but they are advocating for more viewpoints to be shared. They are advocating for different opinions in the media. They are asking citizens to become more informed. Citizens should hear multiple viewpoints and receive all of the facts about different situations in order to determine their stance on a particular issue. The media today has become overran by wealthy individuals with different agendas. The media is no longer about informing the public, it is about pushing the agenda that either benefits the owner of the media company or making money. 

    In an article published by the Daily Take Team in 2014, the referred to the media as "infotainment". Infotainment is essentially all about attracting people to watch and the money that increased viewership brings in. The interests of promoting positive things for citizens or our country are no longer important. The media just wants to bring in money. Reporting on war and other conflict is a perfect way to do that. Not only that, but back in 2003 before the invasion of Iraq, MSNBC was owned by an electric company that makes billions of dollars from war. One of their hosts that was opposed to this invasion then suddenly"stepped away" from the network. Media networks are constantly showing support for war and hosting guests to show their support as well. The public is not being exposed to these antiwar opinions largely in part to the economic impact of war. 

    After exploring these websites, many of their ideas caused me to think and evaluate my agreement with. the government's actions. With so many Americans struggling with hunger, homelessness, and addiction, I began to question the importance of foreign policy. There are so many different issues that must be tackled in our own nation to promote individual freedom, which reflects the principle ideas our country was founded upon. I believe that in order to promote growth as a nation, our government must place more interest with it's own citizens. I also believe that antiwar voices should be promoted more in mainstream media. While I am not sure I agree with all of their ideas, I still believe that it is our right to be exposed to these ideas. As citizens, we have the right to receive unbiased information. While this may be difficult, promoting and exposing the economic interests of many mainstream media networks will be critical for creating a more informed America.