Unlike what many say, peace protests are very patriotic and crucial to the continuation of America’s strength. America is a democracy and thus run, in many respects, by the will of the majority of the people.

Peace protests help to show the representatives of the people (from the President on down) what the people want. If people who were against the war didn’t go out and show their adamant belief that we should not be in Iraq, how would our President, Senators and Representatives know it? They wouldn’t.

It is much simpler for people to show support for a war than show support for its end. Think about it. People could fly a flag wear a military shirt, etc to show their support of armed-combat while it is much more difficult and much less popular to show that one is against the war.

There have been many instances in this war alone where people were forced to leave places around the nation because they chose to wear an anti-war shirt, a peace t-shirt or put an anti-war bumper sticker on one’s car. It is much easier to demonize a person against a war than a person for a war. Therefore, it is essential to go out and join others who share similar points of view to help end armed conflicts.

Many accredit the immense number of protestors for ending the Vietnam War. As more and more people began to march against the war, it became more difficult for the Presidents to ignore those against the war. Therefore, perhaps, just perhaps we pulled out of Vietnam because so many people had the courage to speak their mind.

While I support my fellow Americans right to assemble and show the government their point of view, I do not support my fellow Americans when they force a great loss of commerce, loss of rights or loss of life to others. By going to a protest with a permit in hand, the protestors have every right to march or display their thoughts on colorful banners.

We are a society where we all hold an opinion on almost everything and there is nothing more serious than a war. Why then should we allow people to protest the sale of furs, the consumption of meat or the right to life when we do not allow the right to prevent men and women to die in, what many see as, an unjust war?