Blog Post #7

    It’s frustrating that strong antiwar voices are so hard to find in the mainstream media in society today. Recently, I came across two websites that completely shifted my thinking about U.S. military operations: ANTIWAR.COM and The American Conservative. Both of these sites feature writers who take a firm stance against the constant military interventions the United States seems to be involved in all over the world. What is strange is that these perspectives are hardly ever talked about on major news networks, and I can’t help but wonder why. One reason might be that the media has its own agenda. A lot of mainstream outlets are owned by huge corporations, and some of them have connections to industries that benefit from military spending, like defense contractors. If those corporations profit from war, why would they want to promote voices that are critical of it? It makes sense that they would filter out antiwar opinions, it just does not align with their financial interests.

    Another reason is that the media tends to side with whatever narrative the government pushes. Whether it’s Democrats or Republicans in power, both parties have supported military action at different times, and the media seems to follow suit. Challenging U.S. military involvement would mean going against the political establishment, and I believe most mainstream outlets are too afraid to do that. Let me be clear, I fully support and understand the value of strong military. I believe in national defense and protecting American interests. But there is a distinct difference between defending ourselves and constantly intervening in conflicts around the globe. These websites ask important questions that we’re not hearing enough in the media. Shouldn’t we be talking about how much we’re spending on these military operations and whether they’re actually making us safer?

    What really surprises me is how little exposure I’ve had to sites like ANTIWAR.COM or The American Conservative as a college student. These sites offer refreshing perspectives that challenge the mainstream narrative, but they are not exactly well-known. It’s almost like these antiwar views are intentionally sidelined. I was only made aware of these websites when they were provided to me for an assignment for class. It is difficult to locate any substantial criticism of U.S. foreign policy on the internet, which feels strange when you consider how important these issues are. In my opinion, part of the problem is that war brings in ratings. The media knows that stories about military conflict, threats, and strikes get people to tune in. More viewers mean more ad revenue. Stories about peace or pulling back from intervention never have the same dramatic effect. So instead of giving airtime to antiwar voices, we get coverage that often seems to support continued military involvement.

    At the end of the day, it’s clear that if we want to hear strong antiwar voices, we can’t rely on the mainstream media. We have to look for alternative outlets like ANTIWAR.COM and The American Conservative that are willing to challenge the status quo. The media might not want to focus on these perspectives, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t important. It’s up to us to seek them out and start asking the tough questions that aren’t being asked enough about U.S. military actions.