Dissent During War

If people are opposed to the war with Iraq, shouldn’t they protest? But at what point does the dissent become a morale problem for the armed forces? And how does it impact the families of servicemen and women? Lucky Severson explores the ethical issues raised by anti-war protests.

University of Virginia professor Michael Smith, who teaches policy and social thought, observes, “I think a measure of society’s confidence in itself is it’s ability to tolerate dissent even in the midst of war. And, one of the reasons we are fighting the war is to uphold the values of democracy and respect for other people’s convictions.” However, war veteran Bill Koski believes that war protests “brings the morale down in the troops . . . a lot of these people don’t have a clue of what they are protesting about. Nothing. This is freedom we are fighting for.”

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/week631/cover.html

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Feature: Christian Faith in War

When soldiers go to war, what happens to the families left behind? At the Enon Chapel Baptist Church in Jacksonville, North Carolina — just a mile away from Camp Le Jeune — over 85 percent of its members are active or retired military. Each Sunday, Church members pay tribute to fellow parishioners who have been deployed to fight in the Iraq war and pray for the safety of the Iraqi people. Deryl Davis reports on the patriotism and faith drawing Enon Chapel members together as they deal with the difficulties of war through prayer and remembrance. According to Captain Dale Haley, a retired member of the U.S. Marine Corps, “We look out for our own. We take care of them, regardless of whether they ask for the help or not, and they know that.”

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/week631/feature.html